We’ve all felt that initial excitement of getting involved in a new project or activity, but that can soon wear off once the repetition sets in or we've completed what we initially set out to do.
The fact is, unless you’re truly committed to something, long term success is doubtful, as is the case with sustainability.
Achieving travel sustainability success requires a broader mindset. It’s an initiative that begins at home. Long term success cannot be assured if travellers only consider sustainability efforts once they book a holiday.
A good starting point is to consider the impact of tourism at home, in their own home town or resorts close by. Quite a high percentage of people have become aware of sustainability issues simply because they have seen the impact tourism has on their own local environment. A graphic example is Venice, where locals can no longer afford to live there.
Sustainability efforts must begin at home, whether that concerns basic recycling efforts or considering whether a product is sustainably sourced from a foreign country before buying; the act of thinking and doing starts to build a longer term understanding of the issues, beyond the context of travel.
Once one can commit to improving sustainability at home, it starts to become second nature when away on holiday. Feeling good about one’s contribution because one understands the issues and the impact, no matter how small, helps engender a long-lasting commitment to sustainable practices, and becomes something you might want to share with others too.