Sustainable travel: How COVID-19 may change the future of travel for the better
Few industries have remained unscathed by the coronavirus pandemic and arguably one of the hardest hit has been the travel industry.
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, travel was booming, with U.S. jet-setters alone contributing $580.7 billion to the global GDP in 2019. Among the hottest travel trends in recent years has been a growing desire for more sustainable travel, a desire that has generated an entire subindustry of eco-accommodations, carbon offsets, local-led tours, conservation initiatives, and voluntourism opportunities.
Now, with borders slowly opening up to visitors once more, vacationing abroad is back on the table. And in a bizarre twist, the pandemic that has wreaked so much havoc on the travel industry at large may actually increase our desire for (and awareness of) sustainable travel options.
Slow travel in a post-pandemic world
The wave of lockdowns since March has taken our global mindset and forced us to narrow our focus. We’ve become hyper-local, concerned with the family, friends, communities, and businesses immediately around us that provide us with support—both physically and emotionally.
In the wake of a crisis that necessitates isolation, like this one, travelers are likely going to seek out trips that connect them to their communities and to others in a meaningful way: vacations with extended family, local tours, road trips, staycations, and sabbaticals.
This longing for connection and appreciation of community lie at the heart of slow travel, one of the key facets of sustainable tourism as a whole.
Slow travel is all ABOUT connection—to local people, food, culture, music, and spaces. It’s a method of travel built around the idea that a trip is meant to educate and impact you on a deeper level, something that we miss out on when we hop from city to city or focus only on hotspots and Instagram-worthy moments.
Over tourism has become a major issue in recent years with more people than ever seeking out the glamourous sights and experiences they’ve seen online, and it’s affecting the wellbeing of both the environment and the locals. Slow travel negates the typical tourist mindset that frames each vacation as a checklist of must-sees and -dos, reframing it instead as an opportunity to learn and grow regardless of where you visit.
Less movement also means fewer flights taken, which is critical in reducing your carbon footprint as a traveler. Rather than booking six different flights on a two-week whirlwind trip around Europe, the slow traveler will buy one roundtrip ticket and plant themselves in a single destination for the entire two weeks, taking their time to slip into the pace of the local culture and absorb as much as they can.
Eco-conscious alternatives to flying
In the same spirit of slowing down and immersing themselves, eco-minded travelers do their best to avoid flying when getting from point A to B.
Now, with busy airports and crowded flights a source of stress for many due to the highly contagious coronavirus, more travelers than ever are looking towards slower, cleaner modes of transportation.
Gas prices dropping to record lows and concerns over social distancing have led to a spike in road trips over summer, with a recent survey showing 68 percent of travelers “continue to feel safest when traveling by personal vehicle.” Nearly half of the respondents reported that they are likely to travel more by car going forward.
Road trips are a great way to explore your own backyard, but driving is an excellent sustainable travel alternative to flying while abroad, too. If you’re planning to visit multiple cities or even countries on your trip, consider turning that journey into a road trip rather than a string of short, high-polluting flights.
Even better: ride the rails. Places like Europe are crisscrossed by trains and very easy to traverse with a universal rail pass. Although it might take a little longer for you to get where you’re going, you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint to a fraction of what it would be if you flew (for example: a single passenger’s flight from Paris to Barcelona creates an estimated 238kg of carbon dioxide emissions, while the equivalent train journey emits just 11kg).
And once you reach your destination, keep that carbon consciousness going! Walk or cycle as much as possible to explore your surroundings—not only is it good for the environment (and your health), but you’ll also stumble across hidden gems you might have passed by had you taken a cab or a bus instead.
Ditch the disposables
Thanks to concerns over contaminated surfaces and viral spread, the pandemic has led to an uptick in our use of plastics—and a corresponding increase in plastic waste—with masks, gloves, alcohol wipes, and hand sanitizer flying off the shelves.
While the travel industry has long struggled with its dependence on single-use plastics even before the coronavirus appeared, now is actually the perfect time for travelers to unlearn bad habits and pack for their trips with sustainability in mind.
Rather than relying on plastic wrapping, disposable cutlery, and hotel toiletries, there are plenty of reusable options available to travelers who want to stay safe while also looking out for the environment. Here are a few items recommend packing:
STAINLESS STEEL OR GLASS STRAW
Plastic straws are dangerous to wildlife (which can mistake them for food) and are not biodegradable, simply breaking into ever-smaller particles that release harmful chemicals into the soil, air, and water.
Bringing your own reusable straw along ensures you’ll have one when you need it (especially if you don’t want to touch your mouth to a cup, glass, or can right now).
COLLAPSIBLE FOOD CONTAINERS
Avoid wasteful styrofoam containers or plastic baggies by packing your own reusable food container for restaurant leftovers, snacks on the go, etc. The collapsible kinds are especially travel-friendly as they don’t take up much room in a bag.
FOLDABLE TOTE BAG
When do tote bags NOT come in handy? Buy one that folds up nice and small and wash it often to keep it germ-free.
BAMBOO UTENSILS
Like straws, plastic utensils are terrible for the environment—they’re non-recyclable and simply end up clogging our landfills (or our waterways) after a single use.
Avoid this issue by keeping your own bamboo set handy. Unlike plastic, bamboo is biodegradable, and the knowledge that your hands are the only ones that have touched your utensils is especially reassuring during a pandemic.
REUSABLE WATER BOTTLES
This one kind of goes without saying, but carrying a reusable water bottle when you travel is a good idea, both for you (sightseeing can be thirsty work) and for the environment. If you’re worried about the water quality in your destination, make sure you also pack a SteriPen or LifeStraw.
BAR SOAP & BAR SHAMPOO
Waste-free, TSA-friendly (no liquids to worry about!), and kinder to the environment than those tiny plastic hotel toiletries.
GLASSES (INSTEAD OF CONTACTS)
Unless you need contacts for an activity you’re planning on your trip, try sticking with glasses to avoid the waste of single-use contact packaging.
Be mindful with your dollars
As Sustainable Travel International explains, tourism is among the world’s largest industries and thus “has the potential to alleviate poverty, hunger, gender inequality and environmental degradation in the world’s most vulnerable regions. But, that takes vision, collaboration and a collective road map so that all the relevant players—including government ministries, businesses and community leaders and travelers—have a clear path toward change.”
Global COVID-19 lockdowns mean struggling small businesses are having to close their doors while behemoths like Amazon rake in the profits, which has led to a heartwarming flood of support for buying local.
Take this community-minded approach with you on your next trip and be mindful of how and where you spend money while abroad.
The best way to ensure that your travel dollars are actually benefiting the communities you visit is to patronize local businesses. Maximize the likelihood that you’re contributing in a positive way by eating, shopping, and staying at a variety of local spots to spread the economic benefits around the community.
Seek out artisan markets and local craftspeople directly when hunting for souvenirs; frequent social enterprises that focus on lifting locals out of poverty through training and work programs; choose tour providers that are owned locally or invested in the community.
By putting in the effort beforehand to learn about the issues locals are facing in your destination, you’ll be able to make sure you’re giving as much as you’re getting from your travel experience.
Looking to the future
There is no question that the coronavirus pandemic will alter the travel landscape in a significant and lasting way.
How we take the lessons learned from this period of stillness and apply them to the trips we take moving forward will determine whether those changes are for the better—but there is reason to hope that the sustainable travel movement will be helped rather than hindered by our experience with COVID-19.
Now is our chance to think carefully about the effect of travel on communities around the world and our own individual role in it. When the pandemic subsides, we’ll have the opportunity to go back out into the world with a renewed sense of mindfulness, respect, and appreciation for the privilege of exploring it.
