We’re now four weeks into social distancing, and by now all your social feeds are probably 100% throwback photos of your friend’s international travels. We, the millennials and zoomers, have prioritized travel and experiences more than any generation before us- and this created a boom in travel and tourism as an industry. Now that we’re amidst a global pandemic that can only be contained by restricting physical movement, the tourism industry has taken a major hit- and so has the global economy. The unintended effect of this has been a remarkable environmental impact. Some have gone as far to say (in memes, obviously) that climate change needs to hire COVID-19’s public relations representative ASAP.
Since Justin Trudeau implored Canadians to “come home”, the travel restrictions introduced to contain COVID-19 have had profound effects in buffering climate change. For example, birds have returned to Wuhan, China, and fish in Venice are returning to the city in abundance. Despite this, countries that rely heavily on tourism, like Italy and Mexico, are facing major economic challenges.
So what happens when things go back to normal and everyone starts using their flight credits from their cancelled summer vacations? What about all the good we’ve unintentionally done? It’s been estimated that it will take up to ten months for the tourism industry to return to normal once the pandemic is controlled. But that leads us to ask- do we simply want to go “back to normal” or can we learn from this unusual experience?
Good news! When life resumes after COVID-19, there are things we can do to keep limiting our carbon footprint while helping rebuild local tourism economies. Here are seven tips to limit your environmental impact while helping support tourism based economies.
1. Fly direct
Travel bans have decreased flights by 40%, and that’s had a huge impact on air quality in only a couple weeks. Planes release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, a major cause of global warming. 25% of those emissions are caused by takeoff and landing- next time you jump on a plane, try to get a one way flight.
2. Take the train
Trains emit 14 grams compared to airplanes’ emission of 285 grams of CO2 per passenger per kilometre travelled. They are a flexible, affordable and comfortable way of travelling, especially in Asia and Europe. It’s the perfect place to sit back and enjoy the view, travel spontaneously, and arrive directly in town, as most train stations are centrally located.
3. Say no to cruises
According to the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union, a mid-size cruise ship carrying approximately 2,800 passengers) uses 150 tonnes of fuel each day and emits as much particulate matter as a million cars. On top of this, your carbon footprint triples when you take a cruise! A more sustainable way to cruise around and island hop is to get some friends together, rent a sailboat, and hire a skipper. Bon voyage!
4. Rent a Bike
Rent a bike, support a local business, and get exploring like a local while causing basically no environmental damage!
5. Walking tours
Get to know the streets and discover the most low-key havens by taking a walking tour using a local guide in each destination you visit. There’s no better way to learn local history than from the community!
6. Stay in an Airbnb
Opt for an accommodation option that puts your money directly back into the community. This means an AirBnB or local hostel instead of your friendly neighbourhood Hilton. Locals benefit from your support, and your stay will be more sustainable than a major hotel that has waste management issues.
7. Eat in a locally owned restaurant
Food is love, food is culture. Your travels aren’t complete without eating at the local spots- skip the tourist traps and follow the guide from your walking tour to the best tacos in town.
So there you have it, 7 tips on how to support your local tourism industry to keep in your back-pocket for when we finally get to travel again. Of course, I am by no means suggesting you do these things now since I believe we should all be doing our part to quarantine and flatten the curve. That doesn’t mean that we can’t look forward to the future and plan our travels to 1) be more environmentally conscious, and 2) help local economies bounce back.
What can we really learn from COVID-19? It’s simple: we need to take the opportunity we have to rebuild tourism to make it sustainable, responsible, and local. Our response to how we see the world post-pandemic has the potential to shift the way we travel to help our planet and small local economies.