Why is ecotourism important? Travel–especially long distance–can be one of the most energy-intensive, environmentally impactful, carbon-heavy ways to spend your next holiday break or vacation. It’s also an extremely culturally rewarding experience that few people are willing to give up, so it’s important to consider ways to minimize your footprint while having a good time. Ecotourism is not only beneficial to the planet but may be beneficial to you as a traveler by providing potentially more authentic and enriching experiences as well as preserving the beauty of your destination for current natives to thrive and future generations to come (i.e. preserving the land as well as the tradition). Here are some tips to make your next travel experience more sustainable:
1) Use public transit and explore locally
Take the bus or train whenever possible once you’ve arrived at your destination! Not only will this help you save money on Ubers or taxis, but it will reduce your carbon emissions. This also allows you to seek out the local attractions which is not only great for boosting the local economy but makes things easier for you by keeping the experiences on your itinerary nearby and convenient.
2) Stay close to home or fly green
You can often have just as much a fun and exciting experience domestically as you can internationally, which avoids not only the hassle of arranging flights but the high plane emissions–flying is by far the highest carbon emission mode of travel. Beaches, forests, and neighboring cities often have plenty of their own hidden gems waiting to be explored! If flying is unavoidable, consider buying tickets from an airline company that is investing in biofuels to reduce those emissions.
3) Travel outside of peak season and avoid tourist traps
Traveling during the summer months when the tourism of popular destinations is at its peak can make your experience unpleasantly crowded and stressful. Traveling outside of this season also allows you to stay longer, which helps you make the most of your trip. Use sites such as bookdifferent.com to ensure you book accredited accommodations that certify sustainable practices.
Written by Carole Wilay (’25)