Call My Agent! Nine Essential Questions to Ask for a More Sustainable Escape

Every company can put a little green leaf on its website. If we truly want to travel more sustainably, it is up to us to dig deeper and ask tougher questions to hold our hosts accountable. They won't always know the answers - which in itself says something about their environmental beliefs - but more importantly, it can push them to perform better as a company when it comes to environmental, social and economic impact. We asked some of the smartest operators in the industry to give us a guide to what to ask and why it's important.

1. How do you try to ensure that the money stays in the local pockets? Bruce Poon, founder of G-adventures 2. The question: Can you recommend a route that allows me to travel abroad without flying? Cat Jones, founder of train travel specialist Incidentally

Why it matters: "The easiest and best way to ensure money stays where it is intended is to do research; Find out where your money goes in the places you visit and make sure the locals benefit. As pioneers in community tourism, G Adventures offers a 'ripple score', which is designed to provide transparency into the local economic impact of a tour, but this does not reflect the quality of the experience during the trip - the higher the local operating costs locally remain, the better the ripple effect in those communities and the greater the ripple score. A score of 100 means that all the services we used to create that specific tour are locally owned. We have also built more than 100 community tourism projects into our trips around the world, directly benefiting local people."

3. The Question: How does your company work with local businesses to ensure you support the destination you are visiting? Jonny Bealby, founder of Wild boundaries 4. The question: As an operator, how do you work with the wider travel industry to drive change? Justin Waterridge, founder of Traveling scooters 5. The question: Are you or can you book me for a stay at or a trip with a B Corp travel organization? Thomas Power, founder of Pura Aventura

Why this is important: "Flying less is one of the most impactful things we as individuals can do for the climate. Choosing to travel by train instead of by plane not only reduces CO2 emissions per passenger by up to 90 percent, it also makes for a very enjoyable way to travel! You'll experience beautiful journeys (perhaps even from a bed on a night train), enrich your holiday by staying in more than one place and support the local economy by choosing routes away from overcrowded airport hubs. The hurdle many face when considering flight-free travel is the initial uncertainty (where to go? which route? what to do? which tickets?). That's why this question is important: it's hard to know where to start! If your agent doesn't have flight-free options, perhaps let them know that Byway can help. By working together in this way, we can enable the travel industry to make free flights mainstream, making it easier for people to travel more sustainably. We want people to feel encouraged to take a holiday by rail - for the planet and because it's a richer way to travel. At Byway we make it easy to go flight-free, with personalized journeys by train, boat and bus, which also include accommodation as a protected package. Our trip building technology also enables flight-free planning and booking for partners, so we can easily work with agents like Kuoni, Intrepid and Exodus, where we offer flight-free round-trip travel to already booked trips. "

6. The question: Can you help me ensure that my money goes beyond my hotel stay and impacts the local community? Jessica Blotter, co-founder of Friendly traveler 7. The question: What do you pay attention to when booking sustainable accommodation? James Jayasundera, founder of Ampersand travel 8. The question: Do you recommend this trip as a seller or can you really comment on its sustainability credentials? Byron Thomas, Founder and MD of Niarra Reizen 9. The question: If I want a unique honeymoon, away from mass tourism and all-inclusive offerings, what can you do to encourage a more authentic experience? Katie Terrington, founder of Katie Terrington Private Travel and member of Conscious Travel Foundation

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Why it matters: "As a tour operator you cannot create and support responsible and sustainable forms of tourism without understanding the needs and challenges on the ground, which can vary enormously from country to country. It is crucial for us that we communicate very closely with our global partners, who are essentially the eyes and ears on the ground. It is through these partners that, in addition to our own time spent in each of our destinations, we can develop strong and effective local initiatives and projects, allowing us to not only offer great trips to our customers, but also support the communities. we visit. Look out for companies with such an ethos, which is essential to our Wild Frontiers Foundation, which we established to raise awareness and provide additional funding to projects within the destinations we visit."

Why it matters: "Collaboration is difficult; we need to share more. We must work together. Take a look at what a company is doing to raise your awareness about issues and how much advocacy is part of the company's vision to create a greener, more biodiverse planet. For example, is she lobbying for a 'green flight obligation' - a version of the existing UK air travel tax that would end the aviation tax break and reduce demand for flying at higher prices, while increasing revenues ? -shielded from investments in sustainable versions of aviation and other ways to decarbonize air travel. It would make short distances a lot less attractive and make first class more expensive."

Why this is important: "A company that has been satisfactorily assessed as a B Corp is legally required to conduct business in a more ethical way - and it's an easy way for a consumer to identify a company that has taken the impact into account on the environment and society. There are so many labels, badges and promises that it's easy to become overwhelmed. Frankly, I feel sorry for consumers who want to have a wonderful holiday instead of having to do a lot of homework! That's why I suggest they ask their agents about B Corp companies. We are members of Travel By B Corp - a group of B Corp certified companies in the UK covering everything from self-catering homes, hotels and holiday parks on our coasts to adventures in far-flung places, thanks to members like Intrepid Travel and Van Sawday . The more holidaymakers are aware of this badge, the better, and it will spark discussion about its values."

Why it matters: "97 percent of travelers want their travel dollars to have a positive impact on the communities they visit, according to our Kind Traveler Impact Tourism Report 2022, and with our Every Stay Gives Back program, every guest stay at participating hotels mobilizes funding for local charities that are connected to the well-being of the destination, regardless of where the booking comes from. Hotels can easily communicate and celebrate the measurable positive impact of their efforts via a QR code and a live community impact report. For example, The Stavrand, a woman-owned boutique hotel in Sonoma County, California, has designated Farm to Pantry as a local beneficiary and has already mobilized 3,184 servings of Sonoma County fruits and vegetables for marginalized families, while also solving food waste issues , and saved the emissions equivalent of taking 79 cars off the road for one day."

Why this is important: "I think sensitivity to nature and local culture, from the architectural style to being in harmony with nature, location and community, is crucial. Travel companies need to teach locals to be proud of what they have. Encourage them to be more caring: stop pollution, organize clean-ups and develop an appreciation among locals for what is local. You want to ask your agent how they support companies that think this way."

Why it matters: "There is a big difference between a trained and certified travel advisor - our team is all GSTC certified travel researchers - who recommends the most sustainable trip available for your dates, and the vendor who suggests the trip for which the vendor gives them an eco-friendly suggestion but above all a nice commission. With tour operators, which most people use to book luxury safaris, up to 35 percent of the room rate will not reach locals. It is important to ask for transparency around the finances/commission structure if they are serious about supporting the communities and conservation efforts the trips are about."

Why this is important: "Rather than seeking out an all-inclusive two-week beach vacation, honeymooners are increasingly asking to spend their precious time slowly discovering destinations, learning about cultures, staying in off-grid accommodations, learning of something new, having specialist local guides and exploring deeper into the destination. As an independent travel designer it is incredibly important that I work with a carefully curated selection of hotels, lodges, local guides and other local partners who can help me deliver these experiences Instead of booking with large wholesalers who tour local properties for higher commissions, have standardized excursions and tend to focus on booking larger properties. I actively look for partners who are smaller and more creative, working closely with their community, being involved in conservation and working with an abundance of incredible local suppliers."

For more tips on how to be a more climate-friendly traveler, check out the Sustainable Travel hub.