Sustentabilidade

Sustainability when travelling and in its communication

Travelling is not harmless, but the effects it has on us and the places we visit should be positive. However, this doesn’t always happen. In fact, if we’re not careful, it never happens. The number of people travelling the world has more than doubled in the last 20 years, with official figures standing at 1.4 billion in 2019. How many people is too many people? It depends on the type of travel undertaken. Despite its positive impact on economic growth, tourism has contributed to increasing inequality and pollution and to the loss of character of local spaces. What are we talking about when we talk about sustainability in travel? And what is our impact, as travel communicators, on this sustainability?

The word sustainability has become a buzzword. It has been thrown around with gusto to attract attention, like a viral hashtag, often without really defining what it is we are talking about. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, ‘a sustainable approach to tourism means that neither the natural environment nor the socio-cultural fabric of the host communities will be impaired by the arrival of tourists. On the contrary, the natural environment and the local communities should benefit from tourism, both economically and culturally. Sustainability implies that tourism resources and attractions should be utilised in such a way that their subsequent use by future generations is not compromised.’

Put simply, this means a lot of things. We’ll get to that later on. Even before we arrive in the communities that we’re going to visit, maybe we’ve already made a huge impact on the environment by taking a plane. The carbon emissions from a single flight exceed what should be our total emissions for a whole year. So, what should we do?

Fly as little as possible

That weekend getaway? Use ground transport. A week-long holiday where you don't leave the resort? The Algarve is great for that. At the end of the day, it's all about considering the impact our trip will have on the environment versus what we'll get out of it that's really positive. It makes more sense to fly when we're going far away, on longer trips where immersing ourselves in the local culture can really bring benefits to both traveller and communities. In this case, there are still some tricks that will enable us to reduce our footprint.

Take as few flights as possible, i.e. try to fly direct as much as possible. The biggest expenditure of fuel and consequent carbon footprint is in landing and taking off. It may be a little more expensive, but we're talking about conscience. This also applies to internal flights when we’re already at our destination. As a rule, don't do it.
Choose economy class. First class seats take up much more space and are heavier, increasing emissions per passenger.
Travel light. More weight = more fuel = more emissions.
Choose companies with newer planes (lower emissions) and with commitment programmes to reduce emissions and waste. AlternativeAirlines is a good resource for searches.

Once we arrive at our destination, we are not the only ones visiting it and the actual impact we have is measured by the numbers we join. When approached from a sustainable perspective, tourism can have a positive impact on reducing poverty and promoting dialogue and understanding between peoples, and it can promote environmental conservation and biodiversity. On the other hand, it may contribute to exacerbating social inequalities, eroding cultural heritage and natural resources and fuelling stereotypes and intercultural misunderstandings.

So how can we guarantee that we are on the side of sustainability?

Choose depth over quantity. Seeing fewer things, within a smaller area, means less travelling and therefore fewer emissions. What's more and more importantly, the more time we spend in each place, the greater the possibility of interacting with people. How can we tell real, life-changing stories if we're always running around?
Choose public transport over private transport. In addition to giving us a better understanding of how people live and get around, hence fostering greater cultural exchange, using public transport reduces our footprint.
Whenever possible, walk or cycle.
4. Be even more careful with rubbish, plastics and the use of energy resources than when we’re at home. Just because we're on holiday, we shouldn't relax what we should already be doing at home. On the contrary, we should redouble our care, especially when visiting more isolated places and/or places that we know don't have waste collection and treatment systems or recycling and are lacking in resources. This goes far beyond not using straws, not throwing rubbish on the ground and carrying reusable bottles. It includes actively avoiding the excessive use of single-use bags and packaging and not using wipes that are not biodegradable. In hotels, don't use single-use hygiene products, don't change towels every day, don't request cleaning every day (hang up a ‘do not disturb’ sign or tell reception), switch off the lights and air conditioning when we're not in the room (if possible, avoid air conditioning altogether). Take short showers. Even in places where our actions may seem irrelevant in relation to the behaviour of others, they may serve as a trigger for change and generate conversation around the subject – especially when we set out to communicate these actions and ask the hard questions to organisations that offer us partnerships.
Avoid peak season and popular destinations. The concentration of tourists at certain times of year not only causes much more inconvenience to local populations, but also leads to the overuse of resources and overcrowding of places that are often not prepared for these influxes. When it comes to communication, do we want to be responsible for bringing even more people to places that are already over-touristed? Just because a destination is popular and could generate more interaction with the public, should we communicate it?
Do not engage in activities involving direct interaction with animals (wildlife). This seems obvious when we come across places where animals are mistreated or chained up, but it applies to any activity involving animals, particularly in places that call themselves sanctuaries or ‘orphanages’. In the majority of cases, it is very difficult to verify that these places are trustworthy and we can never be sure that these animals have not been ‘broken’, drugged or removed from their natural environment in order to be there. Furthermore, the possibility of this type of business can lead to the creation of new places that are not intended for the recovery of animals, but only for their exploitation. Wildlife should be observed in its natural environment, with as little direct interaction as possible.
When visiting nature reserves, choose eco-responsible local guides and agenciesthat demonstrate established rules and values, not only to avoid interacting with animals, but also to play an active role in maintaining and regenerating ecosystems.
When trekking and hiking in nature, stay on the trails so as not to disturb ecosystems, bring all rubbish back with you (yes, even toilet paper!), avoid crowded areas and only use biodegradable hygiene products.
When hiring or partnering to promote agencies or tours and choose hotels and restaurants, opt for local businesses. This way, we ensure that the money goes to the local population, not to large chains, benefiting not only the country’s economy, but also the people more directly. In addition, the likelihood of real engagement with communities is much higher. If possible, also choose businesses or projects that tackle a specific problem in the area or surrounding community.
10. When choosing hotels, try to ensure that they respect fair labour practices and the cultural heritage of the place, in addition to more environmentally friendly systems. For example, there is no point in a so-called ‘eco-friendly’ resort implementing water conservation measures if, at the same time, it poses a major threat to the way of life of the local community by displacing populations to make way for construction or failing to provide decent working conditions.
Learn about and respect local cultural customs. This applies not only to clothing, but also to interpersonal and gender relations, table manners and social behaviour. It is very easy to fall into the trap of acting like a ‘first world saviour’ and openly condemn customs and behaviours that we do not understand (I know I have fallen into this trap myself). But it is not up to us, as visitors, to judge customs that are often thousands of years old, nor would we be able to change them during the time of our stay there. The only thing that can come out of an attitude of judgement and disrespect is misunderstanding and discomfort. We can try to understand, disagree and decide that this is not the place for us, but we must never forget that we are only visitors.

It is true that all our individual choices only play a small part in an industry that has grown disproportionately. A strong commitment is necessary from official tourism bodies and tourism operators to develop public policies and infrastructure that support sustainable tourism. But as travellers, our choices, taken together, can stimulate this path. When the buzzword begins to weigh on the economy, eyes turn to possibilities. We must ensure that words are not empty and are accompanied by concrete actions. Furthermore, as bloggers and influencers, we have extra weight and responsibility in the way we communicate about the places we visit, the choices we make in those places, and the partnerships we agree to form with agencies, official tourism bodies and accommodation providers in each destination. As visitors, and when establishing these partnerships, we must ask all the questions that will allow us to understand the values and measures that each agent or accommodation implements in its operation, how they intend to organise the activities they wish to promote, and have well-defined criteria on whether, based on their answers, to accept or reject the partnership or promote a dialogue that allows for changes to be made in the direction of regeneration and sustainability. And finally, after the trip is over, what and how we share these experiences.

In short, protecting the environment and biodiversity, improving the economic conditions of local populations and respecting the culture and values of different communities. All our choices in travel and communication must keep these concepts in mind. There are no perfect solutions and we are all learning, every day. This will give us some extra work in planning trips, searching for stories worth sharing and choosing the language we use to tell those stories; it probably won’t be as cheap as we would like, but it will ensure that we make conscious choices and that our impact tips the scales to the right side.

Resources

Here are some additional resources for obtaining more information, generating critical thinking, and seeking inspiration and alternative options for our environmental and social impact in the tourism industry:

Rooted – ‘A solutions platform at the intersection of sustainable and regenerative tourism practices, storytelling, and social impact. Our mission is to responsibly document, support, celebrate, and share sustainable travel-related initiatives that prioritize local communities, protect the planet, and support regeneration – and to help tourism professionals and travel content creators do the same.’ It is an immense source of articles and courses for tourism professionals in all areas, as well as information for responsible travellers.

Adventure.com – ‘Through our mix of travel and adventure journalism, reportage, profiles, photography and opinion, we’re seeking to shine a light on more community-friendly and climate-conscious methods of exploring the world, and champion the people, initiatives and ideas that are making them possible.’

Page and podcast dedicated to sustainable tourism by The Standard, edited by Juliet Kinsman (who is an authority on the subject).

UNWTO - The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for promoting responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

Mongabay – ‘News and Inspiration from Nature's Frontline.’ Goes far beyond tourism and is a good source of inspiration for travel, as well as reports on the state of natural areas and conservation projects.

‘If you win the popular imagination, you change the game’: why we need new stories on climate (The Guardian)

A Sustainable Future for Tourism Requires Kicking the Bucket (List) (Sustainable Brands)

Retrofit Tourism Better (Tourism Geographic)

Despite COP28’s climate hypocrisy, it taught us more about sustainable travel (The Standard)

Destinations Funding Sustainability Through Tourist Taxes (Travel Pulse)