Nothing awoke society to the urgency of sustainability like the admonishments doled out to world leaders by the bold, 15-year-old Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg. After hosting a school-skipping solo protest, "School Strike for Climate", also known as "Fridays for Future", inspired a worldwide youth environmental activism movement. Her memorable world-famous UN Speech in 2019, in which she addressed the floor with an audacious, "How Dare You?". She challenged the status quo and prompted policymakers to contemplate the legacy they'd hand down to the next generation, marred by apathy and ignorance. Her bold approach earned her Nobel Prize nominations in 2019 and 2020. Today, she continues to boldly live out her purpose, creating awareness around environmental issues.
Rebel with a cause, Greta Thunberg, at a Fridays for Future climate strike, Image Credit: Antonio Calanni
More Carrot, Less Stick
Research has shown that Millennials and Greta's demographic peers, Gen Zers, are more dialled into her wavelength, making travel purchasing decisions that align with their beliefs rather than brand loyalty. Gen Zers' parents, Gen Xers, may be influenced by their buying trends.
Social media channels dominate the online lives of those aged between 12 and 24. Even though they may not have the means to buy travel themselves, marketing to this demographic should not be dismissed out of hand. Reach Gen Zers, and you'll reach the deep pockets of their parents and grandparents making travel purchases. With the rise of multi-generational and skip-generation travel, it's essential to understand where and how to reach this influential audience.
Not too young or restless to have a voice, Image Credit: &Beyond Phinda
Following Your Bliss
They're deeply rooted in sustainable travel practices. Recognising that travel isn't a way to forget yourself; instead, you can use your values as a pilot light to guide your travel plans. This paradigm shift can be an uncomfortable and even more costly way to travel as the world's travel giants stagger through a litany of outdated pricing models and broken supply chain models.
These travellers are prepared to work harder to match their values with their needs, and the travel landscape is ripe for agile companies with a fresh approach and innovative solutions to swoop in and make a difference.
Follow your values and travel sustainably in Africa, Image Credit: Michael & Matt
Conscious Travel: A Growing Movement
Responsible travel behaviour is a skill garnered over time. Occasionally, it stems from modelled behaviour. If you've grown up in a family that treads lightly on the earth when travelling, chances are those excellent habits persist into adulthood.
Think of conscious travel as a state of being. Using Maslow's hierarchy of needs as the basis for my analogy, let's compare a responsible traveller to a well-rounded adult fulfilling their potential. When we are born, we have boundless potential, but we've not yet garnered the basic skills necessary to harness it. We need to learn to crawl, walk, and then run. Feed, clothe and care for ourselves. Once we have these essential elements, we can focus on self-actualisation.
Travelling sustainably begins at home and with the young, Image Credit: Encounter Mara
Taking the First Steps
We all started somewhere on our journey. If we're truly living, we never stop growing. In my private moments, I consider how I could've travelled better over the years and, each day, commit myself to doing so both at home and abroad. Responsible habits don't get packed away in suitcases when you return home from a trip; they're localised versions put to work in our day-to-day lives.
If you know better, you must do better. Focussing on where I can make a difference starts with putting the needs and considerations of the host community before my own. There may be times when these serendipitously gel. However, when they don't, instead of pushing my agenda, I take a step back and consider how I can tread lightly and ensure my visit has a positive impact.
I don't claim to have all the answers. I continue to glean insights from my trusted sources, seeking guidance from enlightened, seasoned role models willing to share knowledge and pay it forward.
Learn to walk the lightly trodden path by travelling sustainably in Africa
Leave Only Footprints
Seeking out sustainably-run properties in Africa requires effort. You may wish to enlist the expertise of a travel specialist. If you're conducting independent research, some of my trusted sources are the GSTC, through whom I've recently achieved my Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism earlier this year.
The Long Run, Rooted Storytelling, GLP Films and the edutainment podcast "A Funny Old World", co-hosted by Juliet Kinsmen and Simon London, are excellent resources. While not entirely focused on Africa, these strong voices shed light on the complex and, frankly, somewhat intimidating topic of sustainability from a global perspective, feeding into strategies for travellers to travel better.
Seek sustainable travel partners to leave nothing but footprints and a positive imapact
Slow and Steady Wins the Stewardship Race
Well-intentioned travellers can swerve responsible travel faux pas by empowering themselves with knowledge. Stick to these few guidelines when planning to travel.
Community
Think about the purpose of your trip and who your host community members are. Do you know of any sustainability concerns you can help alleviate through your mode of travel, choice of accommodation, transport operator and other tourism service providers?
Commerce
How does your tourism activity impact the local community? Does your tourism investment for your trip, such as transport, tour guide, accommodation, food and drink and entertainment, affect the visitor economy? Booking through a travel company based in Africa helps stem economic leakage, ensuring that the revenue generated by your trip remains in Africa.
Culture
What is the relationship between your tourism activity and the local community? Are their local customs respected and preserved? Do they benefit from job creation, stakeholdership, profit share opportunities, and regional infrastructure investment? Are there sufficient opportunities for them to contribute to the visitor economy as part of the business landscape?
Conservation
Consider every stage of your journey and touchpoints, and work with the most sustainably-minded suppliers possible. According to the EPA, transport is a significant contributor to carbon emissions. If you're flying long-haul, can you take a direct route and travel lighter? Is there an option to travel by surface transport lighter on carbon emissions? And if possible, can you investigate offsetting your carbon emissions? Some travellers may question the ethics of travelling long distances.
As I mentioned, the question of sustainability is a multi-faceted one. Applying the logic of Isaac Newton's third law of actions and opposing equal reactions, imagine if we all stopped travelling tomorrow (memories of the recent global pandemic's travel bans fresh within our minds); what would happen to the communities and conservation initiatives that depend on tourism for their livelihood?
Leave a lasting impact by travelling sustainably in Africa, Image Credit: Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Resonant Rejuvenation
Think about which of the Sustainable Development Goals for tourism you identify with most and, based on these, try to locate suppliers who match these values. The 17 indicators within the pillars of people, peace, prosperity, planet and partnership help guide your purchasing decisions.
Sustainability is not exclusively about eco-friendly initiatives, even though they're a cornerstone of the movement. Importantly, understanding that every situation is unique and just like with levels of luxury, there are levels of sustainability. A provider with a clear sustainability plan consistently measures their progress, reports on it publicly, and commits to progress.
Necessity is the mother of invention, and because I couldn't find a single place to gather this information myself, I'm currently developing an exciting future-forward sustainable framework that addresses the entire tourism lifecycle, starting with travellers and extending to the supply chain, building into the sustainability of host communities and destinations. Ask me about my vision, and I'll gladly share it.
Which Sustainable Development Goals for Tourism do you identify most with? Image Credit: tourism4sdgs
Sustainable Africa: A Worthwhile Goal
While it's true that the industry has a long way to go on the sustainability front, traction in this vital area of the tourism business ensures that we are on track to pursuing regenerative tourism, the ultimate goal.
Many grapple with how to articulate their efforts and, fearing getting called out for greenwashing, stay silent, also known as greenhushing. Keep an open mind and be curious. What would your questions be?
Travel Sustainably in Africa with Rhino Africa
As a local travel company and the World's Most Awarded Safari Company, Rhino Africa prioritises responsible travel. In fact, everything they do is centred around protecting Africa's precious landscapes and wildlife while uplifting local communities. Will you leave a lasting legacy in Africa?
