The travel industry wants to tackle climate change but we the tourist have a role.

The travel industry wants to tackle climate change but we the tourist have a role. | R.L.

Humphrey CarterPalma24/11/2021 10:37
TW
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The big debate in the UK travel industry this week is “sustainabilty in tourism” and it appears that holiday makers’ behaviour is proving “a big challenge” to industry efforts to reduce environmental impacts in overseas accommodation.

In other words, while hotels and other types of accommodation can adopt new measures of operating to reduce their carbon footprints, we, the tourist, has an obligation to follow suit.

Carolyn Wincer, commercial director of Travelife – the Abta-owned sustainability certification programme for hotels to the convention that it is relatively easy for hotels to manage and reduce their carbon footprint, but it is how guests behave which could make all the difference.

For example, leaving lights on, getting carried away with air conditioning or central heating, using too much water and towels.

She said even in smart rooms with code cards, guests manage to override the system and that can clash with the steps taken, at great costs, by hotels to be more sustainable.

On the one hand, tourists, how much they pay, are investing in comfort and relaxation, a holiday.

But according to the experts that can lead to hotel advice or even rules being ignored -even hen it comes to waste left in rooms and on beaches. Perhaps the experts have a point, we all have a role to play, home or away.