The Future of Sustainable Travel is Technology

Phot by Jannes Glas

Technology is a crucial part of modern life. It makes our lives so much easier and is constantly aiding us in finding solutions to larger problems. One of these problems is how we can continue to travel and explore new places while being as sustainable as possible. When we discuss sustainability, most of the time the idea of giving things up or forbidding different activities seems like the only course of action. However, this kind of lifestyle doesn’t work for everyone. It turns off a lot of people completely from becoming sustainable. 

We want to focus on a feasible solution to create a future with sustainable travel where we don’t have to make sacrifices.

We want to focus on a feasible solution to create a future with sustainable travel where we don’t have to make sacrifices. With plenty of sustainable innovations in the past couple of years, it is clear that technology is the way forward. We want to make sustainability accessible and attractive to everyone. Banning things will only alienate a large part of the target audience. We need to focus on innovation and sustainable technology to create a sustainable future in travel for everyone. 

Examples of New Innovations in the Travel Industry Sectors

We’ve found some great new tech startups in transportation, accommodation, and destinations that are paving the way for a sustainable future in travel. These startups are just a fraction of what technology can do in order to turn travel green.

Transportation 

Transportation is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases. Whether it’s flying, taking the bus or train, or using your car, you are emitting carbon dioxide. Thankfully, there has been a lot of innovation in the transportation industry. For example, United Airlines announced their plan to use biofuel in their new concorde-like planes. This will create more opportunity for different airlines to follow United’s example and turn to alternative fuel methods. Moreover, the world’s first battery powered plane just flew from London to Zurich.

We are also seeing an increase of electric transportation whether it’s Tesla’s electric cars or the introduction of electric buses and trains. Startups like Eccocar are trying to “reinvent” mobility, making it easier for tourists to get around in a sustainable way. Zeleros is creating a sustainable train called the hyperloop that is, according to them, “5-10 times more energy-efficient than an airplane”. These types of startups are making it easier for tourists to use different forms of transportation without the carbon emissions, therefore making it easier to travel.

There is no need to completely give up flying or driving when technology is solving the emissions issues for us.

Another important aspect to transportation is getting tourists to actually use the public transportation in the country they are in. It can be difficult to get used to a brand new public transportation system, which is why taxis or Uber are usually a preferred method of traveling in a foreign country. However, a Finnish startup has just created an app called Whim that allows you to get to know a country’s entire transportation system within the platform. Tourists do not need to purchase different tickets or struggle to get around. This makes it extremely easy for both tourists and even locals to travel sustainably around the city, making use of public transportation.

Accommodation

A huge amount of waste is generated by hotels every year. It can be extremely difficult to find a completely sustainable place to stay, which is why the coolest innovation we have heard of is the introduction of zero emissions buildings. These buildings produce the same amount of energy that they use. An example of this was created by the Australian company Archiblox where they built green houses that focus on cutting down carbon emissions while being extremely high quality. 

Another interesting innovation is the Flying Nest created by AccorHotels. This is a traveling hotel that goes with the tourist. They are small rooms that have been created to be completely sustainable from the materials to the actual structure. It has the same comfort as a regular hotel room with the advantage of mobility and complete sustainability. 

Destinations 

There are a couple of interesting examples of how startups are utilizing the travel destination in order to create a more sustainable experience for tourists. These include setting up virtual tours and starting initiatives to encourage staycations or destinations close by. Road.Travel is a great example of this. They are a company that lets customers customize short road trips to nearby destinations such as long weekends or city breaks. This a great way to make travel local and personal, as well as support communities and make travel more accessible to everyone.

Another innovation is the Polish Greenways. These are trails created within the country both in cities and the countryside for tourists to follow and learn more about history, culture, and experience nature. The trails are looked after by locals and help encourage sustainable living. This is a great innovative to celebrate a country’s heritage as well as support local communities and projects. According to them, it relates to “nature conservation, cultural heritage preservation, sustainable tourism, and mobility.” 

Why Technology is the Future

Sustainable tourism has gained a huge following in the last couple of years with plenty of companies and startups creating solutions. Innovation is the key to making the future of travel completely sustainable.

The newest innovations are an indication of how far we have come and how far we will be able to go to create a completely sustainable future.

Technology is the way forward, which is why we need to focus on new innovation instead of becoming a nanny state.

The idea of forbidding people from doing things makes people less likely to listen and more likely to want to take part in said activity. There is a huge negative impact to this “solution” because it can end up doing more harm than good. If there is a way to continue what we are used to by making it more sustainable through technology, then that is the path we should head down. 

This way we can attract more people to the idea of sustainability, rather than repelling them by banning freedoms and products they already enjoy. We need to highlight the importance of innovations and new technologies because it is through those innovations and technologies that we can create a sustainable future for the travel industry. 

Photo credit: Jannes Glas