All in on Sustainability

Greg Takehara recalls a time not too long ago when the travel industry was facing a great deal of uncertainty. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, just about everything about the future of travel was an open question. Major global events have a way of affecting travel in just about every way, and back then, Takehara recalls that people were just looking for a way to do what they could.

“There was a lot of having the industry come together in a way that could create greater impact,” says Takehara, CEO of Tourism Cares, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing sustainability in travel. “There were interestingly, and rather ironically, very similar challenges to one that is quite pressing today, and that is funding for the National Park Service and resources for the National Park Service.”

The more things change, the more they stay the same, and here we are again with global events impacting the future of the group tour industry and travel as a whole. To Takehara’s point, in times like these it’s important for the industry to come together to help each other and do the right thing. And no matter what is going on in the world, traveling sustainably is always the right thing to do.

If you need proof, it’s in the numbers. A 2023 Booking.com survey of 33,000 travelers showed that 76% of them prioritized making sustainable travel plans. “When the consumer says they want something, that’s when the industry is going to respond,” says Takehara. “And I think for a long time, we spoke a lot about sustainability, most people saw it as kind of an option, not a default, but it’s becoming more of a default.”

Individual travelers in the survey reported that they were taking steps to increase sustainable travel on their own, from opting out of having their hotel room sheets laundered each day to turning off the AC when they were out. So, travelers are already looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact. Tour planners can help them along—and there are more ways than ever to do it.

A CARING HAND

Sustainability has been a passion of Takehara’s since that first involvement in the early 2000s, and it has continued throughout his work with Tourism Cares, which was founded in 2003. Its first event was a cleanup of Ellis Island to benefit the National Park Service, a team effort of 300 volunteers from around the travel and tourism industry. Tourism Cares now includes more than 200 members representing all segments of the industry.

“I think we look at the industry and we say, ‘No matter where you are on your sustainability journey, we’ll meet you where you’re at,’” says Takehara. “So, there’s no scrutiny. From that standpoint, you could just be starting your journey. You could be very far along on your journey. I think one of the things that’s really incredible about the organization is that we can help be the connection point, so that people who are further along on the journey—who have gone through certain challenges—they can help those who are just starting and going through those challenges.”

Tourism Cares does that through a variety of events and educational opportunities, from training tools on the organization website to its Meaningful Travel Summits held throughout the year—upcoming Summits stateside include Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 7 and Galveston, Texas, on Nov. 14. The Summits include education sessions, networking opportunities, and off-site experiences all designed to further sustainability in travel.

In addition to the online Learning Hub, the organization’s website also maintains a Meaningful Travel Map, showing more than 550 partners worldwide who share the organization’s values of sustainability. This covers a wide range of things, from accommodations to attractions that are all vetted for their committments to sustainability. The map is accessible to anyone, but Tourism Cares members have access to other resources such as help desk appointments, original educational and training content, and a members-only networking directory.

Last but not least, a vital piece of Tourism Cares is fostering the sort of collaboration that Takehara references, everyone coming together to help each other. Tourism Cares helps build a network of travel professionals who can learn from each other, not just from experts.

“We will engage members and nonmembers alike—anybody who wants to have a safe space to be able to talk about what their current challenges are,” says Takehara. “Sometimes they don’t want to raise their hand in the room and say, ‘Jeez, I don’t know if we’re really doing anything, and we really want to get started. How do we get started?’ … So come and join us. Again, regardless of where you are on your journey, I think we have something for everyone.”

OTHER PARTNERS

“Journey” is a good word to describe the relationship between sustainability and travel. It’s unrealistic to expect to go from no knowledge to a fully green operation overnight. Adding in elements of sustainability to your itineraries can be made easier with some assistance.

The word “journey” appears alongside the mission of GreenStep, based in British Columbia. “Our people are your sustainability guides,” the company says, “walking beside you on your sustainability journey, offering guidance, expertise, and building capacity each step of the way.” GreenStep consults with a wide variety of industries but, for tourism companies, focuses on measurement and improvement of sustainability practices. The measurement piece is important, as you might not really know which areas to improve in. Tour operators can take a survey and receive a free “Sustainability Score” along with tools and resources to improve it.

Focused exclusively on the travel industry is Sustainable Travel International. You’ve likely heard about your carbon footprint, and if you’ve never looked into it then Sustainable Travel International offers a calculator that measures all aspects of your trip, whether you’re calculating air miles or motorcoach miles. If carbon neutrality is the goal, Sustainable Travel International can put together a five-step plan to help.

Beyond Green Travel has been helping destinations, nonprofits, and tour operators alike be more sustainable since 2005. If you’re seeking guidance with a more hands-on approach, the company offers professional consulting services tailored to whatever your sustainability goals are. And with touching so many parts of the industry, it has plenty of contacts for sustainable accommodations and activities.

GETTING STARTED

The resources outlined here are great ways to progress along your sustainability journey. But you might be wondering what things you can do, or what you can start thinking about, to be more sustainable right away. Planning more sustainable tours doesn’t mean doing less, necessarily; it just means doing things in slightly different ways.

For example, you might consider destinations that are more off the beaten path, as the most high-traffic tourist areas can have negative impacts on that surrounding environment. You might think about tours that spend more time in fewer destinations as opposed to hitting as many destinations as possible, creating a greater carbon output from transportation. And on the topic of transportation, consider using public transportation when possible, rather than dedicated coaches just for your group.

These are just a few examples. But, in general, think about ways in which you can cut back on the environmental impact without reducing the quality of experience for your tourgoers. After all, those sustainable initiatives might end up increasing the quality of their experience as more and more travelers seek to be greener globetrotters.

By Todd Kortemeier

Main Image Credit: Adobe/Puco_NS