People often understand sustainable tourism as minimising our carbon footprint while we travel. However, it is a much broader concept. The World Tourism Organisation defines it as "tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities."
It is about achieving (or at least trying) a balance between environmental health, economic growth and human well-being. The emphasis is on reducing the negative impact of tourism and increasing the positive benefits for the communities and ecosystems. You can do many things while travelling to reduce your negative impact. So we thought we share some of our favourite tips.
1. Stay awhile
Staying in one destination for longer minimizes the environmental impact and saves money. Don't spend most of your vacation hopping from one place to another every few days, adding stress to what should be relaxing. This way, you will immerse yourself in the culture and get to know the destination's unique charms. Especially when travelling further away, the rule is that it is better to go on vacation for three weeks than three times for one week.
2. Avoid single-use plastic
Every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans. This is equivalent to one garbage truck full of plastic being dumped into the ocean every single minute of every single day. One of the easiest ways to reduce your plastic and consumption of single-use products is to pack a reusable water bottle when you travel. If you are worried about water quality, get one with a built-in filter. Also, consider insulated bottles for a hot or cold climate, which can maintain a drink's temperature for hours. And if you plan a trip where you know you will eat a lot of street food, bring a reusable cutlery set. Finally, a helpful item to carry on your trip is a reusable bag for all your souvenir and food shopping. This way, you can refuse all the plastic bags offered at the supermarkets and local vendors.
3. Supporting the local economy
Buying from and supporting local businesses with your money empowers the local economy. Many countries are heavily dependent on tourism. But this is not all. Local products do not involve transportation, require less packaging, and create more jobs.
4. When possible, choose sustainable accommodation
The best way to drive change is to support the businesses that you believe in. So, whenever possible, seek accommodation that lessens their environmental impact and contributes to the well-being of local communities. There are many ways housing can be more sustainable. From renewable energy production to bio-architecture and eco-friendly lodgings focusing on preserving the environment.
Hotel hacks
When staying in hotels, hang up your towels to sign that you will use them again and that they don't need to be replaced with fresh ones. Always turn off the AC, heat, fan and light when you leave your accommodation.
5. Pack light and make your travel skincare more sustainable
Not many people know that packing light and smart can also help reduce your footprint and simplify your life while travelling. The lesser the load on a chosen transport (car, train, plane), the less carbon is emitted. When packing clothes, take a collection of essential items that mix and match well with one another and can be layered.
You can even make your travel skincare more sustainable. As you travel, many things can affect your skin - pollutants, change in humidity, temperature and exposure to UV rays. So a minimal skincare routine with a few high-quality and multi-purpose products is key.
Our Pristine Brightening Essence with seven potent bioactive plant extracts reduces age spots, increases skin hydration levels and offers anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory benefits. And the Soothe and Repair Daily Moisturiser provides moisture and hydration, soothes inflammation and irritation and protects the skin barrier.
Travel-size products are also great, especially if they come in recyclable packaging, not plastic. You can even refill them for your future adventures. For example, our Travel Set in glass packaging contains Soothe and Repair Daily Moisturiser and Midnight Beauty Serum. The serum helps regulate the skin's natural oil production, softens skin and repairs the skin barrier.
Want to go the extra mile? Offset your journey
Whatever your means of transport, you can choose to offset your journey by buying credits that go toward a project that either avoids the emissions of greenhouse gases or helps sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
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