MAKING TRAVEL MATTER

Could the coronavirus lockdown could be a chance for the world to reset, and for travel to bounce back stronger – and greener – than ever before, asks

Clearer skies, cleaner rivers, wildlife venturing into urban areas, a drop in carbon emissions and suggestions of Earth ‘healing' itself – we may be clutching at (compostable) straws, but could this be a slither of a silver lining in the corona tragedy that's unfolding around the world?

“We dearly hope that some long-term good will come from the current agonies surrounding coronavirus,” says Martyn Sumners, Executive Director of the Association of Independent Tour Operators.

AITO's office is under the flight path to Heathrow and its staff have all noticed the reduction in air traffic since COVID-19 took hold. “That has got to translate into muchreduced carbon emissions,” says Martyn. “But will this improvement be merely a temporary blip on the horizon?

“We all need to reassess our travel plans once this crisis is over. One long-stay trip is far better – for the environment and us – than several weekend trips and a one-week holiday – it's just one take-off and one landing, which are the most polluting parts of any flight.”

Even prior to the pandemic, the tide was turning. With irrefutable evidence of climate change upon us - Australia burning and the UK flooding – many travellers had already begun to tread more lightly, opting for staycations over long-haul escapes, or choosing to travel with companies that have responded to the call and opted to put responsibility centre stage.

The ABTA Travel Trends report for 2019 found that 45% of holidaymakers listed sustainability as an important factor when booking a holiday, compared to just 20% in 2011 – a significant attitude shift.

“All travel businesses are at risk unless we work hard to adapt,” says AITO's Sumners. The Specialist Travel Association is helping its members, affiliates and agents to choose and implement sustainable tourism activities through its Project Protect online and live training sessions. “It's key to the survival of the industry – and the planet,” adds Sumners.

Focus on your footprint

While the UK's aviation industry has pledged to reduce its net carbon emissions to zero by 2050, a recent report from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows that global transport-related emissions from tourism are predicted to increase 25% to 1,998 million tonnes between 2016 and 2030.

“Alternative biofuels still produce carbon dioxide and we forecast that over 125 million passengers will fly to and from UK airports by 2023,” says Ben Cordwell, Associate Travel & Tourism Analyst at GlobalData. “An increase of over 16 million passengers from 2018 will bring an enormous increase in carbon emissions.”

‘Offsetting' is one of the practices employed by airlines or travel companies to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, and involves calculating their carbon emissions, reducing them where they can, and offsetting the remainder by investing in environmental projects.

Gold Standard certification ensures that offsetting schemes make genuine, measurable contributions to sustainable development.

ClimateCare works with travel organisations and airlines to develop