Industry sees boom in green travel

Expatriates and travellers are increasingly scouting out 'green' destinations and using low-carbon methods when looking at taking holidays, according to The International Ecotourism Society (Ties).

Ties director of communications Ayako Ezaki noted: "Our travel experiences are made up of many choices we make - consciously or not - from the time when we start planning to the moment we come back."

This means that holidaymakers are given plenty of opportunities to make responsible travel choices, including which company to travel with, modes of transport, what to pack and how to be respectful of the local community in the destination they are headed to, Ms Ezaki added.

According to Travelocity, green hotel bookings in the first quarter of 2010 were 65 per cent higher than 'non-green' accommodation.

Ms Ezaki commented that travellers play an important role in green tourism through their feedback to the travel industry and other holidaymakers.

"You can not only encourage others to learn from you and reduce their footprint, but also spread the word about the importance of environmental and social sustainability issues that you care about" she added.