Madagascar is currently experiencing the world’s first climate-induced famine.

How can we help?

We will be delivering a 17 module course on “The Global Goals in Travel” - aliging with the sustainable development goals for tourism.

Interested? Let us know here.

We need tourism to come back better. Better for the environment, better for communities, and most importantly better for all the people involved.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization has called for a “responsible recovery of the tourism sector” in order to “balance the needs of people, the planet and prosperity.” We have a responsibility, and this is a unique opportunity. We have a chance of doing things more sustainably and creating a better model for future travel. It is up to us…

Our planet offers us a sublimely rich and diverse environment that is irreplaceable.

This is a fact that we all know, yet we take this for granted. The question is how do we change this lackadaisical attitude, whereby we merely expect our environment to be there, to one that we acknowledge and appreciate what we have? A guest blog by Shana Vida Gavron, CEO and Founder, Endangered Wildlife OÜ.

“Effective action” to decarbonise the aviation sector has been called for by the World Travel Market’s Responsible Tourism Advisor, as momentum builds towards the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26.

Raising awareness of the importance of diversity of tangible and intangible heritages should be an everyday practice, although the 18th of April is entirely dedicated to World Heritage Day. But what is Heritage? What types are there? And what are some of the challenges facing heritage in our world? Let’s take a look at what it means.

Does tourism help destinations, and how that can be measured? Economic growth alone is no longer enough. Society also needs to consider basic human needs and well-being. Where GDP might be a great tool for measuring economics, there is more to life than economics.

Covid is forcing change globally. If we grab the opportunity, we can steer tourism from using the world for profit, to being used by the world for purpose and regeneration. This means systematic change on different foundations, including how we measure and target success in tourism. Can happiness be a measure of tourism impacts?

Covid19 has thrust change upon the world. And our systems used until now have been failing world needs. But if we’re brave enough, we can grab the opportunity to change not just in the short-term and incrementally, but systematically with different foundations.

Here’s a video I made for DEFRA, the UK Government Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as Ambassador for the Year Of Green Action!

This video of 5 Top Tips for Sustainable Tourism can apply where ever you are going, whatever you are doing!

“We would never have thought of going to Malawi if I had not become aware of Earth Changers. We are people who have deliberately avoided long haul travel for environmental reasons and were determined not to just do the standard ‘tourist’ thing.”

I was recently asked about predictions for sustainable tourism for 2021.

2020 had the biggest impact we’ve seen on travel, ever. In 2021 as a result we’re expecting to see sustainable tourism develop in a number of ways. Here’s a deep dive into some details.

Earth Changers Founder Vicky is honoured and delighted to be included on the WISE 2020 list, produced by Pioneers Post in partnership with NatWest Social & Community Capital.

Earth Changers’ founder Vicky has worked as part of a specialist team from the University of Surrey on a new report commissioned by World Animal Protection – the first of its kind - ranking Airbnb, Tripadvisor, Expedia and other world leading travel companies for their commitment to animal welfare.

We’ve talked before about Responsible and Sustainable tourism (and various linked terms) and also Transformational, Transformative and Positive Impact tourism.

But what is Regenerative tourism? Is it just a new buzz word for the same thing? Are people just latching onto it because of coronavirus?

Every origin and every destination has different rules, and every accommodation, tour or transport provider will work in different ways specific to their location and business. Here's our top tips for what Covid-19 protocols you can expect in tourism in general until such a time that a Covid vaccine is available.

The travel industry has been the first and hardest hit by the Covid19 coronavirus. Unfortunately, this isn’t just a matter of customers curtailing their leisure trips. For many communities, and for conservation, it’s a matter of life and death, such is the importance of tourism to livelihoods, and supporting families, health and education ordinarily, let alone with managing and mitigating Covid-19 in addition. Here we take a look at what our partners in destinations are doing to help people and planet cope with coronavirus.

What does Covid19 Coronavirus mean for future travel and tourism? A UK government survey has found that only 9% of Britons want life to return to 'normal' once lockdown is over. People have noticed significant changes including cleaner air, more wildlife and stronger communities. They are increasingly aware that the health of people and planet are inseparable and it's time for radical environmental, social, political and economic change. So now what will happen with travel?

Happy International Happiness Day!

Though maybe you aren’t feeling it at the moment, it’s advising us to #keepcalm, #staywise and #bekind. How can we do that through (lack of) travel midst coronavirus Covid-19?

At the end of February, Vicky had the privilege of attending the inaugural Climate Friendly Travel Think Tank in Malta organised by our partners SunX. The group gathered 35 international thought-leaders from across academia, industry and government to debate the key issues on Climate Change in relation to Travel & Tourism. The key takeaway is that the eXistential Climate Crisis requires even more urgent action by the entire global Travel & Tourism sector than has been generally recognised to date and we must get onto the Paris 1.5C trajectory within the next 7- 10 years.