How Companies Are Stepping Up Sustainable Travel in 2023
Author: Mia Tylor
A growing share of the traveling public is aware of this urgent responsibility. According to a YouGov poll from earlier this year, 53% of global consumers indicated they intend to look for sustainable travel options. The same poll found that 53% of consumers are also willing to pay for more sustainable holidays. Equally encouraging, travel brands are constantly reviewing their impacts on the planet and announcing new ways to address their global footprint. According to The Company of Biologists, using the train emits about six times less GHG emissions than flying. Luxury travel company Origin has taken this message to heart and in 2023 will be integrating train travel into itineraries over flights whenever possible, said Dean Hayter, the company’s travel product manager. Travel company Say Hueque, whose journeys focus on Argentina and Chile, has committed to planting 20,000 trees in Patagonia by August 2023. To date, the company has already planted 5,000 trees in damaged regions of Patagonia as part of its effort to help restore native forests. “Our plan is to plant,” said Say Hueque owner Rafa Mayer, who has participated in two native tree plantations since September 2021. “Doing all that we can to respond to the climate emergency is the most important thing,” added Mayer. “We need to go beyond sustainable, by compensating for our travelers emissions and then taking bold steps to generate a positive impact. We believe in the power of regenerative tourism, and are doing everything we can to achieve this.”