From inception, we wanted the Travel Green List to be an extensive, inspiring and honest portrayal of sustainability in travel. So, we began by asking the most obvious question: what is sustainable travel?
It’s a question that often yields an elusive answer, due to the many complex aspects around sustainability. We already know that reducing carbon emissions is crucial, as is preserving the planet’s biodiversity and ecosystems. However, the effect of tourism on communities is also vital, albeit a factor far less widely appreciated.
In fact, in most cases these go hand in hand. A well-supported society will be more empowered and equipped to protect its environment, strengthening regeneration. In regions where Indigenous peoples are striving for acknowledgement and survival, First Nations-led tourism initiatives can be empowering and educational for both visitors and locals alike. It thus follows that all these experiences should be inclusive and accessible to people of every background and ability, and not least because that’s just basic human decency.
In essence, sustainable travel is an exchange of enriching and interactive encounters that benefit both the visitor and the host. This was the philosophy we adopted in compiling the Travel Green List. In doing so, we discovered that sustainable travel experiences can be enjoyed in the most unexpected corners of the world, where they can truly be a force for good.
The conservation of Ecuador’s Cloud Forest supported by Mashpi Eco Lodge, for example, has led to 12 new species being identified. In Cambodia, Shinta Mani Wild’s woodland camp sustains sections of the Cardamom National Forest that were otherwise doomed to deforestation. And it’s not always small enterprises that enact change. Amilla Maldives has opted to reduce its carbon footprint by conducting a thorough supply-chain audit, and it produces much of its food in-house. Then there is Florida’s tourism board, who are building a strong, accessible infrastructure to ensure everyone, particularly disabled travellers, can experience the best of the state.
Throughout this list we celebrate people and places committed to making a difference: those that are taking meaningful steps towards safeguarding local culture, environment and wildlife. We pay great attention to the operators delivering deeper, more interactive travel itineraries and the transport providers making emissions reductions a priority. Finally, several well-known friends of Wanderlust have added their voices on how to travel with purpose; their wise words coming from years of travel experience.
Welcome to the first ever Wanderlust Travel Green List.
AFRICA
Príncipe Island, Republic of São Tomé & Príncipe
Africa’s second smallest country might be lacking in size but it is far from deficient in biodiversity, and it is isolated enough (210km off Gabon) to remain shielded from mass tourism. In 2012, the island of Principe was also declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, thanks in part to its adoption of eco-tourism. Indeed, agroforestry business HBD Principe has worked hard with residents to develop eco-stays and community-based experiences, bringing much-needed income to a nation that has long suffered from economic instability.
Alphonse Island, Seychelles
For nearly a decade, Alphonse Island - 400km south-west of mainland Mahé - has been at the forefront of the Seychelles’ sustainable tourism initiatives. The luxury Blue Safari Resort, the only stay on the island, provides bungalows and villas overlooking palm-fringed sands. The hotel is powered by 2,200 solar panels, with no phone signal, no TVs in rooms and limited wifi. Hiking, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing are the focus here, while biologists from the Island Conservation Society (ICS) often invite visitors to talks and beach clean-ups. A levy (£25pp per night) also goes towards the Alphonse Foundation, which raises money for the islands’ conservation work.
Samara Karoo Reserve, South Africa
Located in the Eastern Cape province, Samara was founded in 1997 by conservationists Mark and Sarah Tompkins, who transformed 11 former livestock farms into a flourishing wilderness by reintroducing key species, such as lion, cheetah, black rhino, elephant and the endangered Cape mountain zebra, The reserve champions responsible wildlife safaris and social causes, with profits shared among staff, who are also given the chance to learn new skills, ranging from software and accounting to baking. This is especially important in the Eastern Cape, where only 20% of residents complete schooling and unemployment is high.
Loisaba Conservancy, Kenya
As part of a working cattle ranch in Kenya’s Laikipia County, Loisaba Conservancy was set up to ease relations between local farming communities and the area’s wildlife, as well as safeguard Kenya’s most important elephant corridor. Lion, leopard, cheetah and African wild dog also thrive within its 23,000-hectare setting; and this spring, Loisaba will re-introduce 21 black rhino to the area for the first time in 50 years. Best of all, safari-goers are privy to the wisdom of Maasai guides when staying at Elewana Collection’s Star Beds Camp, Loisaba Tented Camp and Lodo Springs.
Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar, Tanzania
It’s been over 30 years since German aid worker Sibylle Riedmiller applied to the Zanzibar government to convert Chumbe Island into an educational marine park. Her goal? To stop reef exploitation and fishing with
