If I'm honest, we have very few inquiries that insist on or even mention sustainability in their requests for our travel planning services. It is though a huge issue and I urge all our readers to consider the matter as there are more and more hoteliers, tour suppliers and cruise lines who are indeed taking it seriously and offering much improved and of course sustainable solutions in all realms of the travel industry. Our consortia Virtuoso sent us a great piece this week that has further heightened my interest in the subject. In future years this will not be a segment of the industry, it will be the industry as a whole. I think that's the path we're on.
From Virtuoso:
"The way we travel now feels more important than ever, which is why we're dedicated to helping you become a more sustainable traveler. Tread lightly, connect with local communities, and support the ecosystems you venture to."
We can make this happen.
Our Top 5 this week features amazing, sustainable options and ideas.
Top 5 - Sustainable Travel
1. Regenerative Travel
Regenerative travel is saying, ‘What if you can actually make a place better than when you arrived?’ " Eco-friendly practices are just one aspect of regenerative travel. We have many examples that are as varied as travelers themselves. Just one instance: the low-impact design and zero-waste practices at Newfoundland’s modernist-chic Fogo Island Inn (above and below) underpin a community-based approach, including restoration of local peatlands and historic buildings; some profits are reinvested in nearby villages.
2. Stay Grounded
Train travel reigns as a stylish upgrade for short hops between destinations, adding romance while slashing your overall carbon footprint. Take it from us: an intercity flight can’t compare with the silky glide of Japanese bullet trains (above) or an overnight journey from Paris to Venice aboard Belmond’s wood-paneled Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (below).
3. Resorts That Double as Ecotourism Havens
Amongst an ever growing list here are just 2 outstanding examples.
Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley – Australia (above)
Situated between two of Australia’s national parks in the UNESCO-recognized Greater Blue Mountains, the 7,000-acre Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley is a love letter to the great outdoors, with 40 villas overlooking the bushland and an almost endless selection of wilderness adventures on offer, including archery, trail riding, and fossil digging. The stark beauty of the Australian bush goes a long way toward making the case that it’s worth protecting at all costs, and guests can help with scientific field research, such as wombat tracking and monitoring via the resort’s custom-built app.
Singita Grumeti – Tanzania (below)
Singita has a well-earned reputation for being at the forefront of Africa’s low-impact tourism movement, and nowhere showcases this better than Singita Grumeti, a 350,000-acre Tanzanian reserve neighboring Serengeti National Park and integral to the region’s annual Great Migration. Guests staying at Grumeti’s lodges and camps – including the hilltop Singita Sasakwa Lodge and the glamp-sites at Singita Sabora Tented Camp – support the Grumeti Fund, whose conservation efforts include returning the critically endangered eastern black rhino to the region and the management of an environmental education center for local kids.
4. Keep Your Money Local
You may not realize it, but this is something J5Travel commits to on just about every itinerary we create. Travel sustains communities and can reduce global poverty, but when profits are whisked away, that potential is left unrealized. Reverse the trend by spending locally: you might buy souvenirs from area artisans, seek out tour guides native to the region, and opt for locally owned restaurants. Our local tour recommenations almost always address this issue.
I will never forget the Covid survival story of my guide's community (below) back in November 2020 in Uganda. She dragged me through some thick undergrowth in order to reach the gorilla family we were aiming to see and saved me from falling down some steep slopes on more than one occasion.
5. Celebrate Culture
When you watch Javanese shadow puppets (above) or a flamenco performance in Seville (below), you’re helping to keep cultural heritage vibrant. You might not realize how much of an impact this can have. Without travelers participating in an active way, these traditions could be lost forever. Supporting cultural heritage can also mean visiting farms employing traditional techniques, touring artist workshops, attending a cooking class, or even booking a spa experience rooted in local practices.
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I love travel and I love travel planning just as much and I am proud to be building a team as passionate about exploring the world as myself. It took me a very long time to align my career with my undeniable passion for exploring, but now I and the team are here for you. Your personal travel tailors - award reservation and luxury custom itinerary experts. We provide a bespoke service, imagining and creating itineraries for independent minded families and groups.
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