Many airports are still unusually empty. The corridors are deserted, many check-in desks are still in hibernation. Because of the Corona pandemic, only a few planes have been taking off for over a year. The industry has been shaken to its core and has to live with record losses. However, the number of vaccinations is rising – and with it the booking figures. Since June 1st, after a 14-month break, Frankfurt Airport’s Terminal 2 has been in operation once again. And airline managers are reporting rapidly rising ticket sales.
But ever since the Green candidate for chancellor, Annalena Baerbock, announced a few weeks ago that, if she came to power, air travel would become more expensive for climate protection reasons and that short-haul flights would be abolished altogether, the discussion about the environmental impact of flights has flared up again. Discussions about “flight shame” are once again on everyone’s lips. The term originated in Sweden two years ago and has quickly spread around the world. “Flygskam” literally means “flight” and “shame” and describes the emotional state of people who fly with a guilty conscience. Or alternatively, choose other forms of travel to reduce their own carbon footprint.
Tip: Offset flights via organizations like Atmosfair
The problem is that long-distance destinations are difficult or impossible to reach without air travel. Compared to other forms of travel, however, airplanes emit a particularly large amount of climate-damaging greenhouse gases. This needs to change. Airlines are committed to the development of sustainable fuels and are opting for new, more fuel-efficient aircraft or even electric aircraft. And the German government is already investing billions in the development of emission-free fuel and better, cleaner aircraft technology. But so far, all this is all still pie in the sky. One way of minimizing or completely offsetting one’s own carbon footprint currently is to make a voluntary contribution to compensatory measures – in other words, to offset the flight. This offset contribution then flows, for example, into reforestation activities and other projects. Some airlines offer customers the option of making such an offset payment directly when booking. In addition, passengers can take action themselves independent of the airline they have booked with and make an individually calculated compensation payment through organizations such as My Climate or Atmosfair.
Sustainable holidays are more than just environmentally friendly travel
It is also clear that anyone who wants to go on a sustainable holiday should not only focus on flight emissions. They must also look a step further. A sustainable holiday is not just about travelling to a destination in an environmentally friendly way. In addition to ecological criteria, there are also social and economic criteria. In other words: Does the holiday package offered contribute to the local wealth creation of the country visited? Do they promote intercultural appreciation? Is the staff employed on a permanent basis and paid appropriately? Are the living and working rights of the people in the destinations respected? Holidays can have a positive impact because they provide work for the local population and sensitize travelers to the problems of the visited country.
Direct help: Holidaymakers support sustainability projects with their booking
An important consideration should therefore be how consistently local providers operate sustainably – and set standards themselves. After all, the framework conditions in non-European destinations are often not comparable to those in Germany. The hotels act as role models; the staff carry the idea of sustainability home into their own families and thus further into the local community. Green Pearls® Hotels are involved with sustainable projects in a variety of ways in their respective country or region in which they operate. So dreamy holidays away from home combined with sustainability are possible.
In the next newsletter, we will present four very special destinations where holidaymakers can spend a wonderfully relaxing break from everyday life – and at the same time support the sustainable activities of these hotels. Curious? Then just click on the links below – and look forward to the next newsletter with more details:
Gili Lankanfushi
Cerf Island Resort
The Tongsai Bay
Kasbah du Toubkal
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