Current Priorities for International Sustainable Travel

Sustainable Travel International has been pointing the way for the tourism industry in the right direction at a time when businesses all over the world are struggling to reduce their negative impact on the environment and local communities. Although the term "social responsibility" is frequently used in board meetings all over the world, very few businesses actually adhere to it. Standing up for what is morally right is hard, especially when it is usually not the cheapest or easiest way to do business. However, Sustainable Travel International excels in core values and morals, and the travel industry will forever be improved as a result.

• Training and education: To make sustainable travel the norm rather than the exception, it is necessary to educate and train travelers, hospitality-related businesses, and other stakeholders. The significance of supporting social and cultural sustainability and giving back should be taught to everyone.

• Eco-certification Program for Sustainable Tourism (STEP): Sustainable Travel International is working to establish a set of standards and certification programs to encourage additional businesses to follow in its footsteps. Soon, STEP will be a one-of-a-kind indicator that travelers can use to see which service provider adheres to sustainable travel guidelines.

• Travelers' charitable giving: Travelers must do more than just lessen their impact on the local culture and environment; they must also contribute financially to programs that work to promote sustainability. With the help of Global Giving and Sustainable Travel International, travelers now have the option to give directly to projects that will have a significant impact on the environment and local community. Instead of being used for general operating costs, which are what most inefficient charities rely on, over 90% of the funds are put toward the project.

• Give destinations power: The tourism industry needs to change the way it does business and pay more attention to the future and sustainability of its resources. Sustainable Travel International has taken the challenge head-on since 2002 by providing results-driven strategies and support to empower destinations to promote sustainable tourism in their area, despite the fact that it will be one of the most difficult aspects of the industry to change.

Travelers will now be more careful every time they step off an airplane, supporting local businesses and giving back to offset their small but significant impact on the environment.

We wanted to set a good example in the textiles industry by giving back, and 1% for the Planet shares this appreciation for assisting in the reduction of our environmental footprint. All of our products come from high-quality farms that take care of their animals and the land they work with, and our company is founded on socially responsible principles. However, we believe it is essential for us to give back even more, as we still need to offset some of our environmental impact. We made the decision to participate in the "1% for the Planet" program, which contributes to the financial support of outstanding organizations such as Sustainable Travel International.

We direct 1% of every purchase you make to "1% for the Planet," which distributes the remainder to the organization of your choosing. We've chosen three different organizations that we think are doing great things for our planet. When you check out, you can choose which one you want your 1% to go to. In these organizations, every dollar counts, and given the current economic climate, they require financial support more than ever.

Support Sustainable Travel International and the reduction of every traveler's carbon footprint by shopping at AlpacaOutlets.com.