We all need a holiday every once in a while, but if you’re trying to live more sustainably, choosing a trip can cause some anxiety – mainly as you try to figure out the best way to take a good break and be kind to the planet.
A staycation rather than heading abroad, you can considerably lower your holiday’s carbon footprint. Let’s dive into how a staycation is a more sustainable alternative to jetting abroad.
Reduced travel emissions
By taking a holiday a little closer to home, you can forgo air travel and save plenty of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. Airplanes emit approximately 100 times more carbon dioxide per hour than road vehicles, making travel on buses, trains, and cars a much more sustainable option.
Similarly, when you take a staycation, you tend to find yourself doing less sightseeing that requires long-distance travel and enjoying the natural beauty of your local surroundings instead. You’re much more likely to walk or cycle to your holiday activities or may find that you take much shorter trips in the car, which all goes a long way toward reducing your CO2 emissions.
Supporting local businesses
Part of the fun of taking a holiday is coming home with a few fun souvenirs that will remind you of your trip. When you take a holiday abroad, purchasing souvenirs from local artisans can significantly support the local economy. However, it cannot be easy to discern which products are eco-friendly and which are mass-produced with a higher carbon footprint when you don’t speak the same language as the locals.
Of course, skipping the souvenirs altogether is always best – unless you need something, less is more. But if you feel tempted to purchase, you can select locally produced, eco-friendly products when you take a staycation. By performing a little research, you should be able to discover some tremendous sustainable stores and may even find some that give back to the community and local environmental charities.
Less waste produced
When preparing to take a holiday abroad, resisting the temptation to prepare over can be challenging. Particularly if we’re in a rush to get everything packed, we may be more inclined to spend money on travel-sized toiletries or stock up on sunscreen for fear that we may not be able to find any once we reach our holiday destination.
It’s much easier to avoid panic buying when you choose to take a staycation. With no luggage restrictions, you can pack the items you use at home into your car rather than buying all new mini products that may eventually go to waste. Similarly, once you arrive at your destination, it will be easy to navigate around the local shops – so you can save most of your purchases for when they’re essential.
Do your bit to save the planet
There are plenty of benefits to taking a staycation. For most people, they provide a welcome opportunity to save some money and visit unexplored local sights. Of course, the best part about taking a staycation is that you’ll be doing your bit to protect the planet. By reducing your travel emissions, supporting local businesses, and shopping a little less, you can do plenty to support sustainability efforts across the globe.
But I want to go far away from home this holiday season!
In that case, consider embracing climate-positive travel by taking steps to offset your carbon emissions and contribute to the preservation of ecosystems. When booking your trips, prioritize agencies like Tulu Travel, Sweetours, Kuoda Travel, and Lima Tours, which are known for their commitment to sustainability and ecosystems restoration. Opt for resorts such as Inkaterra and Estância Mimosa, renowned for their eco-friendly tourism practices. To mitigate your carbon footprint, explore options these agencies provide to compensate for emissions generated by your travel, such as investing in certified carbon offset programs. Additionally, take it further by engaging in initiatives like tree-planting projects that help restore and preserve vital ecosystems, promoting a more sustainable and regenerative approach to holiday travel.
If you are a travel agent, consider reading our climate action guide for tourism businesses and destinations.
This article was written in collaboration with Anne Walton, Digital Content & Media Consultant and Researcher.
