How Green is Your Holiday?

Green travel lies in the importance of protecting the natural and cultural environments

Time to take travelling to a whole new green level.

Have you heard the terms ‘green travel’ or ‘eco tourism’ and wondered what they are talking about? Do you picture someone sleeping on wooden slat bunk bed in the depths of a jungle or forgoing your beach towel and book for a 7 hour long hike!

It doesn't have to be that way, although we know people who love those kinds of holidays! There is no need to give up your creature comforts when you travel, so read on and learn more about green travel in Victoria.

What is green travel?

‘Green travel’ is a catch phase that covers a wider range of tourism, such as eco tourism, sustainable tourism and responsible travel. These terms get used in the media to increase exposure for certain holiday destinations and hotels use it to ‘greenwash’ their business even if they do not live up to the standards.

The truth of what ‘green travel’ is lies in the importance of protecting the natural and cultural environments that you are visiting. It requires you, as a traveller, to conserve plants, wildlife, resources while respecting local cultures and a different way of life that all impacts positively on the local flora, fauna and communities.

Green Travel should also encompass sustainability on all levels; from supporting local businesses such as Wineries who produce organic wines, Dairy farmers who produce free range and organic products and hotels that hire local people and maintain a low impact business. Consider nature hikes and volunteering for a hands-on experience and to make a difference.

Green travel seeks to turn the negative effects of tourism into something more positive.

How do I green my holiday?

There are many ways to green your holiday, but look at how you are getting there to begin with. Air travel is a huge producer of carbon, so if you must fly make sure you purchase carbon offset credits. This will help lighten your carbon footprint.

Make sure you visit local parks and forests. Within Victoria we have wide range of park lands and forests that are free to visit. From the wonderful Victorian Alps to the windblown coastline there is plenty to explore that will showcase the best of Victoria’s more than 4,300 native plant species and 948 native animal species.

If you are camping in any of our national parks, remember the motto ‘Leave No Trace’. This means to remove all litter and items brought into the park, recycle the maps that you use or pass them on to other travellers, never hurt or endanger any animals and refrain from feeding all birds, make sure any fires that are lit are safely extinguished and finally, remember to enjoy yourself and leave with a smile on your face!

Wherever we go and whatever we do, we have an impact. If we can adjust our travel attitudes and general habits so that we incorporate simple things like using local products and car-free days naturally into holiday arrangements, we can make a real difference.

With a number of accredited and award-winning 'green' tourism businesses and events throughout Victoria, it's easy to put together your environmentally friendlier stay. Going green in Victoria has never been easier.