How To Be A More Sustainable Traveler: Beyond Green's Guide To Treading Lightly

As challenging as the pandemic has been, it has also provided many valuable lessons and a much-needed break to consider what type of world we want to live in moving forward – and how we’d like to travel.

With global lockdowns continuing to lift, “people are looking at life with a deeper sense of purpose and meaning,” says Costas Christ, Global Sustainability Expert and Executive Director of Beyond Green – a new sustainable leadership hotel brand launched in April. “And this means slowing down to enjoy each moment, embracing the beauty of nature, caring about others, and protecting our planet.” The future of travel, he adds, should focus on how we can all travel gently, a philosophy that’s at the heart of Beyond Green’s approach to leaving a positive impact on the places we visit.

Costas, who also helped to establish the United Nations Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, shares his advice on how travelers can tread more responsibly –

• FIRST, TRAVEL WITH GRATITUDE, RESPECT, AND IMPACT –

o To travel gently and with gratitude means never forgetting we’re in someone else’s home, community, and country. It means always being grateful for the privilege of being there. In our fast-paced lives, we sometimes forget the power and purpose of gratitude and trust, but travel and tourism should focus on celebrating cultural diversity and showing respect for the local people we meet. In the truest sense, travel across this world is illuminating. And with this realization comes an even greater responsibility to travel gently with a focus on positive impact for the people and places we visit.

• DO YOUR RESEARCH –

o Before signing on, ask your travel company or hotel three questions: Can you provide an example of how you are operating in an environmentally friendly way? How do you support and promote cultural diversity and protecting nature? And finally, how – and in what way – does your hotel or travel company benefit the local community? If you cannot get a direct answer and example to each of these questions, move on and find another tour company or hotel that can provide clear answers. Today there are so many great options, and we created Beyond Green to make sustainable travel easy. All of Beyond Green members have undergone detailed research to demonstrate their sustainability principles in action and impact.

• MAKE CONSCIOUS DECISIONS –

o Choose to purchase items from local artisans and family-owned businesses to ensure your money goes into the community in the right way. And never ever buy wildlife products as souvenirs. Just say no to furs, shells, skins, and any other kind of wildlife products for sale. In this way you can also help to end the illegal trade in wildlife.

• GIVE THE RIGHT WAY –

o Instead of bringing items such as clothing, books, pencils, and treats to hand out to villagers, seek out reputable local non-profit organization focused on social and economic development at the community level and partner with them. True giving impact is about community empowerment. A good place to start is with woman's organizations, as it has been shown time and time again, that supporting women's micro-enterprise has a greater impact to touch and help more lives.

• TAKE THE TRAIN, BIKE, AND WALK WHERE YOU CAN –

o Not only is it more environmentally friendly, but it will also help you to embrace the slow travel, which is all about experiencing and feeling, more than just seeing, a place. When you do need to fly, use a reliable carbon offset provider, and opt for non-stop flights vs. connections.

Rooted in social sustainability, Beyond Green’s global portfolio of 29 hotels, resorts, and lodges goes beyond the sustainability basics to also embrace fundamental principles such as fair wages, gender equality, inclusiveness, and protection of indigenous and local cultures.

Media Contact

Hannah Nelson

Senior Director, Public Relations – Americas [email protected]