Let’s reinvent travel.

Leisure Lab is a think tank and media lab to promote sustainable tourism, or as we like to call it BREAK-EVEN TOURISM. In this LAB REPORTS section we publish news articles and create inspirational travel stories to help bring about positive change in the way we travel.

Tom Aussems 4/14/22 Tom Aussems 4/14/22

Rewilding is a rich man’s game, but if local communities are excluded, it won’t succeed

‘My experience in tourism tells me that tensions will rise and projects will fail without local community consultation and benefit’, says Justin Francis, CEO of Responsible Travel, in a contribution for Inews.co.uk.

Tom Aussems 3/14/22 Tom Aussems 3/14/22

Reviving Travel: [9] Stories of Innovation from Destinations and Tour Companies

Around the world, travel destinations and tour providers have been busy […] reinventing themselves. Through a mix of individual and corporate efforts, well-deserved attention is falling on the most important aspects of travel – those areas that are ultimately responsible for tourism's healthy future, says Kristin Henning from Travel Past 50.

Tom Aussems 5/27/21 Tom Aussems 5/27/21

Responsible travel guide: practical actions you can take as a traveler

Responsible travel maximizes the benefits of tourism while minimizing its negative consequences. This guide from the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) shares practical actions you can take before, during, and after your trip.

Tom Aussems 4/22/21 Tom Aussems 4/22/21

Responsible Travel: How sustainable tourism has changed over the past 20 years

On the two-decade anniversary of his disruptive travel company, Justin Francis, founder of Responsible Travel, reflects on just how far the industry has come – and where it’s going next.

Tom Aussems 1/18/21 Tom Aussems 1/18/21

20 good things that happened in 2020

Let’s be real: 2020 has been a year like no other. But while the trials and tribulations the world has faced have had the attention, the team over at Intrepid Travel is going to talk about the good things – from the little wins, to the moments of growth and self-discovery, as well as some of the bigger silver linings that have come out of the year.

Tom Aussems 9/9/20 Tom Aussems 9/9/20

Reflection – The art of being present (whilst travelling)

Living in the present allows you to genuinely soak up your destination. Instead of being bummed out about the places you haven’t been able to visit, you’ll learn to appreciate the places that you have been able to visit – whether it’s that spontaneous encounter or that local coffee place that you went to over and over again.

Tom Aussems 8/28/20 Tom Aussems 8/28/20

Overtourism – The case of The Netherlands

Most of the tourism efforts [in The Netherlands] are [geared towards] places like Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans, Giethoorn and Keukenhof. But many places in the Netherlands are equally as nice and promoting those lesser known areas will help spread tourism across the whole country.

Tom Aussems 8/21/20 Tom Aussems 8/21/20

Overtourism – What can we do to avoid it?

[T]he solution can be to travel as a responsible tourist; to travel in ways which maximise positive impacts and minimise the negative ones. Two things to think about are the place [and] time.

Tom Aussems 8/14/20 Tom Aussems 8/14/20

Overtourism – What is it, and what caused it?

Tourism’s potential benefits are clear. However, the mistake is to think that it can only bring good. […] In summer 2017, the media and the travel industry finally began to turn their gaze to the negative impacts of the holiday industry, and the term ‘overtourism’ was coined.