Planning your next holiday? Here are 9 ways to make your trip more green…

Exploring new destinations on holiday is a wonderful way to create lasting memories. However, many popular locations are increasingly under threat from pollution, environmental risks, damage to cultural heritage, and the overuse of natural resources.

With World Earth Day (April 22) approaching, we spoke to some travel experts who have shared their top nine tips on how to make your next holiday more environmentally friendly…

1. Book a trip closer to home

“Staying closer to home [rather than going abroad] will have a lower carbon impact,” says Ruth Woodall, sustainability lead at Inntravel, a B Corp certified operator specialising in self-guided walking holidays.

“There are so many amazing places within the British Isles that people often overlook because they’re looking for international trips, and we’ve certainly got a good, growing range of UK-based holiday options on Inntravel. So, I think it’s all about getting that balance right of exploring local places and then making those overseas trips really count.”

2. Go on fewer trips, but make them longer

“Going on fewer but longer holidays will also help reduce your carbon impact,” says Woodall. “The biggest carbon impact of a holiday is usually the travelling there and back, so going on one big three-week holiday a year rather than seven weekend breaks is much better for the environment because it means you’re only travelling away and back once.”

3. Consider slow travel options 

“Choosing to travel by train or a coach to your holiday destination will have a lower carbon impact compared to flying, and there’s a lot of places across Europe that you can get to within a day by train,” says Woodall.

Miranda Seymour, luxury travel advisor specialising in responsible and sustainable travel at Travel Counsellors, agrees and emphasises how slow travel doesn’t mean comfort should be sacrificed.

“There are so many amazing train trips that you can do, and lots of high-end luxury train trips have been set up all over the world,” says Seymour.

“A recent client wanted to go to Corfu but didn’t want to take a flight, and I managed to find a route of trains and ferries to get them there. It obviously took a lot longer than a flight, but it was a very scenic route and they had a lovely time. These things always take a bit more thought and planning and might require help from a travel advisor.”

4. Walk or use public transport when you get there

“You can instantly reduce the carbon footprint of your holiday by choosing to walk or use public transport, rather than booking a transfer everywhere during your trip,” says Woodall. “You will also be much more immersed in a community or a region when you slow down and see it by foot.”

5. Research locally run accommodation options 

“Consider staying at a smaller, locally owned hotel or a boutique property rather than one of the big international chains,” suggests Seymour.

She recommends asking some questions about how the accomodation is run before booking.

“For example, you could ask: are you employing local people? Are you using produce that’s grown locally? Are you supporting local communities?” suggests Seymour.

“You want your money to stay local rather than just going overseas to a global company. The easiest way to do that is to find a smaller, locally owned hotel, as they’re much more likely to be looking after the environment and be working with local businesses and people that live there.”

6. Pack reusable items

“Pack a reusable water bottle, a reusable straw and a tote bag so you can avoid using single-use plastics,” recommends Seymour. “Also, instead of buying small travel toiletries, consider decanting shower gel and shampoo from the big bottles you have at home.”

7. Eat in local restaurants

“The best thing you can do is step outside the resort and go where the locals are eating,” recommends Seymour. “Spend money in the local restaurants and try the local produce.”

8. Support local tour guides and excursions 

“Research local tour guides and excursion providers so you can make sure that your money is going directly to the people in the community,” advises Seymour. “For example, I work with a supplier in Jaipur that uses the Pink City Rickshaw Company, a non-profit that trains and employs low-income women to do tours in e-rickshaws.

“This is an unforgettable way to explore Jaipur, known as the Pink City, and directly support local women in the process.”

9. Get involved in local projects

“Think about how you can make a positive impact on the destination you are visiting,” advises Seymour. “You want to leave somewhere better than how you found it.”

If you do your research and look in the right places, you will be able to uncover many local projects that directly benefit either the environment or the people that are living there.

“The Happywhale project, for example, allows anyone to submit photos of marine mammals to help scientists track and study them,” says Seymour. “Spending a couple of hours taking part in a beach clean up during your holiday is another great way to make a difference.”