January 24, 2019 by Silke Neumann Categories: Travel
If you want to travel ecologically and sustainably, most travel agencies do not offer good advice – you have to book online. But here, too, the variety is great and the overview poor.
We have therefore compiled a link list with 10 selected ecological travel portals that have dedicated themselves to the topic of ecological and sustainable travel.
Surely you will find here (in alphabetical order) more ideas for organic holidays than you have holidays …
Organic hotels: more sustainable overnight stays
Among other things, organic hotels pay attention to organic food and prefer regional production. Behind this is the association “Bio Hotels”, to which about 80 companies belong throughout Europe. They are also vegetarians and vegan allergy sufferers. Read also our contribution: Vacation in the bio hotel: eat regionally and lastingly wellnessen.
In organic hotels you can spend a very special holiday: Natural wood furniture, homemade jam, bio-sauna, fasting and milk from the farm next door…
BookDifferent
Bookdifferent.com is a platform from the Netherlands, which has only been translated into French and English so far. The Dutch idea: With every booking BookDifferent donates 50 percent of the booking commission to a charity of your choice. BookDifferent uses the booking.com database and displays the CO2 print per night for each accommodation.
BookDifferent donates half of its booking commission to an organization of your choice. (Screenshot: © BookDifferent / Utopia)
Bookitgreen: Book sustainable accommodation
Whether organic farm, organic hotel or eco-lodge: at bookitgreen you can find and book sustainable holiday accommodation throughout Europe. Bookitgreen rates the accommodation on its platform according to four points:
- existing certificates in tourism (e.g. EU seal for sustainability, German organic seal, Viabono, Fairstay)
- their own 15 sustainability criteria (each accommodation must meet at least four of the 15 criteria, criteria include eco-electricity, organic food, waste > Bookitgreen: want to expand their range even further in 2018 (Photo: Screenshot Bookitgreen)
Fairunterwegs.org
Fairunterwegs.org is the website of a support group that questions tourism from a development policy perspective and against this background offers tips, decision-making aids and suggestions for behaviour.
On the website you can not book trips, but you will find a clear orientation guide to seals in tourism, travel platforms, portals and tourism networks. Definitely a page you should visit before booking any trip.
The portal of the same name tells you how you are “fair on the road” all over the world. (Screenshot: © Fair unterwegs / Utopia)
Forum anders reisen: more than 130 providers of sustainable tourism
The “forum anders reisen” is an association of more than 130 tour operators who are committed to sustainable tourism. Those who book a trip with these tour operators should get travel experiences that are “oriented towards people and the environment”. The local resources should be used carefully and purposefully and the economic development in the travel countries should be supported. The holiday organised by the “forum anders reisen” should be ethically and socially just, which is why all members can be CSR-certified (Corporate Social Responsibility).
A holiday with a family places many demands on the destination: it should be family-friendly, not too expensive and varied.
Good Travel: Handpicked Accommodations
Good Travel presents all types of accommodation that are “sustainable, inspiring and authentic”. Here you’ll find hand-picked places for sustainable travel, nature-based accommodation and regional organic cuisine. Here you can be sure to find suppliers who use resources sparingly and ensure that guests can slow down from everyday life.
The providers in the “forum anders reisen” promise holidays that are ethically and socially rich. (Screenshot: © forum anders reisen / Utopia)
Gutbürger.Reisen: Ecosia among the travel portals
The Gutbürger.Reisen portal, which has only existed since the end of 2018, is based on the popular Ecosia search engine. In concrete terms, this means that those who book their trip via Gutbürger.Reisen pay the same prices there as on other online portals.
The important difference: With the commission, which side operator Christoph receives, the CO2 costs of the journeys are to be completely compensated. This happens over Atmosfair (see below). In addition the portal strives for a partnership with physicians without borders and wants to engage itself for projects of the development assistance. A good idea, which we wish success!
Renatour: Nature-oriented travel for families
Renatour specialises in nature-oriented travel, mainly for families. The accommodation is healthy, typical local cuisine in organic quality. Who is vacation-ripe, finds here a clear selection at vacation offers to Specials like single with child , vacation with teenagers or vacation with animals .
Viabono: Promoting sustainable tourism in Germany
Viabono is an association for the promotion of sustainable tourism in Germany. Via the website you can book environmentally and climate-friendly accommodations of all kinds: from camping sites to farms to castles and manor houses, almost everything is represented that makes sustainable travel possible. Club members receive useful extras when booking, e.g. free pick-up at the arrival station.
Wirsindanderswo.de – Travel magazine Anderswo
Wirsindanderswo.de is the website of the travel magazine “Anderswo”, which wants to show alternatives to the usual tourism. On the Website accommodations, organizers and regions for lasting journeys are presented. In addition the editorship prepares so many topics approximately around the most beautiful time in the year that one would need already for this Website a day vacation.
balancing possibilities
Atmosfair: Offsetting CO2 emissions with Atmosfair
Atmosfair is one such provider through which you can offset the CO2 emissions of your holiday trip with a donation for climate protection projects. You can either offset a desired amount of CO2 (calculated by Ecopassenger, for example) or have the corresponding contribution for air and cruise ship travel calculated.
Ecopassenger: Calculates ecological footprint of the trip
Ecopassenger displays the impact on the environment and climate for the journey to and from the holiday resort. Here you can compare how environmentally friendly you can get to your destination by plane, train or car. Ecopassenger shows carbon dioxide emissions, energy resource consumption, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and non-methane hydrogen emissions. You can then offset the calculated values with various providers (such as Atmosfair).
Travelling and especially flying produces greenhouse gases and CO2 emissions that harm the climate – CO2 offsetting can help you to reduce your carbon footprint….
Now all you need is more holidays a year to be able to use all these eco travel portals and tips for sustainable organic holidays …
Read more on Utopia.de:
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