How to travel sustainably in the age of rising costs

How to travel sustainably in the age of rising costs

Plus our tips on purpose-driven, low-impact travel for the beginner

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Sustainable travel decisions have become more important as we evolve with our changing environment and the needs of communities. As consumers are faced with an abundance of choices during trip planning and while savouring the wonders of exploring the world around them, sustainable travel options have a reputation for lacking inventory and being more expensive — a recent report by booking.com examines this dilemma.  

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“We know that, through the report, there is an appetite for Canadian travellers to do more sustainable travel” explains Booking.com area manager Daniela Musse. “About half of the audience surveyed [52 per cent] want to travel more sustainably — they want to be more conscious of their choices — but about 78 per cent of Canadian travellers also need to be more mindful of their budget.” 

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To answer the need for sustainable inventory in the tourism industry, Booking.com launched the Travel Sustainable Program in 2021. It offers a range of certified accommodations that provide travellers with more sustainable options in their desired destinations. The program was developed, tested, and refined alongside the Global Sustainable Tourism Council — an international industry benchmark and leader in sustainable tourism. 

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“We celebrated one year of the Travel Sustainable Program last year in November 2022 with just about 150,000 properties — and right now, we are already celebrating 500,000,” adds Musse. “It’s expanding. It’s growing, which means more options for the traveller and that sustainability becomes more accessible and something that is easier to make more of a norm and not an exception.”

Unquestionably, the myth that travelling sustainably only relates to driving electric cars, using reusable water bottles, or staying in glamorous ecolodges has altered how travellers think they can make a difference — but it goes much deeper than that.  Authentic cultural experiences bring historical significance to destinations and the people that call them home and are undeniably sustainable in their values. In Canada, these experiences are often Indigenous-led and restore cultural pride, bring positive economic impact to rural and remote communities through low-volume tourism, and help in the revitalization of language and culture.

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Musse explains that “there is a large appetite from the traveller to engage with more authentic, cultural experiences. About 75 per cent of Canadian travellers want to have authentic experiences. They want to make sure that whenever they are travelling, they are lifting up local communities and that they are also honouring the Indigenous heritage in the places that they are travelling to”. 

As the original stewards of the land, we have much to learn from Canada’s Indigenous tourism sector — and authentic Indigenous experiences can be found right in your backyard.  

“Sustainable travel and Indigenous tourism go hand in hand” explains Keith Henry, CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. “The majority of our businesses and communities only build product that is going to be truly sustainable. Specifically talking about Indigenous cultural experiences, they require social license within their own communities, and the communities have made it clear across every part of this country, whether it’s First Nation, Métis or Inuit, that the only kind of tourism they want to see is a low impact, not high volume”. 

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Jonny in yukon
Tutchone Tours, an Indigenous experience in the Yukon. Photo by Jonny Bierman

Many Indigenous experiences are very affordable when compared to non-Indigenous experiences — and some are even free to visit — such as cultural centres or festivals. 

Henry says, “Believe it or not, still today, you’ll find many cultural centres and festivals in this country that volunteers and donations run. I’m very proud of the fact that most of our businesses continue today to be very price-conscious. We don’t want Indigenous tourism to become an exclusive product that only the rich can participate in because that’s counter to what we believe as a value. We believe culture should be shared in an appropriate way with people that really genuinely want to learn, regardless of their financial levels.” Henry goes on to explain that, “the large costs are always in transportation”. 

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Countrywide, celebrations of Indigenous culture can be found close to home through festivals and events. Of those — is one of the largest celebrations of Indigenous culture in Canada — the Adäka Culture Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon. As a celebration of circumpolar Indigenous culture, the Yukon First Nations Culture and Tourism Association holds the event annually around June 29 to July 5 in a remarkable multi-day celebration of arctic talent in song, dance, drumming, throat singing, workshops, an Indigenous fashion show, carving and much more.

This — like regional powwows and other celebrations — are either free or by donation and support local artists and communities while other authentic Indigenous tourism experiences can be found at www.destinationindigenous.ca

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Sustainable travel tips

Gear: When it comes to preparing for the trip, few things are more exciting than planning and purchasing the gear. Together with sourcing sustainable experiences —  sourcing apparel and equipment from manufacturers that put the planet and people first is equally important.  We recommend: DUER for ultimate comfort in pants that suit the hiking trail, city, or long flights —  Cotopaxi for outdoor gear that will keep you warm or cool and definitely dry — Allbirds for the highest level of comfort in shoes for travel and the trail — the Apple Watch Ultra for peace of mind and safety in the outdoors — and Raw Elements sunscreen for a natural sunscreen that is good for you and the ocean. 

Allbirds
Allbirds uses sustainable practices throughout its supply chain and creates ultra-comfortable shoes for exploring the city to the trails. Photo by Allbirds

Tour operators: When it comes to sourcing the experiences themselves, there are a handful of companies that align with these same sustainability values. For those looking to travel with purpose in a group setting, Intrepid Travel — the largest Certified B Corp in travel — operates entirely on the ethos that travel can be used as a force for good while leaving communities and places better than how we found them. They are a global leader in sustainable travel and operate several initiatives to combat climate change, better the communities they work, and drive meaningful impact through the Intrepid Foundation

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Extraordinary Journeys also focuses on purpose-driven experiences that support communities and environmental conservation building custom itineraries perfect for families, groups or couples. 

G Adventures is a small-group tour operator that was founded here in Canada and also keeps sustainability at the core of each trip they run and through their non-profit PlanetarraEven bigger, globally recognized brands like Contiki are taking sustainability seriously.

Accommodation: In the accommodations sector, Beyond Green uses strict evaluation criteria to bring together the most sustainably innovative hotels through a global portfolio. 

Transport: Let someone else do the driving while you soak in the views on a train or bus while also minimizing your carbon impact.

Eating and shopping: Support local businesses by seeking out craft markets, Indigenous-made goods and farmers’ markets. Many local artisans host their own shops on Etsy. Seek out authentic local culinary experiences that are characterized by their connection to the land and use of local, seasonal ingredients. 

Shopping Essentials is a new category that features highly researched products, new and exciting launches or behind-the-scenes info — learn more.

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