hankyoreh

(provided by Hans Media)

It’s been well over a year now since the COVID-19 pandemic cut off opportunities for overseas travel. Many people are eagerly awaiting the day when they can take a trip abroad again.

As COVID-19 vaccines are administered, we have also been hearing in the news about travel agencies that have been swamped with reservations since they began marketing overseas travel packages.

Will everything go back to the way it was once the pandemic is over? It’s hard to say for certain that it will.

Holly Tuppen, author of “Sustainable Travel,” explains that as the pandemic brought the world to a halt, we have come to more clearly see the light and dark sides of our previous approach to traveling. Her message is that we will need to change things if we want to keep being able to travel.

Up until the pandemic struck, the growth in the global tourism industry had reached levels that threatened the environment. With an explosive increase in tourism demand, some 1.4 billion people traveled on international flights in 2019.

Carbon emissions related to the aviation industry grew by 32 percent over five years, with the tourism industry accounting for 8-12 percent of all the world’s carbon emissions.

Major tourist destinations around the world have also suffered the side effects of surplus tourism. This means that as more and more tourists descend on particular places, it places a greater burden on the environment and local community. Local residents find it more difficult to cope with the rising rents as more hotels are built, and the replacement of local amenities with souvenir shops.

Over a one-year period, Barcelona was visited by 32 million tourists — 20 times the number of people who live in the city. Venice, a city capable of accommodating 150,000 residents, was visited by 24 million tourists annually and left with only 5,300 remaining residents.

So what does “sustainable” travel entail? Tuppen emphasizes the need to consider ways of reducing carbon emissions at each stage of travel.

Every form of travel impacts the Earth, but Tuppen says that we can prioritize positive habits while reducing negative activities. As we plan our travel, she also wants us to ask ourselves whether it is financially sustainable and whether it helps to protect ecosystems, support local communities and preserve culture.

The cover of the Korean edition of the book “Sustainable Travel: The Essential Guide to Positive Impact Adventures,” by Holly Tuppen

The biggest problem has to do with airplane travel. According to a Swedish report, a single round trip journey to Australia and back emits four tons of carbon. This is 20 times the amount of carbon that can be saved through a year of recycling and far above the permissible annual level of 2.5 tons per capita as defined by the World Resources Institute.

The situation is dire enough to have given rise to a new coinage: “flygskam,” or “flight shame” in Swedish.

As much as possible, people need to use alternate means of transportation besides airplanes, such as trains and ships.

When we have to fly, we should avoid stopovers as much as possible and use economy seats during daytime hours. When we arrive at our destination, we should use public transportation, bicycles or electric vehicles.

In an interview with Tuppen, Randy Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, says there is no need to feel too much guilt when we fly, but he also urges us to fly as little as possible, using airplanes only when it is necessary.

How should we choose our destinations? To avoid exacerbating surplus tourism issues, we should try to travel to lesser-known regions or those with fewer visitors.

Regions that are not skewed too heavily toward the tourism industry offer better experiences and cultural learning opportunities and the money travelers spend stays within the community, helping the local economy.

Another alternative is to travel to cities and countries that are working to achieve sustainability.

Staycations — an approach where we stay at home or visit a nearby location that we can travel to by car, rather than going someplace far away — are not only an unavoidable option during our forced overseas travel hiatus but also a very eco-friendly approach.

Our choice of accommodations is also important. We should look to stay at small-scale establishments that use renewable energy, following energy-saving guidelines, and employ local sources for resources and food ingredients. A four-star hotel produces four times the carbon emissions that a small establishment does.

We also should consider whether the establishment practices responsible hiring, such as relying on locals for 70 percent of more or its staffing.

Packing lightly reduces the amount of carbon emitted when an airplane is taking off and landing. The fashion industry is responsible for more carbon emissions than either the aviation or the transportation industry.

We need to keep in mind that the new clothes we buy to enjoy our holiday are harmful to our planet. If we must buy them, we should purchase them used or buy products from companies that are certified for sustainability.

To reduce the use of plastics during our travels, we should pack reusable water bottles, cups, bags and tableware.

Tuppen says that sustainable travel needs to be about more than just reducing carbon emissions — it should be about making the world a better place. This means that we should find and practice ways of supporting the development of local communities and businesses in our destinations while helping to protect wildlife and cultural heritage.

The author’s message can be summed up as calling on us to travel less often, more slowly, and in better ways.

Her suggestions occasionally seem like a lot — but at a time when the pandemic has raised concerns about ecosystem balance disruption and climate change to new heights, it does appear to be worth considering the question she poses: Can we justify travel amid a climate crisis?

In addition to its basic message about sustainable travel, Tuppen’s book reads as a guide with its focus on specific practical approaches and travel programs.

By Ahn Seon-hee, staff reporter

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]