June 1, 2020
Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with travel dates on or after
Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with effective start dates on or after
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The pressing need to address climate change shapes our travel plans now more than ever. More vacationers are choosing accommodations that utilize the latest water and energy-saving technology. In a 2023 travel survey by Booking.com, 76 percent of respondents wanted to travel more sustainably in the following year. Travelers also seek to offset and reduce their carbon footprint by jumping on the slow travel trend and walking and biking to tour a destination instead of driving.
In the spirit of growing environmental awareness, sustainability itself is now the focus of tourist attractions. Check out our list of five top sustainable and innovative travel destinations and tourist attractions around the world, both natural and manmade.
Lovers of both modern, sustainable transit and vintage train travel should take a ride on the world’s first solar-powered train. The Byron Bay Solar Train route links two ends of the trendy Byron Bay area, known for its arts and restaurant scene and great beaches.
The non-profit Byron Bay Railroad Company restored a two-carriage railway set, originally built in Sydney in 1949. Other cars were constructed in later eras. Riders can leisurely take in coastal views while the train chugs along, powered by 23% of the energy generated by solar panels on its roof. The remaining 77% is fed back into the power grid.
Part ski slope, green power plant and climbing gym, the CopenHill development is a blend of innovative architecture, recreation and practical, sustainability. Skiers and snowboarders don’t have to leave the city to hit the slopes thanks to CopenHill’s artificial hill. Open year-round, the hill is covered in a Neveplast, an eco-friendly fiber, instead of snow.
CopenHill is also home to the world’s tallest recreational climbing wall, built into the outer walls of the development’s futuristicly designed, sustainable waste management center. A sustainable hybrid power plant beneath Copenhill heats 60,000 Danish homes and supplies power to an additional 30,000. CopenHill is a demonstration of Copenhagen’s aim to be the world’s first carbon-neutral capital.
A lush, ethereal Eden nestled in the county Cornwall in Southwest England, the Eden Project is a lesson in how a future of man living symbiotically with nature could thrive. Several hemispheric greenhouses that resemble lunar domes straight out of science fiction, house microclimates from ecosystems across the world. Visitors can stroll under lemon orchards and olive trees found in the Mediterranean and through fields of UK wildflowers. The greenhouses are built on the repurposed grounds of a former clay mine.
Tours highlight sustainable practices at Eden Project, such as using soil made of recycled materials, and pose questions about how we can best protect the planet. A visit to Eden can “inspire you to take action in your own life to combat climate change and biodiversity loss,” Eden Project facilitators write. “We want you to leave with a sense of hope, brimming with ideas on how make positive changes.”
Who knew the terminal of a major, international airport in a bustling city-state could be the location of a green oasis? Built in 2019, Jewel at Changi in the Changi Airport features the world’s highest indoor waterfall, the Rain Vortex, which cascades from the ceiling at the center of the garden. Collected, recycled water is used for the waterfall, reducing reliance on freshwater sources.
Jewel at Changi’s multi-level green space features more than 2,000 trees and palms, and 10,000 shrubs from climates around the world. The abundant plant life helps maintain air quality levels in Changi Airport. Part nature park and retail center, Jewel at Changi offers shopping and dining worth a visit even if you aren’t planning to catch a plane.
The complex’s cooling system and building materials are designed to conserve energy, even in Singapore’s tropical, high-temperature climate. An amazing space for the young at heart, Jewel at Changi also entertains guests with its natural hedge maze, mirror maze, and canopy walking net.
The curators at The Climate Museum in New York City know that human-created problems require human-engineered solutions. “The Climate Museum is fostering a climate-action culture by bringing people from all walks of life into the discussion and fostering a sense of belonging around just solutions,” writes Headout.com
Visit exhibitions that explore themes on climate reparations, the fossil fuel industry, history, science, art, urban planning, movement building, and more. Take part in the Youth Speaks climate activism program. If you can't make it to New York, you can explore the museum’s programming on its Youtube channel and blog and volunteer online. The museum is the first in the U.S. dedicated to climate change and a self-described "home for climate art, learning and action."
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