Five travel trends that could change the industry for the better in 2023 (and beyond)

Enter, carbon-positive hotels

Norway and the US are currently in a race to claim the world’s first so-called ‘carbon-positive’ hotel—a hotel designed to offset more carbon than it emits.

Perched at the foot of the Svartisen glacier in Norway’s remote Holandsfjorden fjord, the ring-shaped Six Senses Svart is designed to be fully self-sufficient within five years of opening in 2024, and eventually generate more green energy than it needs to operate.

In Denver, Colorado, Populus, a hotel featuring a biophilic exterior inspired by the pockmarked trunks of aspen trees, is also slated to open in 2024. With a construction plan that considered the carbon footprint of “every element of the building” and a commitment to offset more carbon than it emits via tree planting (which while better than nothing, we know is no substitute for actual emissions reduction), Populus’ eco-creds are more difficult to measure.

With hotels estimated to account for a whopping one percent of global emissions, you can argue that any shift we can make to lessen the impacts of human-caused climate change is a step in the right direction. What we need to avoid, though, is venues and businesses relying on offsetting their way out of their emissions in a bid to maintain business as usual.

Sustainability certification is gaining momentum

Sustainable destination certification schemes are taking off in a number of countries. Ecotourism Australia’s ECO Destination Certification program, for example, has certified six domestic regions (and counting) as being backed by a strong, well-managed commitment to sustainable practices. Germany’s TourCert scheme works in a similar way, certifying both individual operators as well as regions.

Making this space somewhat easier for travelers to navigate is the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), which establishes and manages global standards for sustainable tourism. GSTC-accredited certification bodies have certified more than two dozen destinations around the world against the GSTC Destination Criteria, and in March, Singapore became the world’s first entire nation to join the list, with its certification accounting for everything from the nation’s water stewardship to its management of visitors at natural and cultural sites.

While GSTC certification isn’t designed to be an indicator of perfection, Singapore’s achievement is not to be sniffed at, highlighting to the world that the nation is seriously invested in facilitating sustainable tourism.

B Corps are making better travel

Certified B Corporations are defined as businesses that meet the highest global standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. It’s not easy to become one. Intrepid recently re-certified as the world’s largest travel B Corp, and others with B Corp status include Pura Aventura, Journeys With Purpose, and flight-free company Byway Travel.

Tourism businesses around the world are increasingly embracing the movement, with just a few recently certified companies including Austrian travel platform ASI Reisen, Bali eco-hotel Mana Earthly Paradise, and UK staycation experts New Forest Escapes. The Inside Travel Group (which includes brands InsideAsia Tours and InsideJapan Tours) hopes to become a B Corp this year, while small-ship expedition cruise specialists Aurora Expeditions are on track to receive B Corp certification in 2024.

Increasing Indigenous travel and leadership

Experiencing a destination through the eyes of its First Nations peoples is transformative for both travelers and the tourism industry writ large. Happily, it’s becoming even easier to connect with Indigenous tourism experiences around the globe. Ainu tourism is increasingly taking off in Hokkaido, Japan. In 2022, Canada committed CAD$24.8 million over two years in financial support for Indigenous tourism. In Australia, the Discover Aboriginal Experiences website launched in March allows you to search and book more than 160 Indigenous-guided experiences around the country.

Let’s hear it for accessible travel influencers

Differently-abled travelers have long been ignored by the global tourism industry. This is finally changing, thanks in part to the rise of travel influencers laying bare what it’s really like to explore the world as a person with accessibility needs.

Earlier this year, British inclusive travel expert Sophie Morgan, who fronts her own Channel 4 travel series Living Wild: How to Change your Life, partnered with Disability Rights UK to launch the Rights On Flights campaign calling for airlines to be held accountable for damaging essential mobility devices. Canadian disability activist Maayan Ziv’s social media posts about experiencing ableism while traveling have gone viral, while US travel addict and wheelchair user Cory Lee has forged a successful career documenting his travels in North America and beyond with unflinching honesty via his Instagram account @curbfreecorylee.

While there is still much work to be done, operators and destinations are increasingly stepping up to make travel more accessible for all. The Australian state of Queensland named 2023 the Year of Accessible Travel, backed by $10 million AUD for infrastructure development. Sweden’s Scandic Hotels offers a downloadable 159-point checklist as a reference for accommodations trying to become more accessible. Additionally, booking engine Expedia has partnered with travel operator Wheel the World to allow users to filter properties based on their accessibility needs.

Editors note: An earlier version of this story overstated the positive environmental impact of some of the initiatives listed. Adventure.com is committed to fair and accurate reporting, especially on issues pertaining to climate, and we apologize for this oversight. Adventure.com acknowledges that labels such as ‘carbon positive’ and ‘carbon neutral’, when supported merely by tree-planting or other offsetting schemes, are insufficient distractions from tangible emissions reduction.