Sustainable, ethical, and environmentally friendly travel has become increasingly popular for those seeking to travel and wanting to leave the world in a better place. Many of your clients don’t know where to start, so they turn to you.

Your job is to educate clients on appropriate destinations. Our job is to educate you! Many of your luxury travelers prefer inconspicuous and responsible travel, involving ethically and environmentally friendly living, local artisanship, authenticity, and sustainability. To learn how to spot and appeal to these ethical/eco luxury travelers, enroll in the Luxury Travel Specialist Course. If you already have Premium Access, this course awaits you in your Library. If you can’t access the vast education in our Premium Access Library, sign up now!

Additionally, we invite you to register for the webinar Sustainable Travel: Take Nothing But Pictures, Leave Nothing But Footprints, presented by Mary Gallo of Explora Journeys TOMORROW, March 29, at 12:00 pm (EST). Sign up TODAY because spots are filling up quickly!

The opportunity to “do good” for the planet and the local people and to give back to the local community has become a key part of many clients’ experiences. These travelers actively search for travel options that consciously consider the global environment.

The goal of sustainable travel is to come away with lasting memories that stay with visitors forever and leave only footprints so future travelers may create their own memories. Sustainable travel—or eco travel as it also is known—is responsible travel. Those responsibilities include protecting the environment—including natural resources and wildlife—and supporting and contributing to local communities and their economies.

The idea of leaving only footprints can mean exploring less-traveled destinations to avoid over-tourism. Interested travelers look for experiences and accommodations where sustainability is the very core of what they offer. This may include things like materials used to build, ethically sourced bed linens, and consistent efforts to make the lives of the local people better. But even tiny changes can make a big difference or impact when it comes to sustainable or eco travel. Some to consider:

1. 1. Choose travel companies that support sustainable travel and local communities and economies.
   2. Reduce your carbon footprint by taking trains instead of planes. Sure, that quick flight may get you to your next destination quicker, but you may be missing out on some amazing scenery by not taking a train.
   3. Book accommodations that are focused on sustainability and their local communities, such as serving locally sourced food and recycling.
   4. Skip the maid service every day. Do you change your own sheets at home every day? Use towels more than once, rather than having them replaced every day. By doing this, you will conserve precious water.
   5. Select reusable straws instead of plastic straws—or no straws at all! Or travel with a refillable water bottle. True, there are places where you might not feel comfortable drinking the water, but most hotels have a filtered water system in place for guests.
   6. Do your bit by recycling when traveling. Look for recycle bins to throw away food wrappers, containers, plastics, and cans.
   7. Avoid buffet food waste; take only what you can eat. You always can go back for more.
   8. Look at your sunscreen: what toxic chemicals does it contain that are bad for the ocean? Search for environmentally friendly sunscreen products.
   9. Support local businesses. When traveling, look for small local restaurants and shops. Is your souvenir made locally?
   10. Do not buy wildlife or sea life products or souvenirs. Coral and shells belong in the ocean. The buying and selling of elephant tusks is illegal, of course.
   11. Keep your distance from the local wildlife. Stay on the path and don’t feed any wildlife or birds.
   12. Don’t exploit the wildlife. It may seem cool to swim with dolphins or ride an elephant or have your photo taken with some poor wild animal, but don’t do it.

These relatively small gestures make a big impact toward a sustainable environment for us and for future generations. You are in the fortunate position not only of preserving the places YOU visit but also of extending your reach exponentially through your clients’ trips.