Travel and tourism is an ever growing industry that Climate change has had a huge impact on the choices made by travellers worldwide. Due to global warming, people now prefer to go to cooler destinations to enjoy their vacation. The rising awareness about conserving natural resources has led to people preferring sustainable travel options.
Here are a few ways in which the travel industry is witnessing a change.
More Eco-friendly Destinations – When it comes to choosing a place to visit, there is a visible change in the people’s mindset. The concept of eco-tourism is drawing people towards lesser-known places and countries such as Bhutan, Costa Rica, Columbia and so on. These places offer sustainable choices, and activities in which tourists can immerse themselves.
Preferring Sustainable Accomodation – Around 70% of the travellers now prefer accomodations that implement sustainable practices. This is one of the reasons, boutique hotels and resorts are now implementing these practices and taking a proactive approach towards sustainable goals. They try to save on electricity and water by using solar power, rain water harvesting and other such methods. They are working towards reducing their carbon emissions by half in the near future.
Prioritizing Cooler Destinations – Rising temperatures worldwide, have led to a major shift in the choice of travellers. They prefer going to cooler destinations to get relief from the rising temperature. There has already been a considerable drop in the number of tourists visiting the Mediterranean as compared to previous years. Whats more alarming is that the colder regions are also witnessing the impact of global warming.The seasonal snow cover in the Alps has reduced by about 8%. Skiing and snowboarding are the hot favourites of tourists but these are also affected by the reduction in snow cover.
The success of tourism and travel industry will depend on how they manage to operate under these threatening conditions. It is evident that climate change is a multifaceted challenge that needs collective, persistent efforts from Government, business professionals and common man. Long-term planning is more essential in these times so that travel industry is not affected. Travelers can also contribute by choosing eco-friendly travel options and supporting sustainable practices.
