Ecotourism – sustainable travel

Climate change is beginning to have a noticeable impact on our everyday lives. Travel in particular comes under the spotlight time and again. In response, ecotourism is booming. In order to keep your CO2 footprint as small as possible, we would like to present you some tips for sustainable travel today.

What is ecotourism anyway?

The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as (self-)responsible travel to areas that are close to nature, protect the fauna and flora even when traveling, and promote the welfare of the local population. The trip should lead to easily accessible areas.

This definition was expanded in 2002 by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in the Quebec Declaration and now includes five principles that must be fulfilled in order to offer an ecologically safe trip or holiday. to be able to carry out.

• Contribution to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage.
• Consideration of the indigenous and local population.
• Planning, development and implementation only for the benefit of indigenous and local people.
• Focus of travel on local natural and cultural heritage.
• Suitable for individual travel or small groups.

Where to go?

Now you know what ecotourism is – of course the question is where to go. The five guidelines can be fulfilled however more easily, than it seems at first. Because a sustainable vacation starts at your own doorstep.

The journey begins at your own doorstep ..

Since the journey to the vacation destination is also part of a sustainable trip, you should pay attention to how you arrive at your destination. Fortunately there are enough alternatives to the own car or even to the airplane. You can get to many different destinations by bus, train or even your own bicycle.

Many vacation destinations in Germany or in nearby Europe can be reached comfortably by public transport and reduce the environmental impact significantly. Choose vacation apartments or accommodations from which you can easily walk or bike to the next city, so that you don’t need your own car.

Ecotourism in Germany

The choice in your own country is bigger than you might have thought. Germany has 106 official nature parks, 16 organic sphere reserves and countless organic farms, organic guesthouses and vacation rentals in nature reserves. A support of the local economy almost goes without saying.

As one of many examples in Germany, we would like to introduce you to the Wadden Sea on the North Sea coast. Ecotourism is especially important here and you can book and visit without much preparation time.

In addition to miles of beaches, the North Sea coast also offers a wide variety of flora and fauna. Those of you who are interested in the northern european bird life will get their money’s worth here. Numerous bird species can be observed without any problems, even during the breeding season, without interfering with nature.

If you want to get to know the Wadden Sea, you can choose from a variety of guided tours, nature trails or mudflat walks. But beware: even for conventional vacations, it is always important to take extra care in the watts and to be well informed about the tide times.

Sustainable travel to our neighbor

If you want to travel a bit further away from home, for example to soak up the sun in the south or to hike through snow and ice in the north, then this is also possible without a large ecological footprint. Because it is not only possible to experience a sustainable vacation within Europe, but even worldwide.

Hiking or biking through the Alps in summer is strenuous, but at the same time breathtakingly beautiful. So if you are sporty and fit enough, you can not only climb the mountains, but also visit different countries, such as Italy or Switzerland.

Many guesthouses, guesthouses and smaller hotels have specialized in sustainable management and thus in ecotourism. There you can go hiking close to nature, eat regional delicacies and spend the nights without a guilty conscience.

If you want to see the whole world, we recommend an ecological cruise. Of course, this does not mean cruise ships with several thousand people on board. But also with a sailboat or another small boat you can explore the oceans and get to know foreign countries.

Of course you must grasp for such a aufw?ndigen vacation clearly more deeply into the bag than with a attendance in the Black Forest. The time factor is also important: the sailing ship is not an A380. The seaworthy and adventurous vacationers among you can experience a breathtaking journey here.

Conclusion

If we have aroused your interest in ecotourism, then you should definitely take enough time to plan such a vacation. Both the arrival and departure, as well as the actual destination and local accommodation must be considered in advance.

But ecotourism also involves familiarizing yourself with the local conditions – this applies to the fauna and flora as well as to the local or even indigenous population. Only by a co-operation of all involved ones a receipt of our nature worth protecting is possible also in the vacation.

Since 2004 TravelProtect has been active as a specialized provider of innovative concepts in the travel insurance industry. More than 100.000 customers have been and are still being served by our team of experts. Experienced travel insurance specialists will assist you quickly and competently in all cases of damage or loss. The Bayerische is our strong partner for your protection.