Sustainable Hotels & Holidays

We all need to let off steam from time to time. Whether it’s because of work, stress, or you simply need a few days away for yourself and your family. People tend to travel to distant countries for the feeling of being cut off from the world, so that they can recharge their batteries in peace.

In this article, we will show you how you can travel sustainably by providing alternatives to flying and finding so-called ‘green’ hotels.

Flights, yes or a big NO?

Flying is by far the fastest way of transport, whether for short or long distances. But it comes with things that can convince you to choose another mode of transportation. Fortunately, we know many alternatives thanks to which you can save airport stress, money and the environment. See our Flight-free travel article.

Flying seems to be lucrative, fast and reliable, but sometimes it really isn’t. What factors can make you put the plane out of your mind? There are many of them, but let’s look at a few key ones.

High expenses

The price of plane tickets vary. Although it may seem like a cheap deal at first, carriers often do not disclose the total cost of the ticket. That’s why you have to think about the fact that, in addition to the ticket, you also need luggage, which is quite an expensive matter apart from the ticket. Also, prepare for any airline or travel insurance fees.

Connection methods may be required

Flying alone cannot be a complete mode of transportation. You often need additional connecting flights. This is because not every city is able to have its own airport. Airports cannot be everywhere like bus stops, they are often located on the outskirts of cities so you will often spend a lot of money on the way from the airport to the hotel and vice versa.

Aircraft and the environment

According to the Stern report produced for the UK government in 2006, total annual CO2 emissions from aviation is about 600-700 million tonnes – a 2-3% share of global CO2 emissions.

So what should be considered when choosing alternatives to plane travel?

Transport option

It is necessary to first decide where you want to travel and what alternatives are available for you in your area for this journey. Do your research on the possibilities of using trains, buses, boats or, for example, car-sharing. Each of these methods is best suited for its given type of route due to availability or costs associated with it.

Trains as an alternative to planes

Train routes are very widespread these days. You can comfortably travel from city to city, but also across states. There are also special international trains.

Cruise ships

If you are thinking of traveling across the ocean, a cruise ship can also very easily replace a plane. Taking a cruise is much more enjoyable than flying and many cruise liners offer a wide range of lounge services and entertainment. Today, you can get from Europe to Africa, North or South America very easily with such a boat.

What are sustainable, eco-friendly hotels?

When you have already chosen a suitable method of transport to your place of stay, it is time to choose a hotel. Recently, many so-called eco-friendly hotels have been created, and we will show you what they actually are and how to find them.

They are businesses that try to significantly reduce their impact on the environment through their existence thanks to ecological procedures and methods in the field of services, maintenance, logistics or products they offer. It’s all about reducing waste, saving energy and water.

Why should more hotels be “green”?

When hotels are green, they do less harm to the environment, reduce costs and win goodwill from guests.

However, the rise of “going green” can make it difficult to separate hotels that strive for best practices from those that are just faking it.

It has a sustainability policy

Such hotels will often have marks and certificates on their websites from organizations such as EarthCheck or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and flag specific sustainability initiatives it has implemented.

Close cooperation with the local community

Sustainable hotels strengthen local communities. This usually takes the form of hiring local employees under fair conditions (mainly wages and adequate training), using suppliers from local areas, supporting sustainable community programs, etc.

Transport at the place of vacation

Public transport

Most emissions from the transport sector are produced by private vehicles such as cars. Although emissions from car manufacturing and vehicle use are not growing as fast as, for example, aviation, it is still a fairly large problem that needs to be addressed.

Greater use of public transport services before using private vehicles is one of the best ways to reduce emissions and help save the environment. Many larger cities have managed to reduce CO2 emissions by almost 50 percent by limiting the flow of passenger cars.

E-scooters

This mode of transport has become one of the most common ways of traveling in busy cities. With e-scooters around Nottingham, London, Newcastle, Bristol and many other major cities! Also see our article on Walking and Cycling.

Some advantages of using e-scooters:

• You don’t need a license
• Better for the environment
• Low operating costs
• Ease of use
• Low maintenance