Key Event Takeaways
From Traveler to Change Maker
Unleashing your power for positive change
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Thank you for joining us in New York
Our goal was to bring together five experts from across the travel sphere to engage in critical and meaningful conversation about the power and agency that individual travelers have to turn the switches, move the dials, and catalyze positive change within the travel industry.
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us on the evening, as well as our co-sponsors and partners for coming together for this important discussion. Below is the podcast recorded during the event, and a list of key takeaways for all attendees consisting of interesting information and important actionable points for how each of us can travel better tomorrow; taking ourselves from travelers to change makers.
Revisit this engaging discussion in a Podcast
Jessica's key takeaways
“It was an honor to bring together this inspiring and knowledgeable panel, all of whom have a passion for tourism and the planet. Everyone in the room walked away with concrete steps that will all help us to move from Traveler to Change maker on our next trip!”
- ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS: Don’t be afraid to ask the challenging questions, and follow up with your hotel to ensure they are meeting your requests. The right line of questioning coupled with genuine care can lead to shifting mindsets and operations which monumental long-term positive impacts. At the end of the day, we as consumers or travel trade partners have a strong voice to demand and catalyze change within the travel industry.
- Push hard on all fronts, not just plastic: Plastic often gets the most attention, because it is seen as one of the easier materials to minimize in a hotel’s operation. This is true, but I still recommend keeping your accommodation honest and committed to plastic reduction while also taking note of other areas where you can suggest they might improve. Keep following up – fundamental change can take time but will be worth it in the end, for you and your preferred hotel partners.
- Ask questions even at the operational level to effect lasting change: A simple example would be noting how your hotel disposes of waste in the room. If they are removing the in-room waste every single day and replacing the bin bag – ask them to only replace the bag at the end of your stay. Then follow up and ask how they might consider changing their process.
Tshewang's key takeways
“We are in the business of creating change makers from travelers”
- Happiness is the epitome of human development: This is just one key point we take from the framework of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index, and we focus on this intersection for Bhutan’s citizens and anyone who visits our beautiful country. We encourage travelers to take a deeper look at the way that their travel makes them feel, and the lasting effect it may leave on the citizens of countries which they visit.
- Understanding and impact starts at home: Emphasize and encourage local travel in which people can experience their own backyard. This fosters a sense of responsibility and stewardship, and local or indigenous stakeholder-driven change is one of the most powerful, resilient forms of growth.
- Authenticity is crucial: Look for travel that appreciates and benefits communities at an authentic level with authentic narratives woven throughout the experience and present at every turn.
- Associate with a foundation: Ask your preferred travel partner which foundation(s) they associate with on the ground in each destination, and if possible make it a step in your journey to learn and experience some of their work.
- Treat others the way you would want to be treated: Take a closer look at the way your chosen partner or supplier works with and treats their staff or other guides bringing guests to their establishment. All over the world, hotels and lodges should be hiring near to 100% local staff, and how they treat their staff needs to be looked at as a key aspect of long-term sustainability.
- Our work: Learn more about the work which the Bhutan Foundation is doing in building international relationships to achieve long-term, sustainable impacts in Bhutan.
- ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS: What are you doing while working with indigenous peoples to preserve their culture and heritage? Show me and dive deeper into the authenticity of your provided experience.
Amanda's Key Takeaways
“We strongly believe the key to achieving a regenerative future for the travel industry lies in collaboration and education”
- Collaboration: We need to be collaborating as a positive travel community, sharing best practices and useful resources on a regular basis as well as making these available to the consumer.
- Positive impact and regenerative principles at all levels: Look deep into the overall guest experience, as well as all steps along the value/supply chain for opportunities to solve for impact and regeneration.
- Sustainability is not exclusive to luxury: We often assume that sustainability and cost are linked, but there are many beautiful, small, and reasonably costed boutique hotels out there which are focusing on these important principles too. All you have to do is find them or get your travel partner to find them.
- Seek out experiences where you or your guests can learn about impact: Search for authentic guest experiences which offer guests the opportunity to engage with impact in an interesting and constructive way.
- Education: There is a responsibility that sits with all of us in the industry to educate ourselves as to how and why we need to travel the world with more positive impact, and find travel experiences with regeneration at their heart.
- Some suggested courses: Regenerative Travel will soon be releasing their inaugural self-guided e-course, titled “From Principles to Practice: Regenerative Travel in Action.” The course will aim to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and framework behind regenerative development and tourism. Watch this space as the course will launch before the end of 2023.
- ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS: Where are you building regenerative principles into everything you do? Take me into the deeper details and educate me.
Javier's Key Takeaways
“If you don’t experience something firsthand, you are unlikely to care about protecting it”
- Media is a crucial part of the travel ecosystem: The media – in it’s many different forms – has a big responsibility and opportunity to play the role of educator in the travel space.
- Follow the right journalists and media: Journalists are a critical bridge between the media and consumers, and they are read by both the industry and guests. Follow the right people – people who care – and make an effort where possible to carefully research who you are following and check that you agree with their messaging.
- Here are two of my favorite and recommended travel journalists: Kathleen Rellihan (@k_rellihan) and Juliet Kinsman (@julietkinsman) who are taking sustainability in travel writing to the next level and constantly weaving it into their narrative.
- Go beyond the obvious destinations: Choose to go beyond the obvious destinations which are off the beaten track. The sustainability conversation is happening all over the world, and it is in these new destinations that you can seek out authentic impactful experiences.
- Look for companies that are investing in impactful infrastructure and experiences: There is an ugly side of travel which exists in the mass tourism industry. Companies already heavily invested will be reluctant to divert their attention in a more sustainable direction. Look for organizations, travel companies, and individuals that are investing in infrastructure and experiences which will have a long-term impact.
- Choosing the right partners: Learn more about sustainability in the Virtuoso context.
- ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS: We all need to start asking questions ourselves so that others start asking too, at all levels of the supply chain.
Costas' Key Takeaways
“In essence the three most important themes are the same everywhere: Nature, Culture, Community”
- As travelers, our choices make a huge difference: The travel industry already has the tools for the change at its fingertips, so why wouldn’t they make these changes? As travelers we need to start and continue taking responsibility for our travel choices, and challenging the status quo of the industry or choices of our travel partners wherever possible.
- Nature, Culture, Communities: The global tourism industry needs to understand that at it’s simplest level it sells the opportunity to experience nature and culture. As travelers, we need to choose suppliers that ensure the survival of these crucial resources, so ask your chosen tour operator or lodge/hotel – What are you doing to help protect nature? what are you doing to safeguard cultural heritage? What work are you doing to uplift and empower indigenous communities?
- Don’t get lost in the detail, look for the impact: Sustainable, regenerative, eco-friendly, responsible – whatever you call it, does it embody travel with positive impact aligned to the three pillars mentioned above – Nature, Culture, Community.
- The positive impact of the right kind of travel is well-documented: Travel is critical to uplifting local communities and protecting natural spaces. It drives local and regional economies and ensures that natural spaces are seen as resources to conserve and protect long-term, rather than convert for short-term gain, as indigenous communities are able to glean value from them.
- Do this exercise to quickly and easily evaluate the authenticity of an experience or accommodation: Once arrived at your destination, close your eyes, and briefly reset yourself. Open your eyes again, and ask yourself: Can I tell immediately from the décor, food, people, and overall aesthetic which country I am in? If not, can I perhaps tell which region of the world I am in? If not, at the very least, can I decipher which continent I am on?
- ASK THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS: what are you doing to protect Nature, Community, and Culture – show me tangible and measurable evidence?
Even the smallest stone
makes ripples in the pond
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