Sustainability. Everyone’s talking about it, but is anyone actually doing it? In the Q3 2023 “Travel Trends and Advisor Insight Report” by our sister publication Travel Agent, we found that about half of travelers (51 percent) have at least some interest in sustainable practices. These travelers are also willing to pay more for those amenities—but only marginally. The plurality of advisor respondents (48 percent) said their clients would only pay 1 to 5 percent more for sustainable practices, while another 35 percent said their clients would be willing to pay 6 to 10 percent more for sustainable practices.
That said, about one-third of advisors said that one of the main troubles with selling sustainable travel is that they—the advisors—are unsure which practices matter or they aren’t fully educated on the topic. To us, it seems the issue is not the amount of information out there; in fact, it may be there is too much information out there to sift through. Hotel collections like The Leading Hotels of the World have created a portfolio of Sustainability Leaders; the United States Tour Operators Association has introduced its own “USTOA Sustainability Policy”; The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) formed a partnership to operate the Green Key Global sustainability certification program; the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) even created its own Hotel Sustainability Basics program that anyone can join should they meet the criteria—and that’s not to mention the work that individual hotel, tour and cruise companies are doing on their own. (Marriott, The Oetker Collection, Jacada Travel, Wayfairer Travel, SeaDream Yacht Club, Carnival Cruise Line, Ponant and Southwest Airlines are among the many, many companies sharing their sustainable initiatives.) There’s also Beyond Green, which was launched as a collection of hotels, resorts and lodges that exemplify sustainable tourism leadership.
Where to even begin? Well, for those struggling to find their footing on the sustainable travel front, perhaps it’s a good idea to begin with your own operations. It was something we were discussing with Tanja Morariu, director of marketing and head of sustainability for The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach, FL, at a recent Beyond Green luncheon in New York City. To get some additional insight and inspiration for advisors, Luxury Travel Advisor caught up with Morariu to dive deeper into the subject. Here’s what we learned.
Start With the Basics
“First and foremost, go for reusable rather than disposable wherever you can,” says Morariu. For instance, should you have clients or suppliers visiting your office, offer them water in a glass or coffee in a mug rather than a disposable cup—and definitely avoid anything Styrofoam. Other simple measures include recycling (which you very likely do already) and carpooling, if you work in an office or co-working space. (Taking public transportation or biking is another great option!) “Sometimes it’s hard to change behavior, but that’s really the first step that they should make,” she adds.
In addition, be aware of the energy your operations consume. “Make sure that when you leave the office you turn off your screen, turn off the printer; make sure that the AC isn’t blowing like crazy all night long or that the heater is not on the whole time; don’t print if you don’t have to,” says Morariu. “Those kind of little things go a long way.”
Earning a Certification Can Be Helpful
Say you already do all of the above; what’s next? “If they want to go a little bit further, what was really helpful for me was getting a certification from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, because that will give them a little bit more insight,” Morariu tells us. Beyond certifications, the GSTC offers courses and training on a myriad of topics like environmental sustainability—which is often the first thing that comes to mind when discussing the topic—but also social, cultural and natural sustainability, as well. Courses are also available for those looking to learn more about accessible and inclusive travel, among others. Advisors can pick and choose which segments they would like to focus on. “They don’t need to do everything at once. My message is always: don’t get overwhelmed,” Morariu says. Don’t fret if you’re not calculating your carbon footprint or the emissions of your clients’ travels — that’s pretty hard to do, even for the companies that are further along on the sustainability track than you might be.
Cutting Through the Noise
One of the major challenges with anything related to sustainability—travel industry or not—is “greenwashing;” that is, deceptive marketing or PR to make a company or product seem more environmentally friendly than it really is. If you Google “hotel sustainability certifications,” you’ll see a long list that includes the likes of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), EarthCheck, Green Key, Green Globe, LEED, BREEAM and many others. But what’s the difference? Is any one of these better than the other?
First, it would help to know that the latter two are simply building certifications. Nearly all new buildings are constructed to some level of these requirements. So, yes, a hotel that’s LEED-certified is a good first step but it doesn’t tell you much about how the property engages with its community, the destination or with its employees. As mentioned, Morariu said the GSTC was very helpful for her in learning more about sustainable initiatives. Spend some time learning about each of these major certification programs and what’s required of companies to receive accreditation. It will certainly help you identify which ‘stamps of approval’ on company websites actually mean something.
Crafting Sustainable Itineraries
One misconception about sustainable travel is that you need to book your clients at the most eco-friendly properties to ensure they travel responsibly. “You don’t necessarily have to go to a lodge in Zanzibar, which gathers rainwater and has solar panels, but [be] conscious about the place that they’re going to.” Morariu noted the property she works at, The Palms Hotel & Spa is in Miami—probably not the first destination that comes to mind for a sustainable travel experience. Rather than sitting on the beach and enjoying cocktails the entire time, she says find out what makes Miami unique. “Go and visit Little Havana and Little Haiti. Go a little bit further abreast and go snorkeling or visit the nature in the Everglades or see what really makes the destination—and every destination—special.”
In other words, learn about the history, the culture and society of the destinations your clients are traveling to and make sure your clients can experience that and interact with the locals. In the Dominican Republic, many people fly into Punta Cana, take a shuttle to their all-inclusive hotel and spend their vacation on the beach. Travel advisors should inform their clients that the D.R. has mountains and a saltwater lake bordering to Haiti where there’s iguanas and crocodiles. Christopher Columbus, who established a settlement on the island in the 1490s, is buried in a cathedral in Colonial Santo Domingo.
Alternatively, you can find the restaurants in the destination that utilize the “Slow Food” ethos or ones that source all of their products from within a 15-mile radius (for instance). “Support those establishments that actually do something good for the environment,” says Morariu. By engaging with the local communities and learning about their history and culture or spending money with them at their restaurants or shops, travelers can take part in a form of sustainability that does beyond just the environment.
“One thing that we do here [at The Palms Hotel & Spa], as well, is we offer the ‘Do Good, Feel Good’ package. And if you book that package, you can either do something to feel good for yourself, we give you a credit of $50 to use in our spa, but if you decide, ‘Oh, I don’t need that credit for myself,’ we take that credit, the $50, and we put it into a nonprofit of choice, which we change every quarter.”
Engage With Your Own Community
If you want to learn the best ways to help your clients engage with the communities they visit, perhaps consider volunteering in your hometown. You can even make it a team-building exercise. Morariu suggests getting the agency together to participate in a community initiative like working at a soup kitchen, building homeless shelters or doing a walk for cancer. Better yet, find a cause that resonates with you and your coworkers and make that part of the yearly (or quarterly) calendar. “You can’t do it all, but if you’re doing something little, it’s already great,” Morariu adds.
Sure, it can be a lot to consider and diving in can be daunting, but out of all the insight Morariu shared with us, one bit stuck with us the most: “Just start small.”
Related Articles
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor Unveils New Electric Tuk-Tuks
Indonesia’s Bawah Reserve Launches Zero-Waste Weddings