What does sustainable travel mean?

When an excessive number of tourists visit a popular destination or attraction, it causes damage to the local environment and historical sites and creates a poorer quality of life for residents.

Sustainable tourism is a framework for engaging travellers and the travel industry in supporting goals that include protecting the environment, addressing climate change, minimizing plastic consumption, and expanding economic development in communities that are affected by tourism.

A National Geographic survey in the U.S. found that while 42 percent of U.S. travellers would be willing to prioritise sustainable travel in the future, only 15 percent of these travellers are familiar with what sustainable travel actually means.

Fifty percent of consumers familiar with sustainable travel are between 18 and 34 years old.