According to a report issued earlier this year by the World Travel and Tourism Council, consumer interest in responsible travel doesn’t always translate to more planet-friendly bookings.
The study, "Bridging the Say-Do Gap: How to Create an Effective Sustainability Strategy by Knowing Your Customers," found that barriers to booking more low-impact travel include cost and lack of awareness. The good news: This is an opportunity for travel advisors to play a vital role, by connecting clients with meaningful experiences that benefit local communities and protect the planet’s natural resources.
Susan Blume, founder and CEO of Personal Escape Travel, is among the advisors finding success by educating clients about travel with reduced environmental impacts. “Given the present economic climate, many guests prioritize cost initially,” she says. “However, after we inform them about businesses that provide both value and eco-friendly practices, they are eager to engage with those brands.”
Education is crucial, according to Blume. “A significant number of travelers remain uninformed about sustainable practices in tourism,” she says, noting that some do have ideas about what responsible tourism can mean. “The main issues they bring up revolve around overtourism and how locals perceive visitors. Additionally, some travelers wish to contribute to local communities, not only through financial means but also by investing their time and efforts towards environmental well-being.”
Finding the right partners is key for advisors looking to sell more of this type of travel, Blume adds. “As a travel consultant, it is imperative to develop a comprehensive understanding of suppliers and partners who demonstrate a real commitment to sustainability,” she says. “Once this knowledge is acquired, personally engaging with the product, resort or destination is crucial. Such firsthand experience will enable you to engage in a more genuine and informed dialogue with your guests.”
Blume’s vetting process includes finding suppliers with certifications from organizations including Oceanic Global, EarthCheck and Green Globe — and seeing what suppliers are doing in person. “We believe in visiting these destinations or resorts to witness firsthand the initiatives in place that combat greenwashing,” she explains, citing Sandals and Beaches resorts — use PADI-certified diving boats to aid coral reef restoration in the Caribbean — as examples of sustainability in action.
Responsible Travel Becomes Mainstream
Monika Sundem, CEO of Adventure Life, an Affluent Traveler Collection affiliate, has witnessed an evolution in how consumers perceive the concept of responsible travel. “In our early days, few travelers ever mentioned sustainability — most just wanted to support local communities,” she says. “Over time, we’ve seen growing awareness around things like habitat preservation, plastic reduction and carbon impact. It’s evolved from a niche concern into something more mainstream, though still secondary to the desire for a meaningful travel experience.”
Still, “most travelers don’t come to us asking specifically for a ‘sustainable vacation,’” Sundem said. “They just want a great trip — and they trust that we’ve already vetted who we partner with given our statements about responsible travel on our website.”
To sell clients on more mindful experiences, Sundem emphasizes the benefits. “True sustainability often enhances the experience: fresh local food, deep cultural connection and access to pristine wilderness are luxuries in their own right,” she states. “In the early days, this sometimes felt like an either-or choice, that you could either have luxury without sustainability, or a more 'rustic' experience with sustainability. While that dichotomy may still exist in some respects, the gap between those two options has narrowed drastically.”
Photo courtesy of Air France
Encouraging Mindful Travel
For Abbie Synan, a travel advisor with Fora, leading by example helps to encourage more low-impact bookings. “Many of my clients seek me out because of my style of travel,” she says. “By showing my own mindful travel experiences, it can inspire clients to incorporate more sustainable travel elements into their own itineraries.”
Synan advocates for “slow travel” and for beginning each client conversation with intentionality. “If they haven't thought about these concepts, I really encourage advisors to have that conversation at the beginning of the planning process,” she explains. “You'll find people are much more open to weaving more sustainable practices into their vacations.”
Supporting local communities is the easiest entry point to ethical travel, according to Synan. “Having a connection locally is a win-win for both the destination and the traveler,” she says. “Community-based tourism is a really approachable way into the conversation.”
She shares an example from Portugal’s Douro Valley, where she sent clients during the shoulder season to work with a small local tour operator who grew up in the region. “Part of their tour is a boat ride on the river, and we worked with a company that has an electric version of the traditional Rabelo boats,” she says. “We took a destination where overtourism has been a pain point and we traveled off season, we avoided tourism leakage by keeping our euros in the community and we helped the environment of the Douro region by taking a better means of transportation — all while not sacrificing the experience.”
Ideal Destinations and Suppliers
Sundem looks for authenticity when considering travel options that reduce environmental impacts. “We look for sustainability that’s built into their DNA — not just in written policies, but in the heart of how they operate,” she says. “Are they doing more to preserve culture, local community, habitat and reduce emissions than others in that region? If so, we will opt to work with them should we feel they are also a good fit for our ethos.”
Advisors can also spotlight airlines with strong initiatives — such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) programs — and destinations that are leading the way. Paris, for example, is transforming its infrastructure with an emphasis on walkability and green living, by prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists, expanding urban green spaces and promoting local and organic food. Meanwhile, Kittilä, Finland is a showcase for Visit Finland’s Sustainable Travel Finland program, which helps travel professionals create itineraries that minimize impact while maximizing local benefits.
One thing is certain, according to Synan: consumer attitudes about mindful travel will continue to evolve. “The conversation about ways to be a better traveler is nuanced, complex and a moving target,” she says. “We are learning more about things we can do as global citizens to continue to be curious about the world we all live in, explore new places and move from less harm to a more net-positive approach.”