IN-DEPTH: Pressure From Climate Change Advocates Driving Big Changes in Travel Industry

Travelers arrive at Terminal 2 of London Heathrow Airport in west London, on April 6, 2022. Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images/TNS

Climate change supporters have the travel industry in its crosshairs, pressuring businesses like airlines, cruise operators, and other tourism sectors to adopt more eco-friendly practices.

The heat is on—quite literally—at every level. Sources for this coercion range from global agencies like the United Nations and World Economic Forum to scientific researchers. From this, a civilian-led movement to scale back individual travel has sprouted up, known as “travel shaming.”

While official and social pressure is building against those who dream of visiting exotic locales, the travel industry is responding to demands for “greener” practices. Many of these changes aim to reduce the carbon footprint in tourism-related businesses.

“It is important for policymakers and industry leaders to take concrete and meaningful action to address risks, losses, and the sustainability challenges facing the tourism sector,” Sujit Mohanty, chief of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction for Arab States, said during a conference in May.

At the event, Mr. Mohanty noted that unless disaster risk reduction steps were implemented, travel and tourism sectors would suffer “devastating effects,” including economic losses.

But it’s not the first time the U.N. has put the travel industry under a microscope over climate impact.

The U.N. World Tourism Organization reiterates this on its website: “The green transformation of the tourism sector is needed.” This can be found under the heading “Tourism and the 2030 Agenda.”

The United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 20, 2019. saiko3p/Shutterstock

However, some of these organizations aren’t leading by example. Last year, there was considerable backlash against officials during the high-profile COP27 climate conference in Egypt. Local Egyptian authorities initially told reporters 400 private jets attended the climate change event. A second wave of media reports confirmed at least 36 private jets attended the symposium.

Research has widely condemned private jet travel as one of the biggest emissions contributors in the industry. One analysis states private jet travel has up to 14 times more negative environmental impact than regular commercial air carriers.

The private jet scandal was an embarrassing moment for global climate change leaders. Adding insult to injury, the COP27 event was held in the coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt’s gateway to the delicate and threatened Red Sea ecosystem.

Nevertheless, the climate change bandwagon is rolling ahead while the travel industry and individuals reevaluate what it means to jet-set.

Game Changers

On May 23, France officially banned all short-haul domestic flights that could be made by train in two-and-a-half hours or less. The new decree rules out air travel between Paris and popular destinations like Nantes, Lyon, and Bordeaux.

In a bid to reduce emissions from air travel, the move drew strong reactions. Critics within the airline industry pointed out they’re already taking steps toward “net zero” emissions goals and that banning flights was counterproductive.

Interim head of Airlines for Europe, Laurent Donceel, told AFP that “real and significant solutions” were needed, not “symbolic bans.”

He added that eliminating short flights would likely have “minimal effects” on CO2 output.

In a parallel move, the Dutch government is moving forward with a plan to reduce the number of annual flights at Amsterdam’s busy Schiphol International Airport by 12 percent.

The announcement was met with immediate pushback and legal challenges from large commercial air carriers like KLM, Delta, Corendon, and easyJet. The International Air Transport Association also joined the voice of opposition.

Amsterdam is a flagship tourist destination. The decision will likely increase airline ticket prices and create logistical challenges for travelers. Schedule changes are expected to be implemented by 2024.

The cruise ship industry is another branch of the travel world feeling pressured to accommodate climate concerns. Unlike the airlines, many cruise operators have been quick to answer the call to action.

Travel adviser for Dream Vacations, Patricia Carr, told The Epoch Times cruise companies are undergoing seismic changes to address the call for climate action. Ms. Carr noted cruise lines like Virgin Voyages and MSC have invested in “zero waste” practices and are industry leaders in the “green travel” revolution.

“There is no doubt they’re growing. Their commitment to the environment is huge,” she said.

Ms. Carr has spent years living near the water in the Caribbean and Florida and is no stranger to extreme weather. When it comes to extreme conditions in recent years, she said it’s throwing a wrench into people’s travel plans.

“It’s affecting tens of thousands of travelers.”

Another big adjustment is restrictions on cruise ships trying to enter certain popular tourist destinations.

Venice, Italy, is a prime example. The city received 1.4 million international tourists in 2021. Within that burgeoning tourist population, an estimated 73 percent come from cruise ships. Venitian locals have been pressuring the Italian government for years to reduce the number of tourists flooding the historic city. So in 2021, a ban on ships entering the famous canals went into effect for vessels heavier than 25,000 tons or longer than 180 meters.

A cruise ship and a gondola with tourists navigate at the entrance of the Canale Grande (Grand Canal) in Venice, Italy, on April 7, 2017. Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images

That’s anything except small personal boats.

The Italian government released a statement saying the decision was an effort to protect the “environmental, artistic and cultural heritage of Venice.”

Ms. Carr said many Mediterranean cruises that include Venice now dock in the port city of Ravenna, more than two hours away.

“Because of the water rising, the amount of environmental impact, the Italian government decided no cruise ships can enter the city,” she said, adding there’s a silver lining for port cities surrounding Venice.

“Now the traffic coming into these alternate ports is creating jobs and new businesses.”

Venice is just one of hundreds of landmark tourist destinations limiting tourist traffic due to environmental concerns. Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska—only accessible by boat—has established daily and seasonal limits on cruise ship traffic.

Much of the culling of the cruise ship traffic derives from incidents of unethical waste dumping by some operators and the general fuel-guzzling nature of cruise travel. Nevertheless, the industry is actively investing in more sustainable materials, waste recycling systems, and greener fuel technologies to meet changing demands.

Green at a Glance

“There has been a noticeable shift towards sustainable operations in the form of energy-efficient technologies, waste reduction initiatives, and sustainable sourcing practices,” Hans Mast told The Epoch Times.

Mr. Mast is a travel expert with Golden Rule Travel and says times are challenging for tourists and agents alike. The increased frequency of extreme weather events has created additional complications—on both ends—amid the widespread push for “greener” travel solutions.

“As someone deeply involved in the travel industry, I have witnessed and personally felt the mounting pressure to adapt business practices and travel plans to address climate concerns,” Mr. Mast said.

“This pressure stems from increasing consumer expectations, industry regulations, and the recognition that environment-focused decisions are not only essential for the planet but also contribute to the long-term success of businesses.”

But for some, being eco-conscious is more about labels than reality.

Michael Kovnick is a founder of Culture Discovery Vacations, which organizes tours in southern Europe with a specialty focus on local culinary culture. Many of his clientele are Americans and are becoming sensitive to the impacts of travel on the environment. Subsequently, he’s seeing more requests for tours that incorporate sustainable elements.

“More and more people are asking for organic, farm-to-table, and eco-conscious buzzwords. However, the reality [is] that everything already is what people are looking for,” Mr. Kovnick told The Epoch Times.

“But to go a step further ... to get certifications, small businesses and farmers not only have to spend a great deal of money ... they have to be less organic, less farm to table, less natural. This extends out to wine, olive oil, and so much more,” he said.

Because of this, Mr. Kovnick says “slow food” and “organic” items drive up prices, but the non-certified product or restaurant is often more eco-friendly.

“In our case, we refuse to play the game and spend our energy educating our guests about the real meaning behind these terms.”

And while Mr. Kovnick’s point on eco-buzzwords is valid, there’s no denying the impact those labels have on travelers’ expectations.

In Cape Town, South Africa, the distinguished safari company Go2Africa has stepped up to meet the demand for greener tours. Like many others, Go2Africa has felt the burden of climate action put upon its shoulders.

Penguins walk toward the ocean after being released on a beach on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, on May 21, 2009. The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds released 84 African Penguins back into the wild after they were treated for oil pollution caught in Namibia. Gianluigi Guercia/AFP/Getty Images

“Most partners we support are addressing this in large or small ways ... carbon offsetting, solar at lodges, no plastic usage, major recycling plants, protecting of large masses of land across Africa, [or] shifting to electric game vehicles,” Maija de Rijk-Uys, managing director of Go2Africa, told The Epoch Times.

One of the sustainable initiatives Go2Africa has spearheaded includes the Greenpop project, where trees are planted in deprived communities around Cape Town and for all guests flying into the Western Cape.

“Another area where we’re aiming to address climate change as a business is through becoming accredited with Travellife, kicking off our sustainability journey,” Ms. Rijk-Uys said.

The Shame Game

There’s no ignoring the growing amount of rhetoric online indirectly skewering those trying to plan a vacation these days. Opinion articles, blogs, and social media are crawling with posts about staying home and traveling less to help reduce individual emissions.

The term “travel shaming” was initially known as “flight shaming,” which began circulating in 2019 as civilians felt pressured or guilty for flying due to its environmental impact.

Then along came the COVID-19 pandemic. Suddenly, brow-beating people who wanted or needed to travel caught on like wildfire. The pandemic has since passed, but social pressure and guilt over traveling have reverted to its original form.

“If someone wants to stay home for their vacation or drive a zillion miles versus fly, great. More power to them. My family and I will be flying,” a Milwaukee area resident who asked to be called by her first name, Emily, told The Epoch Times.

“No one is shaming me out of my vacation. We already did round one of this during COVID,” she said.

Ms. Emily noted she aims for the middle ground when planning travel. She’s open to more sustainable travel operators, but money is usually the deciding factor.

“It really comes down to price. If I’m looking at two tour operators with the same price tag for an excursion, and one says they practice sustainable tourism, I'll choose them,” Ms. Emily said.

When asked if she had concerns about her carbon footprint from flying, she replied: “Um, no. Not at all. Corporations are still the biggest problem for the environment.”

It appears Ms. Emily isn’t far off of the mark. One analysis states just 100 companies have been responsible for 71 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions since 1988.

Officials are changing rules and restrictions while others decide to stay at home, but faraway places still beckon for many. And there doesn’t seem to be waning demand for old-fashioned travel.

“The Earth has been warming since the last ice age. So has the ocean. There’s no denying that,” Ms. Carr said, admitting her requests for eco-friendly travel haven’t been a big part of her business.

“Not at all. I haven’t had one person say or ask that of me.”