An idyllic summer vacation turned into a nightmare after thousands of people were evacuated from Greek islands beset by wildfires – the latest reminder that Europe’s tourism industry needs to confront the realities of climate change and adapt fast.
Travel firms will need to take the lead on sustainability as consumers are not willing to pay extra for more environmentally friendly holidays, according to sustainability experts.
Do you remember all the fuss about plastic straws? It wasn’t long ago when company after company realised that handing out 4.7 billion plastic straws each year in England alone wasn’t such a great idea after all. Hotels were quick to jump on that ‘green’ bandwagon. It was a clear win: something easy to phase out, that represented both a cost saving and a simple way of showing a brand’s eco credentials.
Back in June 2020, as the the UK's first Covid-19 lockdown started to ease, a bout of beautiful weather culminating in the hottest day of the year saw people flocking to the country's beaches.
We're all about sustainable travel and being eco-friendly at Lonely Planet, so we're intrigued by a new resort in Finland where the price you pay is determined by the carbon footprint of your stay. We're all about sustainable travel and being eco-friendly at Lonely Planet, so we're intrigued by a new resort in Finland where the price you pay is determined by the carbon footprint of your stay.
It goes without saying that the travel industry contributes to a significant amount of waste and pollution. While many travellers do care about the environment, few are willing to curtail their holidays completely, because the proposed experience is too compelling or the alternatives are too difficult and/or expensive. Yet, even the most cynical of luxury travellers are aware of the need to go green.
Milan, one of the most polluted cities in Europe, will open its first zero-emission hotel next spring betting on Japanese technology and local green energy to trim its carbon footprint, the project developers said on Thursday. The new hotel located in the heart of Italy's financial centre will help avoid emitting nearly 420 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year. That may seem a drop in the ocean, but every effort counts in a city with annual CO2 emissions of about 7 million tonnes.
We recently featured the Cavendish Hotel on Jermyn Street as London’s most environmentally-conscious hotel, an accolade granted by the Visit Britain Green Tourism scheme through its much-coveted Gold Award. The hotel has won similar awards including the Icarus Environmental Award and is also a member of the Considerate Hoteliers Association.