Sustainable Travel – 20 Tips for Eco-Friendly Travelers on Vacation

Is it actually possible to travel sustainably? And what exactly characterizes an environmentally friendly vacation? If you're looking for answers to these questions, you've come to the right place. Unique cultures, extraordinary mountain landscapes, tropical forests, impressive waterfalls or fascinating wildlife - we just love to get away from it all!

Unfortunately, the countless flights, the behavior of many tourists and the Mass tourism in general, the climate, natural ecosystems and cultures of the host countries. However, no one has to miss out on wonderful travel experiences because of this. Fortunately, there are quite a few ways to discover the world without destroying it.

In this article, I would like to give you my best tips for sustainable travel and so-called soft tourism. Use them to make a real difference on your vacation too. Let's go!

Definition: What is sustainable travel and soft tourism?

Before we move on to the specific travel tips, I would like to briefly explain the two key terms. Because even though "sustainable travel" and "soft tourism" Many overlaps and are often mentioned in the same breath, they differ in their meaning.

Sustainable travel

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines sustainable travel as follows:

„Travel that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impact, as well as the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.„

For me personally, sustainable travel means, in simple terms, getting from one place to another and experiencing it, its people and its nature, without leaving any damage. The stay on site should encourage and support - not burden.

The overarching goal of sustainable travel is to create a experience the destination in such a way that future generations will also have the same opportunity. The term can refer both to the behavior of the travelers themselves and to the behavior of the travel organizers.

Soft tourism

Soft tourism (often also referred to as ecotourism or sustainable tourism) is generally understood to be a form of tourism that attempts to minimize the negative effects of travel from an environmental and socio-cultural perspective or to eliminate them.

All travel providers and stakeholders at a destination are committed to making it as easy as possible for vacationers and tourists to escape mass tourism and its consequences and to create sustainable travel experiences in the respective vacation regionwhich ultimately also promote the region.

20 tips: How can I travel as sustainably as possible?

The definitions are therefore clear. How can you travel and go on vacation like thisthat natural resources is protected, nature is conserved, the local economy is strengthened and one or two formative, enriching moments are experienced at the same time?

There are a few things to bear in mind before, during and even after your trip. Simply use the following tips - from planning your vacation, to sustainable behavior at your destination, to the journey home, to make your next vacation not only unique, but also unforgettable.

1. fly as rarely as possible

The airplane is the most climate-damaging means of transportation. Flights emit large quantities of the greenhouse gas CO2, which at high altitudes has an even greater climate-damaging effect than exhaust fumes on the ground.

Whenever possible, you should therefore try to switch to sustainable alternatives. Many travel destinations, for example, can also be by train reach. Domestic flights in particular can be replaced by the train in an environmentally friendly way.

Tip: The flight is absolutely unavoidable? Then you will find the best tips here to to fly as sustainably as possible and to counteract "flight shame".

2. also discover nearby destinations

What is the purpose of your trip? Is it more of a relaxing vacation? Then you honestly have to don't fly halfway around the world. Germany and Europe have many beautiful places to offer. A vacation nearby ultimately makes it possible to avoid flying and travel sustainably.

3. note the ratio of the distances

As you may have already gathered from the previous tips on sustainable travel, distance should be a decisive factor when choosing the type of trip. The The distance between your place of residence and your vacation destination must be in reasonable proportion to the total duration of the trip.

Flying from Germany to London for just a weekend or to the Canary Islands for a week's beach vacation, for example, makes no sense. The rule of thumb is: The longer the travel distance, the longer the total duration of the trip should be.

4. pack as little as possible

The more things you take with you, the harder it will be for you to travel sustainably. With a lot of luggage, you will not only increase the fuel consumption of your chosen means of transportation, but you will also be much less flexible with your luggage over the entire journey. So think minimalistically and really only take as many things with you as you need.

So pack carefully so that you can really travel sustainably. Here you can get my free travel checklist to check off - and also to cross out things that you can personally do without.

5. pay attention to the eco-labels

If you like to use online travel portals and travel agencies for your vacation search, some trustworthy environmental seals from the travel industry will help you plan your vacation. The following certifications and seals are very useful for finding sustainable offers more quickly:

• BioHotels: You can use this label to recognize environmentally friendly accommodation that, for example, only offers organic food and organic natural cosmetics or uses green electricity and ecological cleaning products.
• Viabono: The Viabono certificate is a sustainability symbol for accommodation, restaurants and travel service providers and was created by the Federal Environment Agency.
• TourCert: It is one of the most established seals of approval for sustainable tourism and recognizes tour operators, accommodations and also the destination and the options it offers on site.
• Blue flag: The eco-label recognizes regions with beaches or inland waters that have met all standards regarding environmental education, environmental management, service quality and water quality in the previous year.
• GreenSign: The seal recognizes environmentally friendly hotels according to strict criteria in five certification levels.
• European Ecolabel: It is one of the oldest and best-known environmental labels and recognizes sustainable accommodation and campsites with sensible environmental concepts.
• GreenGlobe: Recognizes travel accommodations according to strict sustainability criteria and also creates incentives for continuous improvement.

Also Green Pearls is an eco-label for travel, but according to my research it is not completely independent and the audits are rather opaque. However, I don't want to rule out the possibility that this seal can also be an additional distinguishing feature of sustainable vacation offers.

6. choose hotels and apartments with a clear statement

If you want to travel sustainably, you should take a close look at your favorite accommodations beforehand. The Description on the travel portal (also use environment-specific filter functions!) and the Information on the website of the accommodation itself, help decisively.

The best way is to search directly on green travel portals like econbn.deas only green hostels can be found there.

If those responsible show a Clear stance on sustainable tourism? Are you making an ecological statement in terms of waste management, food on offer and use of resources? Then you may have found your sustainable accommodation.

7. do without all-inclusive

All-inclusive is a symbol of mass tourism and unfortunately has nothing in common with sustainable travel. This is because many services are already included in the hotel price, you automatically use local offers in the vacation region less often.

At the end In this way, you usually only support the big tourism groups and not the local population.

8. visits to organic hotels and organic farms

The number of organic hotels in Europe is growing and growing. There you can be sure that Plastic waste avoidedgreen electricity is used and the hotel operates in a resource-conserving manner. Accommodation that is allowed to call itself an organic hotel must fulfill countless sustainable criteria and are checked regularly.

9. familiarize yourself with your destination in advance

If you know where your sustainable journey is taking you, find out in advance about the culture, the history and the nature of your destination country.

Learn, for example, the most important words (e.g. "hello", "goodbye", "how are you?") in the local language, as this will make it much easier for you to interact with the local people.

Ultimately, this preparation is also a sign of your respect. As tourists, we are all just guests and should represent our home country abroad with dignity.

Good to know: The best Tips for learning a new languageby the way, I have compiled them for you in the linked blog article.

10. try to do it as digitally as possible

Expensive travel planners or paper maps either end up in the bin or in the cupboard after the vacation - and are never touched again. With the (Offline) maps of your destination In Google Maps you can see the money and the Save paperas you always have a map on your smartphone.

Furthermore, countless documents and papers (e.g. Flight or train tickets) and use them digitally to avoid waste.

11. use bike & public transportation

Also prefer environmentally friendly alternatives for getting around at your destination. Whenever a Walking, cycling or using public transport (e.g. buses and trains), you should also use them.

Finally, you can Relaxed, decelerated and truly sustainable travel, as you experience local life up close.

12. respect nature and the local people

Like everywhere else in the world, you should of course respect nature at your vacation destination, reduce your waste and use your Do not carelessly throw waste into the bushes. It is self-explanatory that it is sustainable to To leave nature as you found it.

As you are a guest in another country, you should also treat your fellow human beings there with respect. In the end, it is the Experiences with localsthat will remain in your memory forever after a wonderful trip. Therefore, treat all people as you would like to be treated yourself.

13. leave your comfort zone and travel differently

Sustainable travel also means traveling in such a way that you feel Enjoy the memories in the long term can.

As we all know, the real adventures and experiences begin where the plans end. So instead of taking part in every "tourist program", for example, it is advisable to take the direct route. Seek contact with the locals and ask for tips. They know their region best and have the best ideas and recommendations.

In this way, you also automatically support more smaller businesses or the people who are normally benefit far too little from tourism.

14. consume from local suppliers

The aim of sustainable travel is also to support small local businesses and traders at the respective destination. So buy directly from them, so that your money reaches the people who need it.

For example, avoid global fast food chains and visit local restaurants instead with local food. And if you're still looking for a souvenir for your family and friends back home, then prefer special ones, sustainable souvenirs (e.g. no ivory or things that end up in the bin anyway) from regional crafts.

15. avoid waste even on vacation

As at home, it is also environmentally friendly to avoid waste when traveling. And you can not only in the accommodation, but also on the road.

Use for example these Stainless steel drinking bottle* (click here for the detailed Drinking bottles comparison) and fill it up (if possible and drinkable) with tap water to save the resources for dozens of plastic bottles. By the way, you can also save these by buying the best bar soaps for hair and skin instead of liquid shampoo and shower gel, which you usually have to hand in at airport security.

There are countless other possibilities for a Zero Waste Journey. You can also buy fruit and vegetables at the market in foreign countries, for example.ose and thus plastic free shopping.

In general, I can also recommend this reusable travel cutlery* to avoid waste from disposable spoons, knives and forks.

Here are some more further articles to avoid waste:

• Reduce food waste
• Plastic-free on the plane - how it works
• General zero waste tips

16. dare to say "no"

Especially in tourist areas some people can be really clever and put you in situations that you would not normally support.

For example, you can take a photo with a chained elephant or that you tip someone who has made a mistake. Monkeys dance to a flute lets... that is cruelty to animals and simply must not be supported.

If you want your journey to be sustainable, you have to be prepared to say no at these and similar moments and politely decline. In general, it is advisable to only do the things that you consider to be right and sensible.

17. do CleanUps in the environment

Litter in nature can be found in all travel destinations - Experience has shown that there is a great need for a clean-up operation, especially in coastal areas. So also catch simply start collecting garbage while on vacation or organize your own Beach-CleanUp directly with a few supporters. They will join either way, because that is always welcome. Someone just has to get started.

And if you want to make a difference on a smaller scale: Just take five pieces of plastic waste with you every time you go to the beach and dispose of them.

One way or another you save through your good deeds the lives of countless sea turtles, fish and seabirds.which often die in agony from non-biodegradable plastic waste.

Tip: More and more people are adhering to this rule and collecting waste from nature. You are welcome to join our Global Facebook community for Beach CleanUps (CareElite CleanUps) Invited to share your cleanup efforts with the world.

18. also save resources in the accommodation

The light, the air conditioning, the food, the laundry of towels - These are all things that can also be used and designed in a more environmentally friendly way on vacation.

Switch off the lightwhen you leave your room and the air conditioning only onif you are there and absolutely need them. Fill up at the Only put what you are going to eat on your plate at meals on site. And Use towels several times, indem du sie so platzierst, dass der Reinigungsdienst sie nicht jeden Tag mitnimmt und wäscht.

Sorge also durch ein wertschätzendes und bewusstes Verhalten dafür, dass du auch in der Unterkunft die Conserve the earth's resources, wann immer es geht.

Tip: Ressourcen schonst du übrigens auch indirekt, indem du dich für pflanzliche Mahlzeiten entscheidest, da der „Umweg Tier“ (für Kühe, Schweine & Co. muss zum Beispiel extra Tierfutter angebaut und um die halbe Welt verschifft werden) extrem ressourcenintensiv ist. Umwelt- und auch tierfreundlicher ist es, wenn wir die angebauten Pflanzen selbst essen. Wenn du magst, stelle ich dir im verlinkten Blogartikel noch mehr Reasons for the vegan lifestyle before.

19. Gib Trinkgeld

Die Menschen, die dich im Urlaub bedienen, fahren, beraten oder bekochen, profitieren im Regelfall nicht so sehr von deinem Aufenthalt, wie die Reiseunternehmen. Wenn sie freundlich waren und dir geholfen haben, ist es daher selbstverständlich, ihnen ein faires Trinkgeld dazulassen. So trägst du ebenfalls nachhaltig dazu bei, dass auch andere Urlauber:innen in Zukunft großartige Reiseerfahrungen machen werden.

20. Halte abschließend Reiseerlebnisse fest und kompensiere deine Flüge

Eine nachhaltige Reise endet nicht, wenn du im Anschluss durch deine Haustür gehst. Um immer mal wieder auf deine Erlebnisse vor Ort zurückblicken zu können, ist es ratsam, deine Fotos und Videos sinnvoll digital strukturieren und abspeichern, anstatt sie einfach auf deinem Handy zu lassen.

Also a Photo album (achte beim Kauf auf Umweltsiegel wie den „blauen Engel“ und das „FSC“-Label) konserviert einzigartige Momente, die dir keiner mehr nehmen kann.

Wenn auf deiner Reise wunderbare Freundschaften entstanden sind, dann lass auch gern mal ab und zu etwas von dir hören. Auch das macht das bewusste Urlauben aus.

Wenn du magst, kannst du abschließend auch noch die für dich bei Flügen (oder bei auch Bahn- und Autofahrten) entstandenen Offset CO2 emissions. Das funktioniert zum Beispiel ganz einfach mit einer Spende an atmosfair-Klimaschutzprojekte.

Nachhaltiges Reisen, leicht gemacht!

„Es ist zu teuer“, „das Flugzeug ist schneller“, „die Bahn ist immer zu spät“ – es gibt echt viele Mythen und Vorurteile gegenüber des nachhaltigen Reisens und dem sanften Tourismus, die sich allerdings leicht widerlegen lassen.

Ich denke, dass die Tipps aus diesem Artikel verdeutlicht haben, dass nachhaltiges Reisen ziemlich einfach sein kann. Jede kleine Maßnahme macht dabei schon einen Unterschied.

"Take only memories, leave only footprints."

Chief Seattle (more at Travel Quotes)

Ich hoffe sehr, dass dir die Ratschläge die entscheidende Inspiration liefern, um deine zukünftigen Urlaube umweltbewusster, erlebnisreicher und nachhaltiger zu gestalten.

Hast du Fragen, Anregungen oder weitere Tipps parat? Dann freue ich mich auf deinen Kommentar und wünsche dir schon einmal viel Spaß bei deiner nächsten Reise!

Stay sustainable,

PS: Mit "Sustainable Travel for Beginners" habe ich dir ein praktisches Handbuch für bewusstes Reisen geschrieben. Wenn magst, get it here*.