Foundations of Sustainable Travel

This unit introduces core concepts and practical choices that define sustainable travel, distinguishing it from responsible travel while explaining why it matters. Students will explore environmental, social, and financial trade-offs and learn criteria for selecting destinations, providers, transport modes, accommodations, products, and food sources to prepare for applied planning in later units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the differences between sustainable and responsible travel and assess environmental, social, and economic impacts of travel choices using real-world examples
• Evaluate financial and logistical trade-offs of sustainable travel options by comparing costs, benefits, and constraints across modes (land, air, sea), itineraries (slow vs. fast), and traveler types (e.g., families)
• Apply evidence-based sustainability criteria to select destinations, travel providers, accommodations, transport modes, and travel products, and justify those selections in written or presentation form
• Demonstrate sustainable trip-planning skills by designing a detailed itinerary that includes transport choices, packing strategy, accommodation and food sourcing, and strategies for minimizing environmental impact for diverse travelers