If you take the train instead of the car, you save yourself stressful traffic jams. And while taking the train you can easily try out the new Azurslot.
So if you can, don’t hire a car, but take public transport instead. This will also give you a much more intensive impression of the country and its people and give you an insight into everyday life and contact with the locals. And the consumption of pollutants is also lower. In France, for example, buses only cost a few euros.
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Avoid flights
If you still want to fly, you should at least do it sensibly: instead of taking three short week-long vacations with flights, soft tourism means only flying once for three weeks. This reduces the impact on your personal carbon footprint to a third.
Offset CO2 consumption
Can’t avoid flying? A little gentle tourism is also possible by offsetting CO2 emissions: various climate initiatives calculate how much CO2 the flight in question causes and allow you to offset the climate-damaging emissions by donating money to climate protection projects. Offsetting is controversial, but definitely better than doing nothing at all. Also read our article CO2 compensation: Why you should no longer travel without compensation.
Travel light
Whether by car or plane: the heavier your bags and suitcases, the more CO2 you produce on your vacation. With soft tourism, you only pack as much as you really need. Another advantage: you have to carry less laundry. And less washing afterwards.
As in many countries there is no way to dispose of hazardous waste such as old batteries in an environmentally friendly way, you should leave out problematic items when packing your suitcase. If batteries cannot be avoided, take them back home with you to be on the safe side – especially if it is definitely unclear how to dispose of them in your vacation destination.
Check the labels
The travel industry is still struggling to agree on seals that can be used to recognize when tourism is sustainable. There are dozens of seals for better travel, but only a few are meaningful. Nevertheless, here are three important examples of sustainable tourism:
TourCert: The certification takes holistic ecological and social criteria of tour operators, travel agencies and accommodation into account. tourcert.org
Viabono: Promotes sustainable tourism on the initiative of the Federal Ministry for the Environment and can be found at accommodation, campsites, canoe providers and nature parks. viabono.de
Blue flag: recognizes sustainably operated waters in 40 countries, such as marinas and beaches on inland waters. blaue-flagge.de
Sustainable tourism, sustainable travel also means not booking large hotel chains with pools and buffets.
With soft tourism, it is also best to check whether your accommodation has been awarded a sustainability seal. Or book a room in an organic hotel. A good starting point: go to seal sites and use the lists of participants as a basis for planning trips.
Save water
Pay attention to low water consumption even on vacation, especially in southern countries. Even on vacation, don’t take excessively long showers and use your towels several days in a row so that they don’t have to be washed so often. Many hotels now actively inform their guests about the water consumption caused by washing towels and only clean them if you leave them on the floor.
Organic hotel, organic farm and co.
Organic hotels are great examples of sustainable tourism: organic hotels, for example, use resources more consciously and sparingly, reduce waste and prefer to serve regional organic cuisine. In the vast majority of cases, vegetarian and vegan dishes are also available.
The Association of Organic Hotels now has almost 100 hotels in Europe in its program and aims to become climate-positive by 2023. They have different focuses, but what they have in common is that they meet various sustainability criteria. You can give the gift of a stay in one of the organic hotels via this voucher page – from as little as 100 euros.
And on organic farms or organic campsites, you can spend your vacation responsibly in harmony with nature. A great option for a gentle family vacation.