Longer trips and less crowding: tips for the eco-conscious traveller

Climate change is directly affecting tourists’ holiday plans, as fires, floods and storms disrupt travel plans and threaten lives.

Wildfires that hit the Greek holiday isles of Rhodes and Corfu during the last European summer are a case in point.

As the fires raged in forests close to towns, thousands of people – many of them holidaymakers from across the globe – gathered their children and possessions and fled by boat or by foot along the islands’ famous beaches.

A sign warns tourists of extreme heat in California in July 2024.Credit: AP

The wildfires in Greece highlight two related issues: global warming is making many popular holiday destinations less hospitable, just as international tourism wrestles with its own contribution to climate change.

“Most other sectors of the economy are trending downwards on their emissions; tourism continues to increase,” says Professor James Higham, an industry expert from Griffith University.

According to figures published in 2021, tourism’s share of global emissions is said to be between eight and 10 per cent, but there are hopes the industry can reach net zero by 2050.

Embracing greener travel

In the meantime, options are growing for tourists wanting to minimise their environmental impact.

Copenhagen made waves earlier this year when it introduced “CopenPay”, a program rewarding tourists for cycling, taking public transport and even gardening in public parks.

In Rome, the Borghetto San Carlo Agricultural Estate has transformed 22 hectares of unused farmland into a sustainable tourism project that educates visitors on sustainable farming.

Even package tours are offering greener alternatives – Intrepid Travel’s Albania expedition, for example, was developed with MEET, an ecotourism organisation devoted to protecting vulnerable areas in the Mediterranean.

“We’ve seen first-hand how climate change has significantly impacted the sector, altering both the accessibility and appeal of many destinations,” says Brett Mitchell, managing director for Australia and New Zealand at Intrepid Travel.

“With more extreme weather occurring as a result of climate change, unfortunately travellers’ itineraries and plans will be increasingly affected.”

Lesser-known and emerging destinations are becoming popular for those wanting to avoid overtourism. For tourists wanting to hit the hotspots, travelling in shoulder season means avoiding unsustainable crowds and, with summers only getting hotter, probably more comfortable temperatures than peak season.

People cool off at Mondello beach in Palermo, during a heatwave across Italy in 2023.Credit: Reuters

Room to grow

Despite these green shoots, research shows tourists are still confused about how to be greener travellers. A 2022 study by industry research group Skift found 90 per cent of tourists look for sustainable options when travelling, but 70 per cent reported feeling overwhelmed by the process of becoming a more sustainable traveller.

“[Climate change] is altering both the accessibility and appeal of many destinations,” says Intrepid’s Mitchell. “Another knock-on effect of climate change is an increase in [the cost of] travel insurance. While this hasn’t climbed significantly; we expect it to in the coming years.”

Griffith University’s James Higham says long-haul air travel for shorter trips will also increasingly be questioned.

“Instead of travelling multiple times per year, we should be travelling the long-haul trips for sabbatical leaves, for longer periods of time if we can arrange that,” he said. “It’s flying off to Bali for a birthday weekend that’s burning up the planet.”

Four ways you can make a difference

• Avoid peak season - You’ll generally find cooler weather, cheaper prices and fewer people.

• Travel locally  - Rediscovering your own city as a tourist is fun, easy and avoids the harmful carbon emissions of flying.

• Think about transport - Where practical, public transport and cycling can be greener options for getting around and also enable you to live like a local.

• Indulge in an eco-resort - Many eco-resorts demonstrate that luxury and sustainability can go hand-in-hand.