As an information platform and communication agency for sustainable tourism we are often asked how we can justify to work with hotels and destinations which are only accessible by airplane. This is a legitimate question and criticism for a company promoting a sustainable development within the touristic industry.

However, as usual, in the life there are two sides. If sustainability only refers to C02, climate change, our ecosystems and the species extinction, we would have to plead clearly for the fact that everybody makes their vacation in his own country with minimum impact on the environment.

However, sustainability also has a social-economic factor. Tourism is worldwide the third-biggest service industry, according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO) approx. 120 million people are directly occupied worldwide in the touristic industry. This implies, we also have a responsibility towards the people in the holiday destinations making a living out of tourism. A popular saying is: Traveling educates, serves the understanding among nations and widens the horizon. What would happen if tomorrow we all stayed at home, making vacation only in our own country and would no longer travel to other destinations. Is this the solution?

Very clearly flying contributes to a high degree to the worldwide emissions and flying regularly damages the environment to a significant extent. In addition, cheap and frequent flights aggravate Overtourism: Cities like Amsterdam, Venice, Rome and many, many more – they all suffer from uncontrolled tourist flows. Up to 2030 an increase on 1.8 milliard guests per year is expected. These are figures which have to make us listen attentively and are frightening!

So, what can be done to reduce CO2, and still be able to travel?

If the solution does not only lie in the fact that we renounce from traveling, or put up bans, it can only be a massive behavioral change. Only if we respect nature and the environment, and adapt our travel behavior to this fact, meet people in the countries with esteem and respect, and protect the biodiversity of flora and fauna, our planet has a chance to survive.

The Buzz Word is Slow Travel, it is not about checking off as many destinations as possible or the nicest Instagram photo, but to discover these unique places with all senses. We can decide to only make a vacation once a year – or even every few years – instead of making short trips around the world with cheap tickets. And if the airplane is the means of choice because it is the fulfilment of one’s dream to travel to far away destinations, then the stay must be put in an appropriate relation to the caused emissions and the flight should be compensated.

In many destinations one can travel with public transportation with the positive side effect one gets to know his vacation country better. Meanwhile there are worldwide many accommodations which follow a sustainable philosophy. Besides, the partner hotels of Green Pearls® not only contribute to the protection of the environment, but the education of their employees, also in respect to sustainability. In many countries it is worth to book at small start-ups offering community-based tourism, so the money spent by tourists actually benefits the local population.

Also, the date of the trip has an influence: If I choose destinations consciously within low season, I avoid the tourist flows and contribute for the people on site to a more relaxed life. And for short distances it should be the first choice to use the rail or bus especially when traveling within Germany.

CO2 cannot be neutralized with an environmental charge, however, compensated. The traveler pays an additional amount to the flight ticket and supports concrete climate protection projects. We find it even better to get involved in projects on site. Many Green Pearls®’s partners offer projects in which guests can take part and contribute onsite

It is up to each of us to question and change our behavior.

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