It’s never easy trying to predict what the future may hold, as we
attempt to do in this issue’s cover story, “Going Green” (page 10).
Months ago, we asked writer Anne Burke to research how a travel
agent’s business is going to change in the next 10 years due to
global warming and environmental changes scientists say are taking
place. After all, if global warming as a reality or a perception is
becoming a greater factor in clients’ spending decisions, then
regardless of what you personally believe about the issue, it is in
your interest to incorporate the fundamental ideas of ecotourism
into your business.
Of course, all tourism impacts the environment in some way. It
is one of the unfortunate facts of our business that the more
people we expose to the world’s great places, the more difficult it
becomes to preserve these places.
In this matter, I side with Richard G. Edwards, chief marketing
officer for Montana-based Austin Lehman Adventures, who says in our
story, “Traveling is the way that people connect and care about
each other in a global sense. How are you going to get people to
care about the planet if they haven’t seen any of it?”
Tourism might be a strain on resources, but it is also the most
effective way to help people appreciate different cultures and
places. So many times I hear about a person’s entire outlook
changing because of a travel experience. It’s a portal through
which we can truly grasp the interconnectedness of us to our fellow
human beings as well as us to our planet. I’m also very proud of
the way the travel industry has responded to this environmental
call to action. We’ve clearly been more proactive than just about
any other industry. Every day, I receive at least five press
releases announcing a new program or initiative aimed at mitigating
the effects of tourism or encouraging a new way of thinking about
our environment. There’s a change in how we view our environment,
and tourism is on the cutting edge of that movement.
Along those lines, I’m proud to promise you that TravelAge West
will not be left behind in this regard. Just like the story says,
“Conservation begins at home,” and we’re looking at all our
business practices to see what we can do to be greener. As part of
that initiative, we’re currently developing plans to switch to
recycled paper as of next year. In addition, our parent company,
Northstar Travel Media, has already taken steps so that two of its
other titles, Travel Weekly and M&C, will be printed on
recycled paper as well. (M&C has already made the switch in
fact.)
So regardless of where you stand on this topic politically, keep
in mind that the smart business choice is to learn all you can
about green travel, and that small individual choices can lead to
monumental change overall. K.S.
