Last updated on November 5th, 2024 at 07:13 pm
Are you looking for the answer to ‘How Can We Travel Sustainably’?
The call for sustainable travel practices echoes louder than ever. As a frequent traveller, and someone travelling with children and trying to educate them about the world, I’ve felt it my responsibility to embark on journeys that not only enrich our lives but also contribute positively to the planet. Travelling sustainably is high on my agenda when I’m planning our family trips.
The Family Conscience was born out of a desire not just to travel, but to learn, support and share. Travelling has become easier than ever, but the ease with which we now travel has brought consequences. I hope that these eco-friendly travel tips will help you in your quest to find out how to be a sustainable traveller.

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20 Top Sustainable Travel Tips
Travelling sustainably in 2024 is certainly easier than it was just a few years ago. More people have become aware of the importance of eco travelling (although there’s still work to be done) and, as a consequence, more options have become available.
Know that there are plenty of choices you can make when it comes to sustainable travelling.
Here are my top 20 sustainable travel tips:
1. Choose a Destination Leading the Changes
Not all countries are created equal when it comes to actionable sustainability practices. Some countries are particularly committed.
Costa Rica, for example, is often noted as a model for sustainable tourism and environmental conservation. The country has a high percentage of protected areas, and initiatives to regenerate and recover their rainforests have been pretty successful. Having travelled there recently, I could see the focus on biodiversity conservation – all the guides we did tours with were passionate about it.
If Costa Rica is a country that interests you, take a look at The Ultimate 3 Week Costa Rica Itinerary for Families to help you plan your trip.
A commitment to renewable energy sources is also something certain countries are doing incredibly well. These countries include Sweden, Norway, Denmark (all next on our list!), Iceland, Finland and Switzerland. As a sustainable traveller, how about considering a visit to one of these countries?
New Zealand is also an ambassador for environmental conservation and sustainable tourism. It has initiatives in place to protect its unique ecosystems and reduce carbon emissions, and it also promotes eco-friendly practices within the tourism industry.
For the best rates on airline tickets head, we recommend WayAway. With the WayAway Plus membership plan, you also receive cashback on flights, accommodation, car rentals, tours, and more.
✅ Click HERE to access the best flight deals with WayAway
2. Use ‘Good for the Environment Gadgets‘
Think about energy efficiency, materials used in manufacturing, and the longevity of the product when you’re purchasing something new. Is this something you’ll use again? Try to avoid purchasing items for holidays which might never see the light of day again!
Here are some products you might want to think about purchasing for your trip (and which can also be used at home):
Solar-Powered Chargers: Portable solar chargers allow you to harness energy from the sun to power your electronic devices, rather than using traditional power sources.
✅ Purchase Solar-Powered Chargers HERE
Eco-Friendly Power Banks: Look for power banks made from sustainable materials or those with energy-efficient features. Some are designed to be more environmentally friendly and durable.
✅ Purchase Eco-Friendly Power Banks HERE
Solar-Powered Lanterns: Solar lanterns are an eco-friendly alternative to disposable batteries for lighting. They can be charged during the day and used at night. Great for those jungle night walks!
✅ Purchase Solar-Powered Lanterns HERE
Biodegradable Phone Cases: When you’re buying a new phone case (which can be often if you regularly upgrade your phone), look for ones made from biodegradable materials rather than traditional plastic. These cases break down more easily in the environment.
✅ Purchase Biodegradable Phone Cases HERE
E-Readers or Tablets: Instead of carrying multiple books or using printed maps, opt for an e-reader or tablet to reduce paper consumption. Much better for the trees! Use your solar-powered charger to charge it when needed!
Compact and Efficient Travel Adaptors: Look for travel adaptors that are energy-efficient and have multiple USB ports. This will allow you to charge more than one device simultaneously.
✅ Purchase compact and efficient travel adaptors HERE
Energy-Efficient Travel Appliances: If you need to bring travel appliances such as a mini hairdryer or electric shaver, choose energy-efficient models.
✅ Purchase energy-efficient travel hairdryer HERE
3. Pack Like a Pro: Travel Right & Travel Light
The heavier your suitcase (or suitcases!), the more fuel is needed to carry its contents to your destination. Travelling light is travelling right, as you’ll be lowering your carbon footprint.
Not only that, but you’ll be able to enjoy more freedom – you won’t need to haul multiple heavy suitcases upstairs, to the train station or between hotels.
How about taking hand luggage only? If you pack light, a decent backpack might have you covered for shorter trips. Here are some great backpack recommendations for the sustainable traveller:
✅ Purchase cabin-sized travel backpacks HERE
4. Fly Less and Fly Direct
According to the International Air Transport Association, aviation makes up around 2% of the world’s global carbon emissions – and it’s one of the fastest-growing polluters.
The aviation industry is making attempts to go greener (some airlines are proving better at this than others). However, in the meantime, the simple solution would be to fly less.
In terms of travel sustainability, think about taking longer holidays with fewer flights per year rather than several short trips (see the section on Slow Travel, below). Or mix up your trips by including some travel abroad and some staycations or travel by train.
Carbon offsetting is another option. Head to my article: Is Carbon Offsetting A Good Idea? for more information on this.
Choose the shortest and most direct flight to your destination. When you book connecting flights you have to fly a greater distance and takeoffs and landings are responsible for most of the flight’s carbon emissions. Avoid domestic flights for the same reason – if you can get there an alternative way, then consider it.
TIP: Google Flights will give you emissions estimates for every flight that comes up in your search. This could help you make a decision to choose a greener flight.
5. Choose Eco-Friendly Accommodation
More and more hotels and resorts are priding themselves on their eco-friendly practices. This is because they know people are becoming more interested in choosing eco-friendly accommodation, and they also know what the consequences might be if they don’t change their ways. Travel and sustainability can go hand in hand if you do it right.
We loved staying at eco-lodges while we were in Borneo (see The Best Hotels In Borneo For Families). By staying at places like this, you can feel confident that the people you’re staying with have the same interests and values as you.
TIP: Booking.com has travel sustainable levels for all properties, so you can easily choose accommodation based on how green they are.
✅ Book your accommodation HERE via Booking.com
6. Eat Local and Veggie (at least some of the time)
Eating local when travelling is definitely a factor when it comes to how to protect the environment while travelling. You’ll be supporting both local businesses and local culture.
In terms of sustainability, importing food from elsewhere in the world means a bigger carbon footprint. The average distance our food travels is over 1500 miles. That carbon footprint is significant. Of course, locally grown food doesn’t have to travel as far.
Eating veggie for at least part of the time will help counter some of the emissions from global livestock (which produce a massive amount of CO2).
Go with an open mind – the local food is usually cheaper and way more delicious so you’re on to a winner all round.
8. Take reusable items
Luckily, many countries have caught on when it comes to avoiding single-use plastic and prioritising reusable items. But this hasn’t happened everywhere. You’re best off taking reusable items with you when you travel so you know you’re covered.
Here are some of the best reusable products to take with you on your travels:
Reusable Water Bottles with Filtration: Instead of relying on single-use plastic bottles, purchase a reusable water bottle with built-in filtration systems. This will ensure you have access to clean water while also reducing plastic waste.
✅ Purchase reusable water bottles with filtration HERE
Bamboo or Stainless Steel Utensils: Carry reusable utensils made from bamboo or stainless steel to avoid single-use plastic cutlery when eating on the go.
✅ Purchase reusable travel utensils HERE
Collapsible Travel Cups: These cups are designed to collapse into a fairly flat disc shape, making them convenient to slot into your bag – and reducing the need for disposable cups.
✅ Purchase collapsible travel cups HERE
Reusable Shopping Bags: Bring compact and foldable reusable bags for shopping, so that you don’t need to pick up plastic ones when out shopping.
✅ Purchase reusable canvas bags HERE
Portable Water Purifiers: For travellers going to areas with questionable water quality, portable water purifiers can provide access to clean drinking water without the need for single-use plastic bottles. These are good if you don’t have one built into your bottle already.
✅ Purchase portable water purifiers HERE
9. Use Sustainable luggage
Paravel is a great choice when it comes to sustainable luggage. It’s made from fully recycled and upcycled materials and the company also meets the benchmark for carbon neutrality.
Impackt (a German brand) is another responsible company. Their suitcases are durable and long-lasting and made from recycled materials.
✅ Purchase Impackt sustainable suitcases HERE
10. Learn a few phrases in the local language
Learning a few words in the local language will help you connect better to the locals and understand both the culture and what is most important to people in the country you’ve travelled to.
Sustainable travel is about having respect for the people and culture in the country you’re visiting, as well as considering the environment and ethics.
Homestays and eating local are also great ways of connecting more with people who live there.
I also recommend the DK EyeWitness ‘Like a Local’ Books. They cover a range of destinations and will help you discover what the locals love, in addition to the regular tourist attractions.
✅ Purchase DK EyeWitness ‘Like A Local’ Books HERE
11. Visit outside of peak season
Tricky to do if you’re travelling with kids and need to go during the school holidays. However, if you can be creative with dates, it’s worth considering.
Think about using half-term breaks to travel if you can – you’ll find some places a lot more pleasant in relation to both temperature and crowds if you travel outside of peak season.
After a trip to Italy in August, I’ll be avoiding any further trips there in the summer months. It’s not fun, but it’s also not great for the locals or for the land. Yes, tourism brings financial security to a country – but there needs to be a balance.
12. Pick a lesser-known destination
There are some destinations which continue to be extremely popular – and with good reason. However, over-tourism brings with it a series of problems, as noted above.
There are some countries which could really do with the financial injection tourism brings. They may have experienced war, natural disasters or financial difficulties in the past – carrying a legacy which has meant people have avoided it as a place to visit.
TIP: Consider visiting Slovenia (instead of Italy) or Bosnia Herzegovina (instead of Croatia) and think about swapping city breaks to Barcelona or Amsterdam with Valencia or Utrecht. You’re likely to be pleasantly surprised.
13. Volunteer
One way you can be sure of making a positive contribution to the country you’re visiting is by incorporating volunteer work into your travels. Voluntourism has become increasingly popular: it’s a way of really getting to know the local people and culture and a way of giving back. It’s also likely to provide you with lifelong memories – which will be priceless.
I still have such positive memories of the volunteer work I did in Ghana in my 20s. Staying with a host family, teaching in a local school and getting to know the local community was a very different way of travelling.
If you’re travelling with kids, you might want more independence – but there are plenty of volunteering holidays for families. Here are just a few of the companies that offer them:
- Projects Abroad UK
- The Mighty Roar
- International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ)
14. Use Eco-friendly Toiletries and Reef Safe Suncream
Some of the best products to take with you when travelling are ‘solid toiletries’ – such as shampoo bars – and ones that have been sustainably sourced.
These are particularly great if you’re travelling with hand luggage only as you won’t have any liquids to worry about when you pass through airport control. They’re also light on the packaging (which tends to be easily recyclable).
I like Faith in Nature’s shampoo bars:
Make sure you don’t forget to take a soap tin with you:
The other thing to think about, when you’re travelling to a destination where you know you’ll be in the ocean, is purchasing reef-safe suncream.
Oxybenzone, a chemical found in most suncream, affects the DNA of young coral and causes them irreparable damage.
More and more destinations are encouraging the use of suncream made from zinc oxide or titanium oxide. This is because they are biodegradable and don’t affect marine life.
SunBum and Green People are two of my favourites. You can purchase those and other reef-friendly suncream at the link below:
✅ Purchase Reef Safe Suncream HERE
Deet Free Insect Repellent is also preferable when it comes to ecological travelling. You’ll be avoiding toxic chemicals, which aren’t good for you or the environment!
✅ Purchase Deet-Free Insect Repellent HERE
15. Travel by train
Travelling by train can save up to 90% of CO2 emissions compared to air travel. Travelling by train is the most eco-friendly way to travel (other than walking or cycling).
Trains aren’t always going to be the most practical solution to get to your destination, but using them (or shared transport such as buses) when you’re at your destination might work.
Train travel in Europe is particularly easy and you’ll be able to take in more than one country by train over the course of a week or two.
✅ Explore timetables and Book your tickets at Rail Europe
16. Follow the ‘Leave No Trace’ Principle
The ‘Leave No Trace’ principle is particularly relevant if you’re hiking or camping – but it should be kept in mind wherever you go when you’re travelling.
There are 7 aspects to the ‘Leave No Trace’ principle. They’re as follows:
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimise campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of your hosts and other visitors
Also, remember the saying: “Take only photos; leave only footprints.”
17. Travel slow, Travel Eco-Friendly
When it comes to travel sustainability, slow travel is a key component.
A slow travel experience means spending longer in one place and immersing yourself in the culture there – this will help you learn more about the place, engage with locals and lower your carbon footprint.
While you might want to visit lots of different places, including the ‘tourist hotspots’, bear in mind that if you only stay somewhere for a short while, you won’t really get to know it. Nor will the tourist hotspots give you a true sense of life there.
For more on slow or ‘conscious travel’ head to How To Be A Conscious Traveller.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: The Art of Slow Travel by Bhavana Gesota
18. Consider a tour company that operates sustainably
Do a bit of research and choose a travel company that’s passionate about environmentally friendly travel: protecting and preserving the destination they operate in.
Look at their green credentials before booking. We’d recommend travellers choose sustainable travel companies that have been certified by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body. They’ll tend to display the GSTC logo on their website.
Other key accreditations to look out for include:
- Green Globe
- EarthCheck
- Green Key
- Green Growth
- Rainforest Alliance
- Green Tourism Business Scheme
Of course, asking questions is always a great idea. Try asking what a tour company is interested in and how they go about ensuring this, without using the word ‘sustainability’. You’ll soon get a sense of their priorities.
Some of the best tour companies when it comes to travel sustainability are:
- Intrepid
- G Adventures
- Byway
- Rickshaw Travel
19. Book only ethical wildlife tours
A general rule of thumb when travelling sustainably should be to avoid tours or attractions which include touching or holding an animal – particularly if they’re wild animals and unused to being close to humans.
Instead, choose wildlife attractions that allow you to observe the animal in its natural habitat at a safe and respectful distance.
When booking snorkelling and diving trips, go with companies that put the reefs and the fish first. Smaller groups and clear advice on not touching the fish or coral is what you’re looking for.
20. Share these eco-friendly tips
Lastly, make sure you share what you’ve learnt, and tell friends, colleagues and family members about your sustainable travel experiences.
Share sustainable travel ideas online and talk about the ecolodges you stayed at, the responsible tours you joined and the ethical animal attractions you experienced.
The more you talk about it, the more people will realise how important it is – and that there are options available out there that support sustainable travel.
What Is Travelling Sustainably?
What is sustainable travel? Travelling sustainably means making conscious and responsible choices to minimise the negative impact of travel on the environment and local communities. The goal of sustainable travel is to ensure that tourism contributes positively, rather than negatively, to destinations, both ecologically and socially.
Key aspects of sustainable travel include:
- Environmental concerns (eco-friendly accommodation and minimising your carbon footprint)
- Respecting other cultures (supporting local businesses and being culturally sensitive)
- Being socially responsible (ensuring activities you take part in are ethically sound)
- Conservation (protecting and preserving the natural habitats of wildlife)
- Minimising waste (not leaving your rubbish and avoiding single-use plastics)
- Educating yourself and being aware (making sure you are informed about the location you’re visiting and the issues they may be facing).
Sustainable travelling is really about trying to find a balance between the desire to explore the world, and a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. It includes making mindful choices which will hopefully enhance your travel experience rather than limit it, contribute positively to the places you visit, and ensure that they remain amazing places to visit for future generations.
How Can We Travel More Sustainably FAQs
You might have a few questions about how to be a sustainable traveller and the best methods for travelling sustainably. Here are some of the answers!
What are the three types of sustainable travel?
There are ‘3 pillars’ of sustainable travel, and they are:
- Having a positive impact on the environment.
- Respecting the local society and culture.
- Promoting the local economy.
What are the most sustainable modes of travel?
Besides walking and cycling, when it comes to ways to travel more sustainably, travelling by train is one of the greenest and most eco-friendly ways to travel. Trains emit up to 75 per cent fewer carbon emissions compared to cars and aeroplanes.
How do you fly sustainably?
While flying is not the most sustainable mode of travel, sometimes it’s unavoidable – or, at least, difficult to avoid. Here are some eco friendly travel tips for how to travel sustainably when you fly. All of them will lower your carbon footprint:
- Limit the number of flights you take per year.
- Fly economy rather than business (you’ll be taking up less room).
- Buy a ‘greener’ ticket (look at Google Flights for this)
- Opt for a direct flight over connecting ones.
- Pack light
- Reserve a vegan or veggie in-flight meal.
How Can We Travel More Sustainably: The Verdict
Why is sustainable travel important? We have a duty to protect the environment and respect the landscapes, cultures and traditions of the countries we wish to visit. Otherwise, the enjoyment we’ve had from experiencing some of these awe-inspiring places won’t be possible for future generations.
Travelling sustainably is more important now than ever. I hope these 20 top sustainable travel tips have helped you to think about ways to become a more sustainable traveller.
Even small changes, or incorporating a couple of these sustainability tips will help the environment and local communities. It’ll most likely also lead to a more enhanced travel experience for you as well!
For more on Eco-friendly living tips, head to: 30 Ways Your Family Can Help The Environment.