After a difficult confinement, many of us dream of escape for the summer period. What if you started a greener holiday with sustainable tourism?
What is sustainable tourism?
As its name suggests, sustainable tourism is inspired by the notion of sustainable development. The goal is to learn to live our holidays in a more ecological way. Because in a context of climate change and health crisis endangering many regions of the world, every action counts. But paradoxically, it is in summer that we are least attentive. Sustainable tourism has been defined by the World Tourism Organization as:
"A tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, meeting the needs of visitors, professionals, the environment and host communities".
It should be noted, however, that sustainable tourism is not a separate market segment or a regulated practice. It is above all a personal approach, which can be adopted by any tourist wishing to pay attention to its ecological impact. Clearly: your choices will make the difference between average tourism and sustainable tourism. 
The experts' opinion:
"The future of tourism is bound to be ethical."
These are the words of Kevin Rivaton, one of the most influential players in sustainable tourism. Born in Beirut in 1982, Kevin Rivaton is passionate about Lebanese culture. In this capacity, he was involved in the development of ecotourism in his native country. Lebanon opened up (like many other countries) more to tourism in the early 90s. A true Eldorado of hiking and other treks, the country also has many nature reserves. Enough to attract many tourists from all walks of life. Kevin Rivaton has therefore made Lebanon one of his spearheads for the development of sustainable tourism, but the France is not to be outdone. It considers that sustainable tourism is fully capable of developing, particularly in the south of France. He recommends above all trips in small groups, in order to avoid mass tourism as much as possible. In addition, the France is an ideal playground for all passionate walkers and campers. There is no shortage of landscapes and neither are local cultures. Enough to prepare for a few weeks of invigorating hikes rich in culture.
What are the challenges of this type of tourism?
One essential thing: tourism represents 10% of the world's GDP… 10% ! But tourism, when it is not controlled, has dramatic consequences on some holiday resorts. Abandoned waste, saturated natural resources, degradation of cultural heritage, endangerment of biodiversity… Our movements have consequences. And becoming aware of it is the best way to go on vacation while being respectful of your environment. Climate change and its challenges must be at the heart of everyone's concerns. And that must not stop worrying us because we are on paid leave. In addition, the Coronavirus crisis has shown us how fragile our society is. Tourism is also permanently affected. So maybe now is the perfect time to rethink the way we do tourism.
How to make your trips more responsible?
Since one-tenth of the world's GDP is due to tourism, our choices must adapt to our travels. But then what can we do to make our trips eco-responsible? A few simple gestures can already make a difference:
Sort your waste carefully
In a context where you are likely to consume more than usual, waste sorting must be done more carefully than ever. No matter the destination, you have to leave it clean. This is especially true in busy tourist places. Because a misconduct multiplied by several thousand people can quickly make the dream destination less attractive…
Consume local
This applies to the rest of the year of course, but the holidays are conducive to the consumption of local products. Favouring short supply chains makes it possible to favour local producers, while limiting imports. And often, the products will be infinitely better (both to taste and for health).
Choose eco-responsible transportation
Check which means of transport is the least polluting according to your journey. Because not all means of transport are equal in terms of pollution. We think in particular of air transport, which alone is responsible for 2% to 3% of greenhouse gas emissions (just that). Certainly, if you want to go to South America, difficult to go by train or bike … But if you want to do a simple Paris – Marseille, a small train jump will be the least polluting. You can even take the opportunity to admire the various landscapes that dot the France. And speaking of landscapes, you can organize a small road trip while renting an electric car. You will be able to discover Europe from every angle in an eco-responsible transport, all while consuming local (combo!). But back to our planes! Because you may be a globetrotter and you want to go to the other side of the world. If this is the case, consider favoring direct flights rather than those with stopovers. Because journeys with stopovers are more polluting than direct ones. 
The right place at the right time
If you want to go to Venice, Crete or Marrakech during the high season, you might as well say that you will not enjoy the trip… But in addition, it makes some destinations cruelly dependent on tourists. It is in this that Covid 19 has demonstrated the fragility of certain places, yet unavoidable. If we take the example of Venice, we notice that outside the high season, the city is almost deserted by visitors. However, the capital of Veneto is worth a visit, whatever the time of year. Traveling outside the high season makes it possible not to saturate natural resources, while ensuring sustainability of the places visited. And in addition, you will not have to suffer the wave of visitors that could monopolize certain places. You are now ready for your next ecological holiday! How about you? Have you already taken steps to make your tourism sustainable?
