Our Top Eco-Friendly Travel Tips

Just thinking about what goes in your suitcase – and what to buy before you travel – really makes a difference to the environmental impact you have on your next trip. There's no need to buy anything unnecessarily (that defeats the object) but look to replace everyday essentials you'd normally take with you to help you travel sustainably. For example, many of us are guilty of buying single-use plastics when we're on holiday, mainly water bottles. Take a reusable one instead to reduce plastic waste and avoid the need to buy multiple disposable ones while you're away.

If you're travelling to a destination where safe, drinking water isn't readily available, upgrade your reusable water bottle for one with a filter. There are plenty of other things you can pack, too, like a reusable straw made from metal or bamboo and reef-safe sunscreen, the latter particularly crucial if you're planning on exploring tropical marine worlds.

Top Flight Centre tip: If you're taking your reusable water bottle in your hand luggage, leave it empty until you pass through airport security.

One of the easiest things you can do to help lessen your environmental impact is to carbon offset your flights. Chat with the team here at Flight Centre about the options for this when booking your trip. There really aren't many easier ways to reduce carbon emissions. It's worth knowing that paying to carbon offset your flight doesn't actually reduce the plane's emissions but rather the fee you pay goes towards carbon-offsetting projects, such as reforestation initiatives – like our Planting for the Planet pledge.

Top Flight Centre tip: Do your research when it comes to what carbon-offsetting projects airlines support and look for the ones that have internationally-recognised certifications like VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) and Gold Standard.

Sustainable tourism and mass tourism go hand-in-hand. It's not fun for anyone when you're visiting somewhere that's already packed with tourists, as it negatively affects your own travel experience and narrows any positive impacts on the local economy to a very small area. There are two main ways to solve this. Firstly, visit more under-the-radar destinations that will not only appreciate your tourism, but relish the chance to share their unique wonders and experiences.

However, if you want to visit a traditionally popular destination, you can lower your carbon footprint simply by visiting out of peak season. That way, you'll be helping to spread the travel love a bit more evenly throughout the year, supporting local businesses during quieter periods and feeling rather smug you're enjoying its treasures with far fewer people around. Our Experts can help advise when it comes to out-of-season destinations.

Top Flight Centre tip: Just remember a destination's high season isn't necessarily dictated by the weather but other factors, like the school holidays. So, a place's low season might sometimes also have the best weather!

To be an eco-conscious traveller, you need to travel less. It sounds counterproductive but hear us out. When we typically go on holiday, we're often tempted to try and cram in as many destinations and experiences as possible to make the most of our annual leave. In fact, we should be doing the opposite to really help ease our carbon footprint. Slow travel is something we should be embracing, lingering longer in places to not only soak them up for a richer travel experience but also helping to contribute to the economic growth of the local communities we spend time in. For your next Flight Centre holiday, look to travel to fewer places but spend longer in them, so you can weave yourself into the very fabric of the local culture You'll get a far deeper understanding about the places you visit, rather than a surface-level appreciation.

Along the way, stay in sustainable accommodations and go to bed safe in the knowledge you're helping the planet. The great news is the sheer variety of green stays is enormous, whether it's an eco-lodge in Costa Rica, an organic farmhouse in Puglia or anything in between. And more often than not, they're operated by the local community, offering more opportunities to immerse yourself in the local culture. Plus, that combination of slowing down and green stays means you might avoid that feeling of needing a holiday to 'get over the last holiday'. You know what we're talking about...

Top Flight Centre tip: Look for sustainable accommodations that boast official eco-certifications like EarthCheck, Green Globe and Greenview, so you know you're staying somewhere that is genuinely eco-friendly.

Little things go a long way when it comes to reducing your environmental footprint. Things like making sure you don't keep lights on unnecessarily in your hotel room on your holiday, as well as switching off electrical appliances when they're not in use. It's harder to remember due diligence when you're not technically paying for the energy use like you would at home, but these are straightforward, sustainable practices you can apply from the get-go.

As travellers in the modern age, we're always on the move with plenty of devices that require regular charging. Look to try and minimise this as much as you can, so you can reduce your energy consumption as much as possible. Finally, ask your hotel or resort to avoid changing your towels and linen every day to further help lower your carbon emissions. Every 10kg of towels needs to be washed with around 50 litres of water – that's a staggering amount...

Top Flight Centre tip: Maximise your time in-destination by having an electric detox, switching off your phone for a few days to fully focus on the trip.

Newsflash: flying isn't the most sustainable form of transport. Ok, for most holidays catching a flight is unavoidable, but there are things we can do to lower our carbon footprint. If you are flying as part of your holiday, doing simple things like always booking non-stop flights or, if it's possible, book a commercial biofuel flight as these reduce carbon emissions. If you can, try and limit flights to and from your main destination (or even better, travel by train from the UK for a European rail adventure). When you're there, swap domestic flights for slow travel options like scenic rail journeys or local bus routes. This way, you're not only helping to minimise your environmental footprint but actually travelling through the destination you're visiting, immersing yourself in the landscapes and local culture along the way. Surely that's better than flying at 35,000ft? We can always help with advising the best sustainable transport options for you on your trip.

Top Flight Centre tip: Do as the locals do and use public transport. Not only will you feel like a local but travelling by trains, buses or even bicycle will offer you a slow, sustainable form of travel that's also fulfilling.

Sustainable travel isn't just about going green and reducing the negative impacts of tourism. It's also about the positive impact we can have on the destinations and local people we meet on our travels, too. That's why it's important to directly contribute to the local communities you spend time in, whether that's eating in local restaurants, staying in local accommodations or shopping at locally owned businesses. Spending your money with the local economy not only increases employment opportunities but ensures there aren't any air miles involved with the products you're buying.

When you book tours from the likes of G Adventures or Intrepid Travel with us, you'll only ever do experiences with local guides, so you can get an authentic flavour of the destination while being safe in the knowledge the local culture is being respected at all times. Tour operators like these extend their duty of care to any national parks you might visit on your trip, where sustainability initiatives not only give you the chance to witness local wildlife in their natural habitats but allow you to give back through partnering conservation projects. Of course, you can simply help local conservation efforts by adopting the 'leave no trace' philosophy, taking your rubbish with you and not detouring away from designated footpaths.

Top Flight Centre tip: Giving back to local communities is a really meaningful way of not only having a sustainable experience, but also helping to readdress the balance in the tourism industry. Help support community projects, reforestation schemes and local cultural initiatives and you'll be boosting both the local economy and your own sense of self.