With the demise of international travel and the rise of the road trip there have been several ongoing debates as to whether local travel is green and should be promoted as it has been over the last 24 months. The argument presented herein is that road tripping and visiting local destinations through domestic tourism is indeed a greener alternative to the travel we had become accustomed to.It is a better way to see the world and lends itself to getting to know our own country.
Travel and tourism of the past
We say, ‘the past’, however it has only been a short 18 months or so that travel as we knew it has changed forever. Our national natural assets that we have made money off as a country are now not as visited as they have been in the past. Less international tourists will visit and travel in 2021 and 2022 than ever before. The result of this is a new way of thinking about tourism and travel, and an increased number of people have chosen the family road trip as a viable, safe option for sustainable travel. This will serve to promote and support our local economies, but also allow for the break that we all need from the daily grind.
The rise of the road trip
The age-old adage that to really know a country you need to take a road trip, is indeed true and is more widely recognized in recent times. More people than ever before are using their holiday time to explore local destinations and domestic tourism is the big new trend. The mainstay of this form of travel has been the motorhome or RV. Using Auto Finance Online holidaymakers are now able to affordably have their own motorhome or RV to embark on this form of tourism and adventure.
Why its greener than before
Long haul flights are the worst aspect of travel for the environment, and it is proven that a family of 4 on a long road trip can cut their carbon footprint in half compared to air travel. The general premise is that public transport is greener for long distance travel. However, the self-contained RV or camper home with a family on holiday proves a greener option in that it provides for the entire energy needs of the travelers for the duration of the trip.
The increase in the availability of electric vehicles has also changed this market considerably making a family road trip in an RV one of the most environmentally friendly ways to see the country. As have the availability of smaller solar batteries and water filtration systems.
The trade-off is one that we will have to make, and by recognizing that road trips and family travel can be greener and more environmentally friendly than international travel is the first step. Travel as we knew it has changed, domestic tourism is on the rise and seems set to stay as the main from of tourism in the medium term. Rather than scrambling for tickets and the stress of testing and proving vaccinations it would seem more practical to join this growing trend and to do it in a way that makes it greener than the travel you would have done this year.