Travel Is Getting Greener

Where digital meets travel + lifestyle … A collection of can’t-miss news from this week, including wellness trends. Sign up to get the TURNER Weekly Download in your inbox every Friday.

Undertourism

Overtourism has been a major concern for destinations with wildly popular natural attractions. Now, there’s a new trend emerging to combat overtourism in spots that have fragile ecosystems. You guessed it: undertourism. According to the New York Times, a new breed of travel companies are helping travelers choose trips that are in the interest of sustainability. “As a tour operator, I think it’s our responsibility to help expand people’s places of interest,” said Jason Wertz, founder of  Uncovr Travel. The tour company specializes in less-visited areas. Their trips often take place in shoulder seasons when “there are less people and you get a more authentic experience.”

Royal Sustainable Travel

Britain’s Prince Harry is getting in on the eco-travel movement. He’s collaborating with Booking.com, SkyScanner, TripAdvisor, Visa and others to promote more sustainable travel worldwide. The new program is called Travalyst. It will encourage travel firms and travelers explore the world mindfully. “Travel has the unparalleled power to open people’s minds to different cultures, new experiences and to have a profound appreciation for what our world has to offer,” Prince Harry said. “As tourism inevitably grows, it is critically important to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices worldwide; and to balance this growth with the needs of the environment and the local population.” Learn more at travalyst.org.

Flight-Free

As sustainable travel gains traction, travelers are starting to look for alternatives to air travel. One couple has found a way. Julien and Margaux (AKA Serial Hikers) have journeyed to 25 countries in the past three years, all without the use of a plane. The stats are impressive. According to Lonely Planet, the pair have hitchhiked across 60,000 kilometers using 1167 cars, trucks and motorbikes, covered 4,500 kilometers with two sailing boats and have met 236 hosts. Obviously, this kind of extreme travel isn’t for everyone. But Julien and Margaux pack their blog with smaller ways to minimize your footprint while exploring.

Toiletry Reduction

We all love those travel-sized toiletries in hotel rooms, right? Enjoy them while they last. Sure, they’re convenient. But they’re also not very eco-friendly, contributing an enormous amount of plastic waste to landfills worldwide. That’s why Marriott, the world’s largest hotel chain is replacing travel-sized toiletries with larger bottles. "Our guests are looking to us to make changes that will create a meaningful difference for the environment while not sacrificing the quality service and experience," Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson said in a statement.

Weekly Moment of Zen

Here’s when fall foliage will look its best near you, so you can plan your leaf peeping.