As sea levels rise and glaciers recede, tourism is increasingly impacted by climate change. Yet the industry itself is responsible for roughly 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. Subsequently, climate change mitigation is very important for both the planet and a thriving tourism industry.

Sustainable Travel International provides industry-leading tools and solutions that support companies, travelers, and destinations in taking climate action. This begins with measuring and reducing one’s own carbon footprint. While carbon reduction should always be a high priority, not all tourism-related emissions are currently avoidable. There is a need to invest in larger-scale transformations that underpin the global net zero transition by reversing deforestation and reducing society’s reliance on fossil fuels. Carbon offsetting allows tourism companies to support these types of CO2 reduction or removal projects while taking responsibility for their hard-to-abate emissions.

In this film, we learn how travel stakeholders, like Indagare, invest in climate action through Sustainable Travel International’s diverse portfolio of energy, forestry and blue carbon offset projects. These projects also have the potential to create benefits that go beyond just CO2 reduction, such as wildlife conservation and supporting local communities. We pay a visit to the Yaeda Valley in Tanzania, to learn about a forest carbon offset project supported by Sustainable Travel International’s portfolio. This project helps indigenous communities safeguard their natural resources and traditional livelihoods, and protect their land from deforestation while providing the community with revenue and social benefits.  

In promoting tourism close to the North Pole, Visit Svalbard is not trying to attract more visitors. What they’re all about these days is attracting the RIGHT sort of visitors.

By the right sort of people, what they’re talking about is – pausing. A bit like the moment you first take in that famous Arctic Silence for the first time.

Pause…

Think…

Before you plan your visit, consider the great untouched wilderness and its growing part in our global story – as it shrinks.

To intrude further; to roam deeper might be – no… is certainly now unwise.

This is a changed and changing environment far beyond the obvious fading of the ice. With climate change, mountainsides have turned green, creatures – from the microscopic to birdlife – are visiting anew, or staying for longer. And each of these small changes, each disturbance of this ancient ecosystem will have consequences.

So, how to do it right? How can we be visitors that can experience all of this wonderful wilderness while limiting, or removing, impact?

In this film we hear from guides, visitors, a scientist and from Visit Svalbard itself – all sharing their experiences of how staying close to the town of Longyearbyen and joining organized activities can make a truly significant difference – while maintaining all of the richness, wonder and challenge you could wish for. And all of that hosted by a surprisingly international, undeniably colorful, warm and welcoming community.

Funded by Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund.

Visit Laguna Beach, the destination marketing organization for Southern California’s premier coastal destination, introduced a newly-formed partnership with Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. This collaboration instituted a comprehensive stewardship initiative that protects Laguna Beach’s natural resources by educating and empowering visitors, residents, and a network of local partners.

Leaning on a long heritage of protecting Laguna Beach’s natural terrain, the new program provides a proactive method for minimizing impacts that would otherwise lead to environmental degradation. We talk to Amber Torrealba, world champion skimboarder about her viewpoint on how we should protect the ocean, Scarlett Hensman, education specialist from the Laguna Ocean Foundation about the impact of people coming to Laguna Beach, and Toni Iseman, Laguna Beach local and Activist, about her part in saving the canyon.

This film offers an insight into the work Visit Laguna Beach is doing in partnership with the local community.

The Öresund straight between Skåne, south Sweden, and Denmark, is very vivid water. And right in the middle, is the beautiful island of Ven.

Through this film learn of the way Niels Mouritzen, owner of the House of Hven, a hotel and restaurant on the island, is utilizing the sea in his business. Neils talks about “Best Taste Closer” and blue tourism in Skåne, and we hear from Kathrin Baake, Head Chef at House of Hven, about how she is using the sea in her cooking.

We pay a visit to the Kullaberg peninsula and speak to David Arborelius, manager of Kullabergsguiderna, and Johanna Stedt, Marine biologist at Lund University. Kullabergsguiderna runs whale-watching tours in the area. They created the project “Think About Tumlarna” in collaboration with the County Administrative Board of Skåne. The project strives to encourage environmental measures to protect small, charming whales called “Porpoises.” Johanna lets us in on her captivating research on porpoises, her collaboration with David, and how they are working to preserve these aquatic mammals together.

The Isle of Man is the only entire nation that has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere. Who are the people that have made this possible? We speak to Bill Dale, Founder of Beach Buddies, who organizes a program of litter collecting on the beaches around the island. We talk to Pippa Lovell, Chef and Co-Founder of Versa, who forages from the coastline, using the produce in her cooking. And to Leigh Morris, CEO of Manx Wildlife Trust and Visit Isle of Man Board Member, who talks about how the Trust connects, respects, and enhances the island’s seascape, coastline, countryside, nature, heritage, culture, and communities. The Isle of Man is home to 18 national glens, 32 beaches, 26 dark sky discovery sites, 26 nature reserves, and 95 miles of coastline, with ancient monuments, landmarks, and historic castles dotted throughout the island’s extraordinary landscape.

This film looks at how Visit Isle of Man helps to engender these projects, trusts, and local businesses to make the island have a global impact. It also explores how local people are preserving and using the land and sea for the future of the island.