5 Ways to Travel More Sustainably

The rise of eco-tourism and sustainable travel has gained major popularity over the last few years. Tourism is responsible for around 8% of global carbon emissions. Travellers are looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact abroad. Research by booking.com found that in 2021, 72% of global travellers thought that sustainable travel was important. Despite this, only 40% of travellers stayed in eco-friendly accommodation that year. To encourage sustainable travel, we’ve created five tips to help you make greener choices on holiday.

1. Make conscious food choices

According to Sustainable Travel International, hotels in the UK produce an estimated 79,000 metric tons of food waste each year. This is roughly equivalent to eight Eiffel Towers! Spain, a popular destination for British tourists, produces over 1 million tonnes of food and drink waste. With all-you-can-eat buffets and oversized portions available at most tourist destinations, it’s no surprise so much food ends up in landfill each year. To make matters worse, most hotels and accommodation providers do not compost food waste. Instead, waste is left to decompose and produce methane gas. Methane is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide and contributes to climate change and rising global warming threats. Every action can help reduce our impact on the planet. Choosing smaller portions while on holiday can help minimise food waste and reduce methane produced by landfills.

2. Shop Sustainably

The manufacturing of goods, such as clothes, can also increase carbon emissions released into the environment. In the UK, it’s likely that the items you purchase have been manufactured in another country. From water, energy and transport used to bring these items into your hands, every element of the process contributes to the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere.

So, the next time you book a holiday and fancy splurging out on new clothes for your trip, why not save yourself some coins and save the planet by purchasing only what you need and making conscious decisions with the amount you buy? By doing this, you help to decrease your carbon footprint and lower production rates. Another way you can make a big difference is by shopping at second hand shops. This saves tonnes of clothes ending up in landfills and donations often go towards a good cause – so you’re helping in other ways too. You can also shop in independent stores while abroad, this way you are helping to invest in their economy, keep the locals in jobs and save yourself some money too. It’s a win-win!

3. Pack Lighter

When going on holiday, it can be easy to over pack. From taking extra toiletries to over buying clothes ‘just in case’, many of us are often tempted to splash the cash in preparation for our trips. But most of the time the items we pack go unused. If you’re trying to be more sustainable, don’t be tempted by all the travel-sized products and instead opt for eco-friendly products that will last you both during and after your trip. Some more sustainable choices are shampoo and body wash bars. Most of these are packaged in recyclable cardboard, meaning more room in your suitcase and less plastic in landfills. Some hotels even provide you with their own sustainable and plastic-free toiletries, including soap, shampoo and conditioner, so it’s always worth doing your research before you set off to see if you can reduce your luggage by using the hotels supplements instead.

4. Stay at sustainable or eco-friendly accommodation

Nowadays, more people are making eco-conscious decisions. Hotels and accommodation providers are becoming more sustainable to protect the environment and attract customers. While many hotels worldwide focus on sustainability, Iberostar is a leading eco-friendly hotel chain. It operates 70 beachfront resorts across Spain, Mexico, Brazil, and other countries. The Iberostar hotel chain describes itself as a big family with strong values. It has spent over 60 years developing a tourism model that cares for people and the environment. From sustainable décor and architecture to locally sourced produce, these resorts offer a more sustainable holiday experience. Other eco-friendly resorts reducing CO2 emissions include Spain’s Hotel Son Bernadinet, Bambu Indah in Bali, and Maslina Resort in Croatia. So, next time you book a trip, choose a sustainable option. Stay in environmentally friendly accommodation.

5. Consider staying closer to home

You’d be surprised how much of the UK you have left to explore. Staying closer to home means less emissions produced by travel, making a great sustainable holiday option. And if you do fancy going a little further you can always consider driving or getting the train to a beachside town. Did you know, according to the European Environment Agency, travelling by train accounts for 14 grams of CO2 emissions per passenger mile while air travel generates a massive 285!

Why not venture out to Cornwall for some beachside family fun? Or, go all out and have a sustainable cabin break surrounded by nature. In the UK, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to woodland breaks, with hot tubs, indoor pools and outdoor activities, you can guarantee to have an adventure that you’ll never forget. Plus, you would have reduced your carbon footprint by not travelling overseas too!

If you do stay closer to home, it’s important to remember that travel insurance is still a must. To buy travel insurance for a UK break, you’ll need to be away from your home for more than two nights and been in booked or paid-for accommodation (for example, you won’t be able to claim for cancellation costs if you’re staying at your mates!). At Alpha, we provide single and multi-trip travel insurance for both overseas travel and breaks in the UK. To find out more about our travel insurance and its benefits click here: https://www.alphatravelinsurance.co.uk/travel-insurance/