How To Have a Sustainable & Environmentally Friendly Holiday

There is an ever-growing need to make eco-friendly choices, and how people travel can have a huge impact on the environment. From the transport people choose to take, to the places they go to shop; each step of the journey can be adapted to be more sustainable.

With so many opportunities to make an impact, we’ve shared our favourite ways to make your holiday more sustainable by travelling in an eco-friendly way.

Choose a staycation

Flying is a huge contributor to global CO2 emissions, so choosing a holiday that avoids this mode of transport is an important step when looking at more environmentally friendly holidays. Staycations can be just as fun, relaxing and exciting as going abroad, with the UK boasting white sandy beaches, magnificent mountain ranges and vast lakes to explore. You don’t need to take a lengthy aeroplane ride to get to a beautiful destination.

We analysed data for public EV chargers, renewable electricity installations, renewable energy usage, waste recycling rate, number of green spaces and bus stops in each county, to find the most eco-friendly destinations for tourists, and here’s what we found.

Top 10 most sustainable staycation destinations in the UK:

1. Devon
2. Pembrokeshire
3. Cornwall
4. Highland
5. Dumfries and Galloway
6. East Lothian
7. Powys
8. Northumberland
9. Dorset
10. Gwynedd

Opt for public transport

Once you’re at your holiday destination, think about how to travel sustainably. This can involve using public transport (or walk if everything is within a reasonable distance). Cutting down on fuel consumption is one of the most effective ways to contribute to eco-friendly tourism, and buses, trains and walking are kinder to the environment than cars. If you have an electric car, it's even better!

Visit green spaces and eco-friendly attractions

Celebrating and protecting the nature that is on offer in the UK is crucial to sustainability efforts. Visiting national parks and heritage sites is not only a fun day out, but a great way to incorporate sustainability into your holiday. Re-wilding projects, wildlife conservation centers and developments such as the Eden Project are also important places to support eco-friendly tourism.

Support local businesses

One of the best ways to give back to the local community and show appreciation for the place you are visiting is to shop at small, independent businesses. Whether you’re after new holiday clothes, souvenirs, or looking to try the local cuisine, skipping the big supermarket chains for local retailers and farmers markets can be beneficial economically and in terms of sustainability.

Reduce, re-use and recycle

Many people have adopted healthy recycling habits into their everyday lives, but it's easy to let them go when you’re overwhelmed by an exciting holiday. Try to make a conscious effort to reduce plastic waste, re-use packaging and shopping bags, and recycle any plastic you do use. Every little helps when it comes to reducing plastic waste.

You may also be looking for holiday providers that are making eco-conscious choices, and our sustainability efforts are constantly evolving. Take a look at how we’re incorporating BioVate Hygienics to improve the way we work.