Becoming a Conscious Travel Leader: Tips for Adventure Businesses

In this ever-evolving world of travel and adventure, a new model has emerged—conscious travel leadership. But what exactly does it mean? Well, it's all about weaving sustainability and ethics into the fabric of adventure business practices. It's about exploring the world responsibly, leaving behind only footprints in the sand, and embracing the broader significance of this transformation. Beyond eco-friendliness, it's a journey towards a profound and lasting impact.

What I find so wonderful about this developing trend is that people are getting involved in it driven by a deep calling. We all want to live in harmony with nature and it is so exciting to see it brought to the realm of travel. I believe it’s one of the most impactful ways we can find our way back to nature and realize that our differences are only there to teach and open us, not to separate us. Because deep down we are all one and the same. Sustainability in my eyes is a conscious, collective effort of finding our way back to our original knowledge and belonging. It is a true privilege to be part of such an exciting movement. I’d like to discuss some aspects of what conscious travel leadership means and how it is brought forward.

1. Assessing Your Current Practices and Setting Clear Goals

So, how do adventure businesses embark on this transformative journey? It begins with an honest assessment of where you stand today. What are your current practices, and how do they align with sustainability? This introspection is crucial, as it forms the foundation for setting clear, specific, and measurable sustainability goals. By tailoring your goals to your unique business and mission, you'll create a path that's not only sustainable but also well-suited to your adventure business.

Your goals will keep you on track and help you make a consistent effort towards achieving them. It’s important to revisit them regularly and assess whether they still truly reflect your mission. It’s okay to tweak them along the way as you become more and more clear about your company’s place and role in promoting sustainable practices.

It is important to know where you are headed but almost just as important to pace yourself and only take on as much as you can handle. Setting in motion a three-year plan for becoming fully sustainable while taking small, manageable steps is much better than trying to do it all at once, making an enormous effort for a couple of months but then giving up completely and abandoning the process.

Community is an enormous driving force for keeping you on track and accountable. We are all in this together, and finding a community of business owners on the same mission as you is essential to staying truly committed to your goals. We tend to forget that behind businesses there are individuals like ourselves. We are part of ecosystems much like the natural environments we so like to explore and want to protect.

2. Educating Your Team and Choosing Responsible Partners

Within the world of conscious travel leadership, internal and external relationships are essential. Empower your team with the knowledge and values of sustainability. They can be the true drivers of change for your brand. Get them involved in the research and implementation phases of your sustainable efforts. Incentivize them to come up with ideas on how to promote your company’s sustainable values among your clients. By involving your team and making them an active part of the process you can make sure that your efforts will be that much more powerful.

Enabling your team to experience the very adventures your company is facilitating is a great way to become hands-on with the work. Help them verbalize their own internal motivations for wanting to be in this space and line of work. Consciousness of our motivations is essential and we can truly thrive in our work if we know why we do what we do.

Simultaneously, your choice of partners has a ripple effect. Opt for responsible partners who share your sustainable vision. Together, you'll create a more sustainable adventure business ecosystem, fostering shared values and practices. I cannot stress enough how essential the power of community is. As a beloved mentor has always reminded me, “A rising tide lifts all boats”. We are in the sustainable business to help usher in positive change in the world of travel. And the more aspects of our business are connected to that, the more successful we will be in this mission.

3. Implementing Sustainable Practices and Conservation

Practical implementation is where the magic happens. It's time to translate sustainability and ethical principles into tangible actions. Infuse sustainability into every operation, from sourcing local, eco-friendly products to energy-efficient measures. Strive to keep a watchful eye on environmental conservation while organizing unforgettable adventures for your clients. Protect the natural beauty that makes your adventures possible.

If we have the intention of being sustainable at heart, it will naturally steer us towards more conscious choices and decisions. Maybe the solutions you seek are right under your nose. Perhaps you just haven’t yet considered your local supplier to be the most sustainable one. Ask around and openly communicate to make unexpected connections where you didn’t see them before.

See where you have the resources and the connections to implement sustainable practices for your brand and go for that first. Maybe you can’t afford to set up your headquarters with solar power right away, but you can switch to a more sustainable caterer. Take small steps and celebrate even the smallest victories. Share with your audience what you’re doing so that you can lead by positive example even during the transformation process.

4. Monitoring Progress and Certifications

Keep a close eye on your sustainability efforts. Measurement and monitoring are your allies on this journey. Set benchmarks and track your progress. Seek relevant certifications that showcase your commitment to conscious travel. Certifications not only boost credibility but also demonstrate your dedication to responsible practices.

It is definitely not just having a piece of paper that will make your business more sustainable. Still, making the necessary changes and tweaks required by such certifying bodies can help you start off in the right direction. Once again, this is about intention and direction. And once you make the effort, you will gain more credibility in the eyes of your clients.

5. Marketing, Communication, and Itinerary Planning

The way you communicate your sustainability efforts matters. Ingrain sustainability in your brand and let conscious travelers know that you're on the same path. This is your ticket to attract like-minded adventurers who value eco-friendliness and responsible tourism. As you design itineraries, find innovative ways to incorporate eco-friendly adventure activities. A conscious traveler's heart beats for more than adventure; it seeks responsible experiences.

Help your potential clients by sharing your tips for sustainable adventures. It’s not just about advertising your services. It’s about showing them how you embody sustainable practices. Educate them on how best to keep our planet healthy and thriving. Show them the way to do so themselves. Inspire and educate your audience. They will be naturally more inclined to book their next adventure with you if they can see how their activities go beyond themselves and serve a greater good. This way your business can become a catalyst for positive change and your clients will become your tribe.

Create itineraries with the intention of educating and informing your clients about protected places, biodiversity, and local community efforts. Be ready to direct them to stakeholders in other niches who also follow sustainable practices and help them be part of a network of positive changemakers. Once you get the ball rolling, your efforts will pay off and you will have created an ecosystem of sustainable brands and conscious travelers doing their part to create positive change in the world.

6. Economic Impact, Community Involvement, and Advocacy

Let's talk about the bottom line. Sustainable practices don't just benefit the planet; they can be financially sustainable too. Your conscious travel practices can have a positive economic impact while supporting local communities. By advocating for sustainability, you are not just a business. You are a force for positive change, impacting both the environment and society.

By looking at your business this way, you can become more sustainable as a brand. It all becomes a natural transformative process that mutually benefits everyone involved. Isn’t that the kind of world you would want to live in? Then it becomes more than an income stream. Your brand will become part of a self-sustaining ecosystem with community and preservation of natural resources at heart. This will naturally bring nurturing and prosperity with it.

7. Continuous Improvement and Leading the Way in Conscious Travel

To wrap it all up, remember that the journey towards conscious travel leadership is ongoing. The world of sustainability is ever-evolving, and your adventure business should evolve with it. Adapt to emerging trends, maintain your role as a leader in the conscious travel movement, and keep inspiring others to walk the same path. Through continuous improvement, you're not just an adventurer; you're a conscious travel pioneer.

There are countless conferences, trainings, and communities pioneering newer and more innovative ways for conscious travel. It is an ever-developing process that draws participants in. And it is truly an exciting process to be part of. My hope is that it becomes less about just survival and more about thriving and experiencing ourselves in nature as we were always meant to: as an integral part of it, in service to its beauty and miracles.

In the grand tapestry of travel and adventure, conscious travel leadership is a vivid thread. It's a journey that transforms adventure businesses from mere providers of thrills to guardians of our planet. The adventure begins with your adventure business. Ready to embark on this conscious travel journey?