We are so excited to celebrate Earth Day! The Earth is such an incredible place, and we are so grateful to be able to explore what our beautiful planet has to offer. Although we’re fortunate enough to travel and see new places, it’s essential to always try and travel sustainably. We have to work together to take care of the Earth, and being a more conscious traveler is an excellent first step in doing so. Thankfully, many travel companies worldwide are working towards being environmentally friendly and more sustainable. These companies are working hard to prove that travel and sustainability can coexist and are committed to making this a reality.
From Intrepid to Alaska Airlines and more – here are some travel companies around the world that are committed to sustainability:
Natural Habitat Adventures
Natural Habitat Adventures is a travel tour company fully committed to sustainable travel. This company is working hard to ensure that they’re helping take care of our planet. Since 2010, Natural Habitat Adventures has offset all of its carbon emissions, and in 2019, they even ran a zero waste adventure – the first of its kind! But it doesn’t stop there. One of the most incredible things about this company is that it partnered with the World Wildlife Fund and has worked to raise over $4.5 million for the organization. Keep up the excellent work, Natual Habitat Adventures!
Alaska Airlines
Let’s face it; air travel isn’t always the most environmentally friendly form of travel. In fact, flights account for about 3% of the United State’s carbon dioxide emissions each year. But there is one airline looking to make air travel more sustainable. Alaska Airlines wants to help take care of our planet by pledging to make their flights more eco-friendly. Some of the great things they are doing include reducing their annual fuel usage by 34,000 gallons per plane, encouraging passengers to reduce their use of single-serve plastics, and they even started serving paper boxed water bottles rather than plastic bottles. Alaska Airlines is such a positive role model for sustainable air travel, and for that, we thank them.
Seacology
Another company that is helping make the world a better place is Seacology. Seacology is a nonprofit organization that works to help protect island ecosystems across the globe. The organization works directly with island communities and essentially makes them a deal. If the island community agrees to help save a marine area or forest, Seacology will provide them with the money for something the island needs, such as a water system or a school. This is a fantastic concept as the island gets to preserve its natural resources in exchange for funding that will benefit the community.
Intrepid
This fantastic group travel company has been around since 1989 and has been paving the way for eco-friendly travel. Group travel comes with many carbon emissions, and Intrepid has been working to make sure that they offset these emissions. Since 2010, Intrepid has been carbon neutral, and since 2020, they’ve been offsetting 125% of their carbon emissions. But they aren’t stopping there. The travel company has stated that they are looking to only run off of renewable energy by 2030. These are certainly steps in the right direction for eco-friendly group travel, and we applaud Intrepid for its efforts.
Carnival Corporation
Carnival Corporation owns multiple cruise lines, including Carnival, Princess, Costa, and Holland America. Cruises come with many carbon emissions per year, which the Carnival Corporation recognizes. That’s why they want to do their part to provide environmentally friendly cruising when possible. Some of the things that this company is doing to be more sustainable include using cleaner fuel, reducing unit food waste by 50% by 2030, and planning to operate with zero-emission ships by 2050. These goals are big, but they are attainable and could pave the way for more eco-friendly cruising.
Contiki
Contiki is another travel tourism company looking to set the standard for sustainable travel. This incredible company has been around since 1962 and offers some fantastic eco-friendly adventures. Contiki is looking to help take care of the Earth by becoming carbon neutral by 2030, reducing its printed brochures in half by 2025, and working to eliminate a majority of single-use plastics on its adventures. So next time you plan on booking a trip with a travel tour company, keep Contiki in mind. You’ll be able to go on an amazing journey while also helping save the planet in the process.
Earth Day is April 22nd, and it aligns with Swift’s mission of bettering the planet by being a conscious traveler (and human being). Sustainable travel is the way of the future, and protecting our planet is of the utmost importance. We hope that you consider using one of these companies the next time you make travel plans.
If you need a passport or visa for an upcoming trip, you can get the process started on the Swift website. If you have questions about obtaining a passport or visa, please contact us! No matter where you plan on traveling, we’ll get you there!
