Tourism expert: Tips for planning a sustainable vacation

Americans aren’t great at planning vacations. But planning a sustainable getaway is an even taller task, says Purdue associate professor Jonathon Day. (Illustration/Raw Pixel) Download image

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Americans aren’t great at planning vacations. So much so that a large tourism industry group, the U.S. Travel Association, is encouraging workers to begin planning their getaways on Jan. 28, dubbed National Plan for Vacation Day.

But planning a sustainable vacation – one with a small environmental footprint that is respectful of a destination’s people and culture – is an even taller task, said Jonathon Day, an associate professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Purdue University.

“Americans are busy, and many vacation days are lost because people don’t take time to plan for a break. Research shows that taking a break is important for health and well-being; so, taking time to plan a break is important for everyone,” Day said. “At the same time, more Americans are worrying about the impact of travel on the environment and destination communities. So, while planning your travel, make sure you take a couple of moments to ensure your vacation break is making a positive impact.”

Jonathon Day.
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Day, chair of the Travel Care Code initiative and author of the book, “An Introduction to Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Travel,” provided these tips for making vacations more socially and environmentally friendly:

Shop local: “Visit local businesses and enjoy authentic experiences from your destination. Visiting farm-to-table restaurants, local arts-and-crafts stores and farmers markets all make a bigger contribution to the communities you visit.”

Be waste wise: “Bring your best habits from home. Plan to recycle and minimize waste, particularly plastic waste when you travel.”

Limit your carbon footprint: “Be a fuel-efficient traveler or purchase carbon offsets for those flights you are taking.”

Writer: Joseph Paul, 765-494-9541, paul102@purdue.edu

Source: Jonathon Day, 765-496-2084, gjday@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: A video is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kmf4G6YbuU&feature=youtu.be