Responsible travel in the age of sustainability

Post by João

Sustainable tourism and responsible travel are the buzzwords in the travel industry for 2019. We're staying above, and ahead of the hype at MINUVIDA.

Not bragging. 

We've made sustainable and conscious (responsible) travel the core principles of our business since 2017. The concept is now more relevant than ever as the Azores have attained the coveted title of "sustainable destination." The only sustainable archipelago in the whole wide world!

"The Azores has achieved EarthCheck Bronze Benchmark, with a goal of becoming a world-leading sustainable destination," the official announcement from EarthCheck reads. EarthCheck is the world’s leading scientific benchmarking certification and advisory group for travel and tourism, so this is a big deal. 

MINUVIDA AZORES rejoices with the Azorean government and its "Green Team" for the great accomplishment. We are an official underwriter of the Azorean Sustainability Charter, the document that sets forth the types of initiatives that led to this award.

MINUVIDA has recently been highlighted by Holiday Kingdom, (partner to ParkHero) as THE sustainable lodge to stay on the island, for example.

Awards and recognition are nice and all but the real proof is in what's happening on the ground. It's not just a shiny plaque or marketing speak.

At MINUNIDA AZORES we've made it our mission to promote responsible, sustainable travel. You're probably tired of hearing about how we serve only local and in-season products, encourage short showers, lights off, drinking from the faucet, etc., etc. 

There's more to sustainability and responsible travel than a pretty picture of a wild beach.

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But this stuff is important. Every single thing you do has a potential impact.

We want comfort, we want choice, we want convenience, but are we aware of the impacts of our choices?

Back in our little corner we worry about mass tourism taking over. How can we remain authentic and pristine while making tourism a sustainable and viable economic engine?

For us, sustainility is our way, not a business model or marketing strategy. It's about being sustainble in all its facets, including supporting the local economy, paying fair wages, reusing and making things last longer (the traditional hospitality industry replaces every single appliance, piece of furniture, etc., on a schedule so everything always looks brand new). We encourage our visitors to engage in responsible, sustainable travel by providing immersive experiences with context, and yes, by telling them why that matters.

As hard as the Green Team is focusing on obtaining the Silver Certification in October let's focus harder on being truly responsible and sustainable travelers.

So, join us in our little revolution. Let travel be a journey of (self) discovery.