Traveling is one of the best ways to spend our free time. Visiting new places, discovering new cultures, meeting new people, seeing different landscapes around the world and trying new flavors are just some of the benefits a trip can offer us.

However, like other human activities, tourism can also have a negative impact on the environment, the population and even the local culture. This has led to the concept of sustainable tourism.

“Sustainable tourism is a concept we take into account when we are planning a trip, as a tourist, tour operator or entrepreneur in this sector,” says Luciana Sagi, researcher and sustainable tourism consultant for public and private organizations. “It is thinking about how to reduce the negative impact of tourism as much as possible, from an economic, social and environmental perspective.”

This concept is based on preservation and conservation. And this does not apply exclusively to the environment—it also includes cultures, people and economic activities. “There is a concern to keep everything around us as intact as possible, respecting the characteristics of each location to ensure that they remain resilient and benefit from the positive impact of tourism,” explains Sagi.

The importance of sustainable tourism

Practicing sustainable tourism is very important because, when done without proper consideration, touristic activities can have a profound negative impact.

Native communities, for example, may abandon traditional practices, such as crafts and ancient forms of subsistence, to serve as labor—often cheap labor—for tourism activities.

The cost of living in certain communities can also rise significantly, especially when properties are purchased to be rented by tourists at much higher prices, inflating local costs.

Furthermore, the excess of people in places with insufficient infrastructure also causes problems, such as increased waste generation and shortages of resources, especially water and energy, in addition to the increase in traffic and pollution.

Another consideration is the direct damage to the environment. Globally, tourism-related practices account for approximately 5% of all carbon emissions, and this volume is expected to grow even more by 2030, according to data published by the UN World Tourism Organization in 2019. Additionally, when not done in a conscious manner—especially when we consider destinations with natural attractions—mass tourism can also cause negative impacts on soil, water and biodiversity, as highlighted by UNEP.

The pillars of sustainable tourism

The practice of sustainable tourism is based on three pillars:

1. Economic

Using available resources sustainably, supporting local businesses, promoting inclusion in the job market, encouraging traditional community practices and boosting the local economy.

2. Social

Encouraging the participation of the local population and ensuring that economic activities related to tourism serve their interests, with the guarantee that they are not harmed or exploited and have fair working conditions. This pillar also includes the preservation of historical and cultural heritage.

3. Environmental

Identifying and minimizing the potential impact of tourism on the local ecosystem, conserving natural resources and protecting biodiversity. This includes mechanisms that cover visitation and inspection rules and investments in infrastructure, such as to support responsible waste management.

These pillars help make tourism viable in the long term, preserving tourist attractions to ensure that that they can continue to be visited in the future. After all, when a destination is degraded, it stops attracting people’s interest.

Putting this into practice is a challenge that requires a collaborative effort from government bodies, companies in the hospitality sector (such as hotels, restaurants and travel agencies), workers (such as tour guides) and travelers. “At the heart of everything is effective governance that guarantees compliance with policies in support of sustainable tourism,” says Sagi.

One common practice in sustainable tourism is to limit the number of visitors to certain cities and sites. “Studies are carried out to identify the capacity of each site and monitor the number of visitors,” says Sagi. “In some cases, there are also fees to help limit the influx of people and finance the management of the impact of this seasonal population, which causes significant public infrastructure challenges.”

One example comes from the city of Venice, in Italy, which recently has started charging visitors a fee ranging from 1 to 5 euros for their first five consecutive nights in the city. This is an attempt to reduce mass tourism, which ends up impacting the lives of the local population and the environment—for reference, the city of approximately 50,000 permanent residents received around 2 million tourists in 2023, and half of them stayed for just one day.

Examples of initiatives and destinations recognized for sustainable tourism

There are several organizations that identify and recognize the most sustainable destinations around the world.

For example, every year, the organization Green Destinations selects the most sustainable tourism initiatives around the world. Its 2024 list includes different projects in places such as Fernando de Noronha, in Brazil; Aspen, in the United States; and Sintra, in Portugal.

Another initiative, the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) ranks the 40 best touristic destinations in regions such as North America, Asia and Europe. In 2024, the top three places went to Helsinki, in Finland; Gothenburg, in Sweden; and Copenhagen, in Denmark.

In Brazil, Braztoa (the Brazilian Association of Tour Operators) holds an annual award competition to select sustainable initiatives in the country. In 2024, winners included Ekôa Park, in Paraná; Associação Peixe-Boi, in Alagoas; and Povoado Mar da Hora, in Maranhão.

On the topic of sustainable destinations, one location worth visiting is the Neblinas Park, located in Mogi das Cruzes and Bertioga (São Paulo, Brazil). Managed by Suzano’s Ecofuturo Institute, the site occupies more than 7,000 hectares of regenerated Atlantic Forest and combines preservation, ecotourism and environmental education. The Park also has a positive impact on the local community, as it trains local residents to work with—and generate income from—sustainable tourism, either as employees of the institution or as service providers.

Is there a difference between sustainable tourism and green tourism?

Both refer to a more conscious way of traveling, but there are differences. Sustainable tourism is a broader concept that involves concern for tourism-related social, economic and environmental issues.

Green tourism, on the other hand, focuses on environmental conservation and preservation. This means that green tourism is a form of sustainable tourism—an important one, but it does not cover all the pillars.

How to make a trip more sustainable

There are simple habits we can adopt when traveling while still caring for the environment and local communities. Check out some tips.

Visit what’s near you

In addition to popular destinations and the countries you dream of visiting, try to add variety to your itineraries. Choosing places closer to home helps reduce fossil fuel emissions from travel. The are many places close to home to visit—and most people don’t do that. Data from The State of Tourism and Hospitality 2024 report, published by the consulting firm McKinsey, shows that 80% of travelers visit only 10% of all tourist destinations in the world.

Prioritize local communities

Look for tours, accommodations and businesses run by people who live in the location you are visiting—bonus points if they promote the local culture and care for the environment.

Follow visitor rules

It is very important to pay attention to the guidelines of the attraction you are visiting. Natural parks, for example, usually prohibit visitors from touching plants and animals or straying from marked trails. These rules exist to preserve the safety of visitors and to protect nature.

Don’t take home “natural souvenirs” and take care of trash

Taking home a shell, a flower or an animal from a natural attraction can cause imbalance, so it is best to only take photographs. In addition, be mindful of the trash you produce during your trip: carry it with you until you find a suitable place to dispose of it.

Conclusion: Sustainable Tourism is Within Everyone’s Reach

Adopting a more sustainable lifestyle involves making conscious choices in all aspects—including how you spend your free time.

As explored in this blog post, sustainable tourism requires simple attitudes, such as greater awareness of the impact—both positive and negative—we each have when we travel.

How about embracing your interest in this topic to learn more? A good source of information is the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, created by the World Tourism Organization to provide recommendations for tourists to adopt more sustainable practices.

‍