Let's reinvent travel.
Leisure Lab is a think tank and research lab to promote break-even tourism. We conduct research and (re)publish travel news articles to offer new insights and bring about positive change in the way we travel. In doing so, we hope to contribute to a better and more equitable society.
Introducing break-even tourism.
A mere one per cent of Earth’s travel destinations receives 99 per cent of all tourists – an unfair and highly destructive rate. We believe that the travel industry can only flourish if it is in balance. Travel should be an exchange – you’ve got to give a little, take a little. That’s why we strive for break-even tourism, a form of tourism in which the gains and strains are distributed more evenly. To get things started, we use a simple formula:
Rethink + Educate = Change
Rethink.
Travel can be a powerful tool and a force for good, as long as it’s being done responsibly. That’s where break-even travel kicks in. We are on a continuous mission to gain insights – through research and personal travels – and make them available to avid travelers such as yourself. To get you started we have formulated four guiding principles. But that’s not all. In our Lab Reports section you’ll find educational and inspirational not-for-profit content, from the latest travel trends to (unsung) success stories. Make sure to also check our Expert section in which our expert panel voice their thoughts and opinions on break-even travel. We invite you to rethink the way we travel.
Educate.
It is now time to take our beliefs to the next level. We use a wide array of methods to promote our break-even travel vision. Be it a webinar for tourism students or a museum exhibition on a social topic that we hold close to our hearts. Our break-even travel messages have a clear purpose: to educate. What are your thoughts on break-even travel? What is your role in it? And what can you do to positively contribute? Instead of pointing fingers or telling you what (not) to do, we will provide you with the knowhow needed to sharpen your own travel vision and adjust your travel behavior. We work on a not-for-profit basis. As long as you're eager to learn, you’re more than welcome to join.
Change.
The path to a break-even future is long and full of obstacles. But that won’t hold us from setting the bar high. It is our ultimate goal to change the way we travel and to leave a positive mark on society. The world that we envision is a better place – one in which money and knowledge are being spread more evenly and traveling involves giving and taking. You can’t blame us for being ambitious.
From the experiences that we have to the people that we meet and the stories they tell – every journey offers a unique opportunity to learn.
The four guiding principles of
break-even tourism
Break-even tourism starts with you. Even a small intervention in the way you travel can have a major impact. Any traveller with a desire to do good can make a contribution. These four guiding principles pave the way for break-even tourism:
An even distribution of people.
Dare to think differently. Go left when everybody else is going right. This mentality leads to a more even distribution of travelers across time (traveling outside the high season) and space (traveling to an alternative destination, the other 99%).
An even distribution of knowledge.
Open yourself up to the locals and their knowledge to get to know your destination better. What’s more, by listening and asking questions, you create a human connection that is ultimately the only way to stop the polarization of modern society. We are not as different as we may think.
An even distribution of money.
Travelers' money still too often ends up in the wrong pockets. But by doing due diligence and working with local stakeholders, you can contribute to the growth of local economies. Think, for example, of locally-owned hospitality businesses, guides, and operators.
An even distribution of experiences.
In the case of travel, less is often more. Do you make sure you take your time to genuinely experience a destination? Can you get out of the bucketlist mindset and into the here-and-now mindset, you are making your travel experiences more valuable and impactful.
Rethink.
The latest travel trends and research.
Interested in what we and other experts have to say about break-even tourism? Read our LAB REPORTS, detailing the latest break-even tourism trends:
And meet our TRAVEL EXPERTS:
The Dutch Diaspora Project.
The Dutch Diaspora Project is an ambitious multiyear initiative and divided into several phases, spanning four centuries and continents. For centuries, the Dutch have traveled far and wide and settled all corners of the globe. Their influence is everywhere: in the language, music, cuisine, economy and politics of both local communities and nation states. In family names and traditions, in personal beliefs and philosophies. In life and in death. Traces of the Dutch diaspora are abundant, but not always evident. Many stories are left untold, or need to be retold, couples with fresh insights. The Dutch Diaspora Project sets out to uncover this history and traces its influence on the modern-day world.
Webinars.
Online webinars are the perfect marriage between videos and podcasts, and and interactive way to bring our break-even message across. We mostly collaborate with travel organizations to discuss the break-even travel possibilities of their itineraries and to offer valuable insider tips to their clients. We produce and broadcast our webinars through an advanced webinar application that allows for live polling and chatting. This makes it a fun and insightful way to share our knowledge and engage with our audience. Are you interested in a collaboration?
About us.
Leisure Lab was founded by Tim Bilman, Tom Aussems and Mark Mackintosh, experienced travel professionals working for Columbus Travel, the leading travel magazine in the Netherlands and Belgium. Travel is not just a job for us but our heart and soul. Through the years, we have discussed and built a common vision for the future of tourism. It’s time to share that vision with the rest of the world!
As a location scout for the (inter)national film world, Tim has explored every nook and cranny of the Netherlands. He is also a regular contributor to Columbus Travel. His photos, which highlight the intrinsic beauty of humanity and planet Earth, grace dozens of the magazine's travel features. He once accidentally dined with a prince of Brunei and was the first photographer to document the impact of climate change on the islands of Sierra Leone.
Tom Aussems
As editor for Columbus Travel, Tom has been closely involved with the content and direction of the leading Dutch-language magazine for the past five years. His encyclopedic geographical knowledge comes in handy during pub quiz rounds or on one of his many adventures around the globe, including a solo kayaking trip in the Pacific and an epic expedition in a remote corner of Iceland during the worst summer in a hundred years.
Mark Mackintosh
Land ahoy! As editor-in-chief of Columbus Travel, Mark always wants to know what’s next on the horizon. Which travel destinations and trends will steal our hearts and minds? No wonder, then, you can just as easily find him in a tapas bar in a back alley of a Spanish provincial town as on the edge of an Ethiopian lava lake or between silverbacks in the jungle of Gabon.
As our travel axis continues to adjust, the notion of undertaking trips to help others is coming under scrutiny, says Francisca Kellett from Condé Nast Traveller.