Sustainable Travel

Our Insider Interview series sees us speak to one of the team at one of the many retreats we have the privilege of working with and sending clients to. Here we speak to Tom Benzaquen of Paradis Plage, the eco surf and yoga retreat based in Taghazout, Morocco.

This world has limited resources and we are polluting it every single day. Nearly 5% of greenhouse emissions are caused by the tourism industry. Nature should be conserved, not damaged. Unfortunately, we travel without keeping in mind the effect of our actions on the environment. This does not mean we should stop travelling, but we should start to travel more sustainably i.e. to find ways where we can enjoy the holiday without tarnishing the cultural and natural environment. This may not happen overnight but if all the travellers can go on eco-friendly holidays and engage in healthy activities, we can save the environment for the betterment of the planet. Here are a few ideas on how to be a more sustainable traveller: 

Paradis Plage in Agadir, Morocco's first eco-resort has become the first hotel in Morocco to ban all single-use plastic. 

 Airport transfers, the flights themselves, the huge resort complexes sporting bright lights and cheap drinks, make holidaying a worrying increase on our carbon footprints. Even excluding carbon emissions, the construction of large hotels contributes to the despoiling of natural beauty and produces tonnes of waste. Travel though need not be as detrimental to the environment, there are now eco-friendly and sustainable wellness holidays to counter the more carbon heavy traditional holiday.