Luxury travel is no longer synonymous with the extravagances of the past. A wave of socially-conscious, purpose-driven Millennial demographic and responsible service providers are reshaping the industry.
IT IS NOT A TREND
We would like to emphasise how sustainable travel is not a trend. Calling it a trend would imply that is a fleeting phenomenon that’ll disappear. Conscious luxury travel is a movement that is here to stay.
The Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) explains that, “Responsible tourism includes many types of travel, all of which aim to minimize tourism’s negative impacts on the environment, and maximize the positive contributions tourism can make to local communities. Traveling responsibly is not about making sacrifices, stopping development, or staying home. It is about designing tourism programs and individual trips carefully, to provide travelers with the experience they seek, while leaving a positive footprint at their destination.”
We don’t believe our clients have to give up anything in order to be responsible and eco-concious. In an age where almost everything is available at a click, luxury is not about owning things but about experiences.
At Big Wide World we keep in mind the impact that travelling has on the planet while planning our itineraries. Our goal is to create meaningful interactions and unique experiences, while simultaneously considering the earth and all those who inhabit it. Those who travel with us, don’t lose anything but win a great vacation that helps to make the world a better place. We have done a large amount of research on many destinations in order to be able to:
1. Choose our ways of transportation with care
We know that staying close to home is the best way to minimise emissions. Still, sometimes flying is necessary and we would take into huge consideration all the airlines to choose the one that is trying their best to improve their eco credentials.
2. Book an eco-friendly accommodation
We will find our clients an eco-concious place to stay. Checking if they are taking measures such as energy-saving or water-saving practices, usage of organic cotton for bedding and how involved they are in the community and culture of the destination.
3. Look for a social impact
As previously mentioned, we care about the local communities at our destinations. Sustainability is not just about emissions and materials. It’s also about staffing, worker’s rights, inclusivity and the impact on it’s citizens. We encourage our clients to help and empoyer local business and be involved in their culture.
4. Give enough guidance so our clients can be culturally sensitive
Being respecful is one of our most important values. We make sure our clients have enough information about the culture they are visiting to ensure cultural sensitivity. Simple things like advising them to ask for permission before entering sacred places, homes, and private land; inform them if there will be any circumstances where they will have to adapt their dressing code and send them some words and phrases in the local language, can really make the difference.
5. Carbon Offset
Although at Big Wide World, we try to avoid to produce carbon-emissions, we are aware that we also provide other experiences that are not as evironmentally friendly as we would like. This is why we insist on carbon offsetting to mitigate our footprint. We calculate the carbon production and then we choose a project to donate the proper amount to.
For us, it is extremely important that this project is Gold Standard Certified so it ensures that they are using the UN protocols and the Sustainable Development Goals. We also take into consideration the project’s goals, it’s impacts, and it’s benefits.
