Green tourism: more than a trend, the new art of traveling

For several years, we have finally witnessed the emergence of a new model for tourism, more respectful of the environment and at the opposite extreme from the "all-inclusive" packages that dominated travel offers for decades.

The awareness of the impact of humans on the environment was already a powerful driving force that was transforming the tourism sector and travel in general. Because the problems are already here: climate change and biodiversity loss are profoundly altering our ecosystem, and everyone knows that our "hyper-consumer" behaviors cannot last forever. Gone are the express weekends to Marrakech or elsewhere, far from home, especially if it involves flying just for some pure relaxation.

Air travel accounts for only about 3% of global CO2 emissions, so it is not the main source of warming. Heating, road traffic, and industry are much more significant. However, this is enough to make everyone who wants to do better for the planet feel guilty, knowing that their annual carbon footprint is strongly correlated with the number of their flights.

Clearly, we will therefore have to fly less, that is, to reserve it for situations in which we really have no other choice, trying not to multiply flights each year. A couple who are used to traveling 2 or 3 times a year, so far exclusively by plane, will adapt to the new situation by limiting the plane to one trip a year, for the farthest destination, and complementing it with closer trips, or those using a less polluting mode of transport, such as the train.

Across Europe, if there were the political will, it would be possible, thanks to modern infrastructure, to travel much more by rail, without polluting. Indeed, as Yann Arthus-Bertrand rightly pointed out in the interview he gave us, we must stop confusing travel with vacation. Traditionally, a journey is long, and this duration is used to get into the mindset of traveling (or returning from a trip); to sum up, the journey is as important as the destination. Whereas when we talk about vacations, well, there's no need to travel necessarily, just go to the edge of a pool or onto a beach and that's it. So, it might as well be done closer to home without polluting the planet.

Another very important change, and here we also stop confusing holidays with travel, is the emergence of tailor-made travel, which is less polluting and less massive. Indeed, thanks to the Internet, it has become possible to not book exactly the same stay as the neighbor, and thus not to go and crowd with him in a seaside resort club or a giant cruise ship.  This à la carte tourism, favored by the emergence of very powerful Internet tools that allow customization of tourist services, is a powerful engine of change, as it diverts some travelers from the most overcrowded tourist locations. Vialala is part of this movement, which is why within our network we only present stays off the beaten path, and/or 100% eco-responsible stays. "Slow tourism", immersive stays, tailor-made trips, whatever the type of travel, the Internet now allows us to offer trips tailored to the interests of each individual. And for all budgets !

Since the emergence of this new way of traveling, more varied and richer in personalized discoveries, one can certainly travel 100% green, even travel and engage in eco-activism at the same time. It was already a "trend" before the epidemic.

And with the almost complete halt of travel for nearly a year, our awareness of the need to slow down and better protect the planet has become even more acute. If everything stops and life goes on, then what's the point of rushing, what's the point of polluting and plundering the planet's resources?

Green tourism, as well as tailor-made travel, is therefore the future of the industry. And the offer is developing on this issue and adapting to the new situation, even in the midst of an epidemic. Eco-responsible accommodations, the evolution of trains and less polluting means of transport than airplanes for short or medium distances, all of this was already underway and will continue. In the end, the epidemic has indeed been an accelerator of change. This pause, imposed by the virus, has allowed for deepening a reflection that was already underway. And at Vialala and many others to continue developing a new offer, more personalized and more respectful of the environment (and local populations).