Teenagers and young adults are getting the opportunity to explore the world more than ever before, presenting new ways of learning about cultures, communities and connections with people and places. Whilst finding yourself in southeast Asia is becoming an increasingly attractive prospect, it is crucial that we travel in a sustainable way, preserving our wonderful earth so that it can be equally explored by our future generations.
Around 2.5% of global CO2 emissions come from aviation, and this number is likely to increase along with the increase of people travelling. In November 2023, Virgin Atlantic flew the world’s first 100% sustainable aviation fuel flight from London Heathrow to New York. EasyJet are another airline striving for fuel efficiency, recently introducing the Airbus Neo aircraft, which are 15% more fuel efficient than older planes. When booking flights, it is often a default to opt for the cheapest one; however, be mindful of the airlines you are booking with and their ethics.
Sustainable tourism aims to find a balance between fulfilling the curiosity of travelers whilst adopting responsible travel practices that minimize our ecological footprint. It focuses on reducing tourism’s negative impacts and maximizing its positive benefits for communities, cultures, ecosystems, and the planet.
One way to avoid ‘overtourism’ of popular travel destinations is to explore the beautiful corners of the world that are not the ones that appear every day on your Instagram feed. These places often do not live up to expectations due to overcrowding, long queues and gentrification. Furthermore, the consequences of overtourism mean the authentic culture of the destination becomes diluted. Instead, talk to local people for advice on the best places to visit, try locally made food and experience the culture in a more authentic way.
Give back to the communities that you are visiting. Instead of rushing your travels and trying to tick off as many tourist points as possible, try to slow down and experience the lifestyle of each place. Learn from the locals and give back to them. Use your own skills and experience to benefit their communities. A few ways you can do this include volunteering to teach in local schools, joining environmental sustainability projects or even something as simple as taking a couple of hours to collect litter.
Travel mindfully and preserve the beautiful communities and ecosystems of our planet.