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.
This airline lets you pay €43 a month for unlimited flights – here’s why it’s a bad idea
The aviation and tourism industries are longing for […] a rebound, after two years of struggling to stay afloat. But some are trying to meet [the] renewed desire for travel with initiatives the sector has never seen before, says Giulia Carbonaro from Euronews Travel.
Hot topic: can travel to the Arctic ever be sustainable?
With the Arctic warming three times faster than the rest of the planet, can travel to the region ever be sustainable? Select tours to Svalbard suggest small group trips may be a force for good, says Kerry Walker from National Geographic.
5 Tour Operators That Are Working Toward a More Sustainable Travel Future
More and more tour operators provide their customers with authentic experiences […], allowing travelers to not only connect with people living in the places they visit but to better understand their daily lives and cultures, says Shane Nelson from TravelAge West. And perhaps more importantly, many of these encounters offer […] clients a chance to spend their vacation dollars on community-focused and sustainable tourism products.
How Iceland Is Rethinking Tourism for the Long Haul
Iceland wants visitors to plan beyond the long weekend and spread out across the island, says Julia Eskins from Condé Nast Traveler.
12 sustainable destinations we'd love to visit in 2022
As [a] sustainability editor, [Juliet Kinsman from Condé Nast Traveller is] always up for championing the destinations that are showing […] love for the wellbeing of the world. Whether powering their nations on renewables, or addressing specific environmental or community issues, these nations are making the planet a better place while inviting us to explore them in an eco-friendly way, with the widest-flung of open arms.
The World’s Most Sustainable Cities
These 10 cities are leading the way in building modern, sustainable communities, says Jessica Jurkschat, an author at #TOGETHERBAND. Here’s how they’re creating a more resilient environment.
Sustainable tourism – now is the time to change the way we travel
The pandemic has altered how we think about tourism. Chris Haslam from The Times assesses the impact of our holidays on the environment, and knows the organisations and initiatives that will help you make informed choices
Sweden Ranked Best Country in the World for Sustainable Tourism
Scandinavia is renowned for its progressive attitudes so it’s no surprise that Sweden is leading the drive for sustainable travel, says Olivia Palamountain from Globetrender.
How Valencia became the first city in the world to verify its tourism carbon emissions
While there’s been a lot of talk about environmental issues in many cities of late, says The Independent author Annie Bennett, Valencia has been busy actually making things happen with a pioneering sustainable tourism strategy. It is the first city in the world to verify its carbon emissions from tourism-related activities, part of a commitment to be a carbon-neutral destination by 2025.
What does it mean to travel sustainably in 2021?
As travel tentatively resumes, says Francisca Kellett from National Geographic Traveller UK, the frequently misappropriated and misunderstood concept of sustainability is due a timely reassessment. What role can travellers play in protecting the balance of the natural world?
Asia's rise of sustainable tourism: Is it for real?
Growing numbers of travelers in Asia are reassessing the way they travel to make their trips more moral as they seek to reduce negative economic and social impacts on the community and environment in the places they go to, says Eri Sugiura, a Nikkei staff writer.
For Travel, a Sustainable Comeback?
From a newly certified Whale Heritage Site to scenic byways for electric cars, Elaine Glusac names five new initiatives that suggest the travel industry may be envisioning a more responsible future.
The Netherlands made the world’s first flight on sustainable synthetic kerosene
For the first time worldwide, a passenger flight partly flown on sustainably produced synthetic kerosene, was carried out in The Netherlands.
The Best Sustainable Travel Destinations for 2021
Travel has taken a back seat in 2020 and may well take a while to fully recover. But when it does, sustainability should be at the forefront of our minds. There’s a growing trend to blend the fun of a trip abroad with the pressing need for ecofriendly travel that makes you feel good. Here are Culture Trip’s picks of dreamy destinations that will provide much-needed wanderlust in 2021, and help you limit your carbon footprint in the process.
A 10-step guide to decarbonising your travel business
In case you’ve missed it … Here’s a quick start guide to decarbonizing your travel business, made available by responsible tour operator Intrepid Travel.
How the Travel Industry Can Bounce Back More Sustainably
Tourism accounts for 8% of global carbon emissions – that needs to change, says Laura Itzkowitz from Architectural Digest.
What is ‘greenwashing’ and how can we avoid it while travelling?
Don’t be seduced by talk of solar panels or [animal] sanctuaries, says Juliet Kinsman, sustainability editor at Condé Nast Traveller. Have a think about what [hospitality enterprises] could and should be doing for the community on their doorstep. A quick greenwashing checklist.
30 sustainable travel websites for the conscious traveler
Having trouble finding sustainable accommodations and experiences? Ana Cecilia Duék, director and editor at Brazil-based sustainability platform Viajar Verde, lined up 30 booking websites concerned with positive impacts on the environment, communities and destinations.
How travel has become more sustainable over the last 10 years
There’s still a long way to go – but look how far we’ve come, says Helen Coffey, deputy head of travel for The Independent.
Move Over, Sustainable Travel. Regenerative Travel Has Arrived
Can a post-vaccine return to travel be smarter and greener than it was before March 2020? Some in the tourism industry are betting on it, says Elaine Glusac, a writer for The New York Times.