If you’ve ever jetted off on a business trip to a new global destination, you’ll know how exciting it can be - there is something truly exhilarating about experiencing a new culture and representing your company abroad. However, it also recently came to light that tourism is responsible for nearly one-tenth of the world’s carbon emissions. This is why it is becoming all the more important for corporate travelers to ensure that they travel responsibly.
At TravelManor, we take great pride in tailoring business trips that tick all of our clients’ must-have boxes. This includes streamlined itineraries that keep carbon expenditure to a minimum when required by a traveler’s corporate travel policy. Here are a few top tips from our inner circle on traveling eco-consciously:
Flying is almost always par for the course when you head abroad, but there are ways to minimise your carbon footprint. Choose the most direct flight possible, and once you arrive, opt to travel overland. Train travel has been shown to create far fewer carbon emissions than flying, and it’s a fun experience to boot - you get to watch the world go by as you travel from one destination to the next. If you have to rent a car on your trip, secure a low-emission model (or even an electric car if you can!).
Use mobile and web-based apps to automate and accelerate expense management. This bypasses manual, paper-driven processes and facilitates a seamless data flow that provides CFOs and finance managers with better control over business expenses as well.
Don’t leave your low-impact manners at home. If you’re serious about cutting down on waste, it helps to carry a few tools when you’re out and about in a new country. This includes a reusable cutlery set, a container for leftovers and takeaways, a water bottle, fabric cloth that you can wet with water in lieu of wet wipes, a ‘keep cup’ and a metal or bamboo straw. Throw in a tote bag or two for shopping and there will be no reason to accept single-use plastics when you shop for meals.
When choosing keepsakes and souvenirs to take home, shop from local vendors who create their wares from locally-sourced materials. You’ll be contributing to the micro-economy, and the carbon cost of the goods you purchase will be far lower. The same goes for snacks and drinks - choosing a local craft beer over an imported lager may seem like a small thing, but when thousands of travelers choose to do the same, the need for those imports will decrease.
While this last tip is not 100% focussed on the well-being of the environment as such, it does focus on the well-being of our animal allies who share it. It can be tempting to opt-in on animal experiences like elephant rides, shark cage diving and other ‘close encounters’ while you travel, but more often than not, the animals involved in these activities are kept in captivity and treated poorly. Choose the activity providers you support with care; always check beforehand to see whether an operation is run ethically.
There you have it - a few top tips on traveling more eco-consciously from our team of passionate travel planners. Would your company like to reevaluate your corporate travel policy to ensure that your team treads lightly on the earth when they represent you around the world, feel free to get in touch. We are happy to show you what is possible when you streamline your itinerary and evaluate your options. Let’s save the planet one well-planned journey at a time!
