Travel feels like freedom—but it leaves a footprint. Tourism’s greenhouse-gas emissions have grown rapidly in the last decade, and travel-related energy use now sits squarely in climate conversations for a reason: tourism produced several gigatonnes of CO₂-equivalent before the pandemic and continues to rebound. If we want holidays to coexist with a stable climate and healthy places, travellers and industry both need to shift.
Transport, primarily aviation, is the single largest slice of tourism’s carbon pie. Flying is especially carbon-intensive: aviation contributes roughly 2.5–3 per cent of global CO₂ emissions, but its warming effect is amplified by high-altitude impacts. Meanwhile, the travel and tourism sector as a whole accounted for roughly 6–8 per cent of global emissions in recent estimates, a share that reflects flights, hotels, ground transport, food and supply chains. Reducing that footprint requires choices at every level, from the traveller to governments and airlines.
Beyond carbon, tourism drives pollution, plastics leakage and localised damage. The life cycle of plastics, used heavily in travel (single-use bottles, packaged snacks, toiletries), also adds greenhouse gases and creates waste that harms coastlines and wildlife. Tackling plastic in travel helps both pollution and climate outcomes.
Small changes add up: choosing trains for medium-distance trips, staying longer in one place, picking low-impact accommodation, and packing a refillable bottle all reduce per-person emissions and waste. But not all “green” actions are equal. Offsetting flights with cheap carbon credits can be a stopgap—useful when paired with emission cuts—but it isn’t a licence to fly recklessly. Systemic fixes (cleaner aviation fuels, better public transport, equitable tourism policy) are essential and require regulation and investment.
A complicating fact: a small slice of wealthy travellers cause disproportionately large emissions (private-jet use ballooned in recent years), so a policy that targets the biggest emitters will often be more effective than nudging average tourists alone.
Environmental activist Somendra Mohan Ghosh, who has long been involved in campaigns to safeguard Kolkata’s Rabindra Sarovar Lake, believes that problems created by unchecked tourism lead to dire climate stress. He draws attention to the increasing number of natural disasters in hill stations during the monsoon, where calamities are too often dismissed as acts of nature. “Blaming everything on cloudbursts oversimplifies the issue,” he argues. “Hill stations have geological limits. Fragile mountain soils cannot take unlimited pressure. Add to that the vibrations from unscientific construction, rising traffic, and interference with rivers through hydel projects—and you get the perfect recipe for landslides and floods.”
According to Ghosh, these pressures have left Himalayan destinations like Darjeeling and Kalimpong far more vulnerable than before. The construction of large infrastructure projects without factoring in the carrying capacity of the terrain or conducting proper geological studies destabilises entire ecosystems. “If you block rivers or overload slopes with concrete, nature will hit back. The result will be disasters,” he warns.
The problem, he notes, extends well beyond the hills. Along India’s coasts and riverbanks, the tourism boom has spurred uncontrolled building of hotels, resorts, and homestays. Many such ventures, he points out, openly bypass critical processes like Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), public consultations, and disaster management planning—requirements clearly laid out under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules. “A huge number of homestays and resorts have mushroomed in direct violation of CRZ and RRZ norms. Without EIAs or proper permissions, they are not just unlawful—they are a ticking time bomb for the environment,” he says.
The consequences, Ghosh stresses, are already unfolding. In the Sundarbans, mangrove forests are under severe strain from reckless tourism. In the hills, biodiversity is eroding under the dual pressure of construction and soaring visitor numbers. Beyond ecology, livelihoods are threatened too. “Tourism itself cannot survive if the natural setting collapses. People come for the forests, the rivers, the mangroves. Once those vanish, the tourists will also stop coming,” he cautions.
For Ghosh, the solution lies not in reinventing the wheel but in enforcing the rules already in place. Development, he insists, must not come at the expense of fragile ecosystems. The only way forward is sustainable tourism—adhering strictly to CRZ and RRZ guidelines, carrying out rigorous impact studies, and prioritising ecological integrity over short-term profits. “If we want our lakes, rivers, forests, and mountains to remain, tourism must work within the carrying capacity of nature. Otherwise, we are only setting ourselves up for more disasters,” he concludes.
Punarbasu Chaudhuri, professor and head of the department of environmental science at the University of Calcutta, highlights another dimension—how misinformation, particularly via social media, can push reckless tourist behaviour. “Fake news is a big driver,” he says. “I once came across a post claiming that an ancient temple had been unearthed in the Sundarbans. There was absolutely no truth in it.”
Such rumours, he explains, often create a sudden tourist rush, with some even posing as researchers to gain access. “It’s vital to verify credentials, because parts of the Sundarbans are highly restricted. Entry there is allowed only with special permissions, and those strictly for research purposes,” Chaudhuri adds.
Choose lower-carbon transport where possible. For journeys under ~8 hours, consider trains or buses. When flying is unavoidable, pick direct flights and airlines that publish real efficiency data.
Stay longer, travel slower. Fewer trips per year and longer stays reduce emissions per trip and deepen positive economic benefits for destinations.
Pick greener stays. Look for verified sustainability badges (GSTC, local certifications) and properties that report energy, water and waste performance. Small hotels that source locally can have a smaller footprint than massive resorts.
Reduce single-use plastic and food waste. Bring a reusable bottle, utensil set and a small shopping bag. Eat seasonally and locally to cut food-supply emissions.
Support local and low-impact experiences. Choose community-run tours, avoid touching wildlife or supporting exploitative attractions, and tip fairly.
Offset responsibly—if you must. Prefer high-quality projects (avoided deforestation, vetted community renewables) and use offsets as last resort, not the main strategy.
Individual choices help, but scale comes from system changes: cheaper, faster rail corridors; investment in sustainable aviation fuels and electric short-haul aircraft; strict regulation on plastics and waste in tourist hotspots; and transparent reporting by hotels and travel platforms. Incentives should favour destinations that protect biodiversity and local livelihoods while limiting mass tourism pressure. Recent industry roadmaps highlight progress but also sizable gaps in implementation and accountability.
Watch for greenwashing. Be sceptical of vague sustainability claims without measurable data. Look for third-party verification, clear targets and recent reporting. Industry commitments are a start—but independent figures and peer reviews show how much is still to be done.
Sustainable travel isn’t about austerity; it’s about better choices. A train for one trip, a locally run guesthouse, a refillable bottle and a longer stay can turn a carbon-heavy getaway into a trip that supports communities and preserves the landscapes you treasure. Push travel companies and local leaders to publish data and reduce big emitters’ privileges—that’s how travel can stay joyful and liveable for future generations.
1. What is sustainable travel?
Sustainable travel means visiting destinations responsibly, reducing carbon emissions, minimizing waste, supporting local communities, and preserving ecosystems for future generations.
2. How can I reduce my carbon footprint while traveling?
Opt for trains or buses for short trips, choose direct flights when flying, stay longer in one place, and select eco-certified accommodations to reduce environmental impact.
3. Are eco-friendly hotels really better for the environment?
Yes, certified eco-friendly hotels follow strict sustainability standards, manage energy, water, and waste efficiently, and often source food locally, lowering their overall environmental footprint.
4. How can tourists support local communities sustainably?
Choose community-run tours, buy handmade local products, eat seasonal local food, tip fairly, and avoid exploitative wildlife or cultural attractions.
5. Is carbon offsetting effective for travelers?
Carbon offsetting can help mitigate unavoidable emissions but works best when combined with concrete actions like reducing flights, using low-carbon transport, and supporting verified environmental projects.
