Taste
The future of sustainable travel
In recent years, many people have started to think differently about traveling. Some people no longer think it is responsible to book a flying holiday, others are looking for a distant destination for the ultimate experience. Where are the opportunities for the travel industry? Seven travel entrepreneurs shed light on the future sustainability of travel.
Image: © MASTERS Collective | Synthography: Bart-Jan Brouwer
Text Bart-Jan Brouwer
What trends in travel are you observing at the moment?
Harco van Uden: “People travel more consciously, on two levels. Firstly, a destination is chosen that one really wants to experience again, preferably with family or friends. This is a consequence of the corona period, which has taught us that traveling is not something to be taken for granted and that life is transient. Secondly, more thought is being given to the impact of travel behavior.”
Marcello Pacenti: “We spotted five trends. Firstly, customers demand more from their tour operator in the form of luxury and the way they travel: they want to get away from the crowd, the everyday. Secondly, the common thread among all our travelers is that they want to become storytellers, experience something that will be long remembered and that they can talk about when they return. Thirdly, special locations, experiences and encounters are high on the list. Fourthly, there is interest in very special theme trips, especially in the niche market. And finally: service, service, service: being available 24/7, from the first contact to the return home and the evaluation of the trip.”
Arjan Kers: “The desire to travel among Dutch people is as great as ever, and the need to travel abroad is still strong. In addition, I see a growing demand for more sustainable travel options, an increase in technology use for travel planning and bookings, and a shift towards more authentic and local experiences.”
Tim van der Wel: “Firstly, at Avila Reizen we notice that the need to invest in 'building memories together' is increasing. Secondly, that people really want to experience special things, in the most exotic locations in the world, while enjoying comfort, good service and guidance. Thirdly, people are increasingly realizing that traveling enriches the mind, promotes creativity and, above all, provides insights into what really matters in life. Finally, we also see that the need to give something back to the world is increasing, for example in the form of nature conservation.”
Gunay Uslu: “People increasingly want to pamper themselves when traveling: spacious rooms, exceptionally good food and drinks, many choices. We see this in our beautiful hotels on Curaçao: The Rif and the Mangrove resort.”
Suzanne Kochen: “People want to travel slower and more intensely. They are looking for a balance between an active holiday and discovering the destination on the one hand, and relaxation on the other. We respond to this by offering more time at the destinations we visit. While many shipping companies only visit an island for a morning, we stay there for a whole day or two days. Another trend we observe is that more and more people see the cruise as part of their trip, for example cruising for a week during a three-week trip through Central America.”
Oscar Haartman: “There is a very strong and broad movement towards sustainability among accommodations and service providers surrounding safaris in Africa. Everyone tries to make improvements and reduce the footprint in their own way. On the customer side, we see more and more three-generation trips, so grandparents inviting children and grandchildren on safari.”
Which three contemporary developments have the most impact on consumer travel behavior?
Harco van Uden: “First, our recent experience with Covid. Corona has really reminded us of our transience. That is why people do not want to postpone plans and wishes, but want to take that dream holiday now. Second, the current wars. Countries that have historically had little or no involvement in conflicts are chosen, such as Canada, South Africa and Costa Rica. Although the traveler does not hesitate to go to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and the Baltic states, despite the threat in those regions. If a country is not mentioned in one sentence in the news, it is considered safe. Third, the climate. People want to know what kind of footprint they leave behind when they travel, and especially what they can do on site. They cannot change much about aircraft emissions, although some people look closer to home or look more at quality than quantity: they would rather have a memorable long-distance trip once than a beach holiday on the Spanish coast three times. At the location itself, they can more easily contribute to sustainability, for example by choosing activities that are planet-proof and hotels that attach great importance to sustainability.”
Marcello Pacenti: “Developments that have a significant impact on travel behavior include, first of all, the rise of digital platforms such as online travel agencies, booking sites and travel apps. As a result, travelers can now easily plan, compare and book trips from their smartphone or computer. In addition, innovations such as virtual reality make it possible to virtually explore destinations and accommodations before booking, making consumers better informed. A second development is the growing awareness about the impact of travel on the environment and local communities. As a result, more and more travelers are looking for more sustainable and environmentally friendly options, such as eco-friendly accommodations, locally produced food and explanations about what they do for the local population on site. Traveling promotes the economy, which means people have more money to save nature. Finally, consumers increasingly demand more flexibility and customization in their travel experiences. They want to be able to decide when and how they travel, and need a personalized range of services that meet their individual needs and preferences. This has led to increased demand for flexible booking terms, customizable itineraries and tailor-made experiences not included as standard in travel packages.”
Arjan Kers: “The three contemporary developments that I believe have the most impact on consumer travel behavior are the rise of more sustainable tourism, the digitalization of the travel experience and the influence of social media on travel decisions. Travel with an eye for the environment and local impact is becoming increasingly important for travelers, while technological advances are changing the way people travel and book accommodations. Social media also plays a major role in inspiring and influencing travel decisions.”
Tim van der Wel: “First of all, access to information: the ease with which we can find information about all corners of the world and the possibilities to visit them has never been greater than today. We are also continuously stimulated by images and stories from all over the world through magazines, newspapers, the internet and social media. This triggers many to want to experience the most beautiful places in the world for themselves. Then environmental awareness: awareness about the impact of travel is increasing. Of course there is the discussion about CO2 emissions. A very difficult one, because there is no really good solution yet to compensate for this, but it does encourage many people to want to contribute to nature conservation in another area. With Avila Reizen we support various projects worldwide to protect ecosystems - something to which a controlled form of tourism can contribute a lot - and we have our own project to help underprivileged children in Venezuela. The discussion of both the negative and positive impact of travel will probably increase further in the coming years, I personally see this as a great opportunity. A third development that has an impact on travel behavior is uncertainty: first the corona pandemic and now the war in Ukraine and Palestine mean that many people, consciously or unconsciously, want to experience something positive whenever possible. And if I may add one more: investing in the here and now. Traveling is perhaps the best example of how you can do something beautiful in the here and now!”
Gunay Uslu: “Fortunately, I notice that sustainability is an increasingly important theme among companies active in the travel industry. Many steps are being taken, especially in the hotel world. Hotels that really get started with this are also very popular among certain target groups. In addition, technological innovations and therefore the possibility of workations, working holidays, an important role. That's a trend that's changing the travel landscape quite a bit, with longer stays and the need for accommodations with work-friendly amenities. And people also want experiences that are not only grand and compelling, but above all, lasting. The focus is on making special memories and gaining new insights that will last long after the trip. That also includes small scale.”
Suzanne Kochen: “We notice that people book later, but it is difficult to put our finger on exactly why that is. I think because of the many things that have happened in the world in recent years: people are a bit hesitant to book far in advance, because you don't know what the world will look like by then. This mainly applies to our cruises in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, because flights are always available shortly in advance.”
Oscar Haartman: “Firstly, there is certainly still some catching up to do for long-distance travel, post-Covid. The trips we offer often require a little more planning from the customer, and there is now plenty of room for that. Secondly, sustainability and conscious travel are of course developments that cannot be ignored in our industry: people generally look more selectively at, for example, the number of flight movements on an annual basis. Finally – open door – the power of social media: through these channels, customers sometimes already have a very strong image of what they want to experience.”
How do you, as an entrepreneur, respond to these current events?
Harco van Uden: “We basically follow the law: if you are not allowed to travel to a destination, we will not encourage that. You can simply book Jordan, which borders Israel, with us. But we do not actively include that destination commercially, so I prefer to choose countries that no one will have any problems with. We do one hundred and fifty destinations, so there are more than enough left that are not up for discussion. And as far as the climate discussion is concerned, we have asked ourselves the question: where does our responsibility lie? Man is free to travel. We agree that we must pay attention to the climate. Just that doesn't mean we do overnight we can all solve.”
Marcello Pacenti: “We respond to current events by adapting to the needs and expectations of consumers. For example, we focus on promoting sustainable tourism by working with eco-friendly accommodations and organizations and offer flexible booking conditions to meet the need for flexibility and personal wishes of our customers.”
Arjan Kers: “We respond to this by offering a clear and fair range of trips with an eye for the local economy and population. We integrate technologies such as AI and machine learning into our services and actively engage our customers through social media and online platforms. But we also do not forget local entrepreneurship. Then I think of our TUI shops in the shopping street. Personal advice and service from a travel expert is still highly valued, especially in this post-covid era. We currently have one hundred and forty travel agencies and regularly open new shops when a nice location presents itself.”
“Today's aircraft are not yet sustainable, but there are certainly developments to make aviation cleaner, quieter and more economical”
Tim van der Wel: “Avila Reizen is in the right niche in terms of the above trends. We offer special tailor-made trips to all parts of the world, especially in the top segment. Well-organized comfortable expeditions, luxurious holidays, but also special themes such as culinary, photography, art and wildlife are part of our expertise. We are fully committed to added value in the form of service, quality, advice and network. Our international offices and contacts plus a long-standing partnership with National Geographic mean that we can often open doors that remain closed to others.”
Gunay Uslu: “Working on a more sustainable sector is my major task as CEO. As a travel company, you are only future-proof if sustainability is in your DNA. Quite a turnaround, especially in this industry. But it has to. Of course we can't do that alone. This requires an open attitude and close cooperation between companies, government, knowledge institutions - and actually also with the people who are very concerned and demonstrating. As regards workations and small scale and special memories: that fits perfectly with our By June brand. Beautiful accommodations in special places, not too many rooms but personal attention. You book flights, accommodation and rental car. This is also perfect for young professionals who want to work from another location for a few days or weeks.”
Suzanne Kochen: “To respond to later booking of cruises, we do something we normally don't like to do and that is trigger people with a promotion. If you book now for next year, you can expect various privileges on board. This way, customers receive a credit that they can spend on board, for example for a nice treatment in the spa. And where we normally advertise for winter in the spring, we are now doing so for the summer months.”
Oscar Haartman: “We work according to the Sustainable Travel Compass, among other things. This Compass supports the further sustainability of travel organizations and travel products. With regard to what people see on social media, we mainly explain the context, we tell the honest story.”
How do you deal with the climate discussion that puts travel in a negative light?
Harco van Uden: “The positive contributions of travel still outweigh the negative ones. Think of nature and cultural protection, employment, poverty reduction, connection and personal happiness. The only negative is the impact on the environment, on our earth. Stopping travel would cause more problems and could ultimately mean the end of our breed. But we can travel more consciously, and we encourage that. On our website we explain for each accommodation and activity of a trip whether it contributes positively, averagely or negatively. As Coca-Cola states on its website how much sugar a bottle or glass contains. The consumer can then choose whether or not to go along with it. In addition, we donate 1 percent of the trip proceeds to the ExperienceEarth Foundation, which invests in projects and organizations that protect the world, such as the World Wildlife Fund. We also support AeroDelft, a student team from TU Delft that – together with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines – is exploring the possibilities for hydrogen in aviation. We do not believe in compensation, but in innovation. Because traveling is so important. It is the only objective way left to gather information.”
Marcello Pacenti: “Through collective efforts we can reduce the impact of travel on the environment and bring about positive change in the travel industry, but this can only have an impact if we all do this together. BMS-Travellers seeks collaboration with other stakeholders, such as government agencies, NGOs and local communities, to develop sustainable solutions. We are transparent about our efforts, including by reporting on environmental performance and responding to customer feedback about sustainability.”
Arjan Kers: “It is a utopia that people will no longer travel. We make every effort to make travel as sustainable as possible wherever possible, because we think it is an important theme. And these efforts apply to the entire customer journey, from small initiatives in internal processes in the Netherlands to support for large projects abroad. Today's aircraft are not yet sustainable, but there is certainly progress in making aviation cleaner, quieter and more economical. We have been committed to fleet renewal for years so that our travelers have the best travel experience and fly with the most economical option.”
Tim van der Wel: “We like to communicate about the positive side of travel, which is often underexposed (without denying the negative side, and in that regard we discuss how we can minimize it). There are also many opportunities in the areas of nature conservation, species conservation, poverty reduction and peace and understanding. One of our core missions is to make a positive impact on the destinations we offer.”
Gunay Uslu: “It has been said before: a world without travel is actually unrealistic. What we can do is work hard to make travel more sustainable. I don't want to shout from the sidelines that everything has to be better and different, but I want to roll up my sleeves myself. Because I am convinced that it can be done more sustainably. An example is that we sign a code with the hotels we work with in which they follow a step-by-step plan for greening. This ranges from the use of sustainable electricity to the use of electric vehicles for airport transfers.”
Suzanne Kochen: “Explora Journeys is part of the MSC Group, the largest maritime organization worldwide, which conducts a tremendous amount of research in the field of sustainability in shipping. We can benefit enormously from this. The sustainable initiatives on our cruise ships range from LED lighting, minimal food waste and recyclable plastic to more ingenious discoveries such as paint that algae cannot adhere to. This prevents various micro-organisms from ending up in other waters and also reduces fuel consumption because there is less resistance. Another example of sustainability is the commitment to source food locally wherever possible, to support local communities and reduce carbon emissions associated with long-distance transport.”
Oscar Haartman: “To achieve a future-proof travel industry, it is important that customers are aware of the positive and negative consequences of travel, and we promote this. An important negative impact is of course the journey there. But we also highlight the contribution of small-scale safari tourism to the preservation and even expansion of nature, those incredibly beautiful ecosystems that Africa offers. I am firmly convinced that without safari tourism, the Big 5 would no longer be seen in the wild for a long time. And that is an extremely important side effect. The significance of tourism for development, opportunities and equality at a local level should not be underestimated.”
“Working on a more sustainable sector is my major task as CEO”
Where do you think the biggest opportunities lie in the travel industry?
Harco van Uden: “In the ultimate relief and enrichment of the traveler. In this way we make things possible that you might not have thought possible.”
Marcello Pacenti: “What is striking is that travelers are showing increasing interest in sustainable travel options. By offering sustainable trips and collaborating with eco-friendly accommodations and destinations, you can distinguish yourself as a travel organization. Travelers are also increasingly looking for authentic experiences that bring them into contact with local culture, tradition and areas. You can take advantage of this opportunity by offering personalized itineraries that go off the beaten track and organizing activities such as 4X4 driving in special areas, cooking classes, craft workshops and meetings with local residents. We have been doing this for years, but we are increasingly entering the niche market. Our next point on the horizon is that the traveler can put together his or her own travel package completely independently, so that he or she is completely independent. Each trip is then tailor-made for the traveler.”
Arjan Kers: “In my opinion, the greatest opportunities in the travel industry lie in listening carefully to and responding to the changing needs of consumers in the field of unique, authentic and personalized travel experiences, emerging destinations off the beaten track, but also travel with different forms of mobility. . And it remains important to keep travel accessible for everyone's wallet and not just for the happy few.”
Tim van der Wel: “That depends a bit on how you mean this question. If I elaborate further on how travel can make a positive impact, I think that there are mainly opportunities to designate larger areas worldwide as protected nature reserves, and to draw up good policy for each area with a role for tourism, which contributes to protecting an area. And I think that the UNWTO, the World Tourism Organization, can come up with even more tools and regulations - which of course must then be adopted locally - to make tourism contribute to poverty reduction and inequality. Idealistic, but there are few industries that offer these opportunities that the world needs.”
Gunay Uslu: “Sustainability, sustainability and sustainability.”
Suzanne Kochen: “Many consumers have never considered a cruise. That is where our greatest opportunities lie. We want to show the current clientele of luxury hotel chains such as Six Senses, Aman Resorts and One&Only that a cruise ship is a boutique hotel that travels with you. On the EXPLORA I everyone has their own terrace and there are three outdoor swimming pools. Also nice: it is the first cruise ship with a Rolex store on board, in addition to stores from Cartier, Piaget and Panerai. We are a Swiss company, so we want Swiss brands on board. We also try to convince people in their thirties, forties and fifties that a cruise is not boring, old-fashioned and passive, and is something for retirees. Our cruises are suitable for active people who enjoy life to the fullest. On our ships you will find adventure, entertainment, activities, relaxation, a high level of service, excellent food and every opportunity to make trips. For example, on Mykonos we always plan one overnight on the weekend, so you can go out for dinner or enjoy the nightlife. The design of our ships is reminiscent of a luxury hotel, with various bars, lounges and restaurants. With us, no fuss and gala evenings, but a relaxed, high-quality experience. And everything on board is included: food, champagne, tips, internet…”
Oscar Haartman: “There are many opportunities, but specifically when it comes to safari, eliminating poaching would make a huge difference. It would make the threshold for maintaining and restoring healthy ecosystems much lower, thereby making our natural heritage safer – with all the social and economic benefits and opportunities that this creates.”
What steps your company has recently made are you most proud of?
Harco van Uden: “I am most proud of the fact that we survived corona without firing people. Before corona we had fifty employees, now even sixty-five. That was perhaps the biggest challenge for me as an entrepreneur since our existence. I am also proud that during our twenty-five years of existence we have continuously responded to the customer's wishes instead of telling us how we think people should travel. We have followed developments closely and literally and figuratively traveled with our customer, which is why we are where we are now.”
Marcello Pacenti: “I am proud of the technological solutions within the company, including an improved website, an upgrade of our back office and a completely new reservation system. Furthermore, the recent collaboration with a foundation for wildlife conservation, in which the local population is directly involved and therefore benefits from tourism. And also our contributions to the well-being of our fellow human beings, for example by sponsoring a trip to the Cure for Cancer gala, with all proceeds going to the foundation.”
Arjan Kers: “I am most proud of the recent steps our company has taken in sustainability, including through our TUI Care Foundation, such as reducing our carbon footprint, supporting local communities and implementing green initiatives across all our activities. Travelers can also actively contribute to this through our travel offer under the Fair Travel label. And we also make it concrete; for example, we are investing in the installation of fifty-five charging stations for electric vehicles on Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire. We are sincerely and demonstrably working on this theme.”
Tim van der Wel: “We have been voted the best provider of long-distance travel and the best travel organization in the field of sustainability by the Dutch travel industry. We are especially proud of the latter appointment.”
Gunay Uslu: “Actually on everything, because it is such a great family business! Can I also say that I am very proud of the wonderful people who work there? Because without them we can't do anything at all and you can't make any progress in any area.”
Suzanne Kochen: “I think it's great that our ships are RINA Dolphin certified for minimal underwater noise, so that marine animals are not bothered by it.”
Oscar Haartman: “In my opinion, one of the nicest current projects is the collaboration with the Right to Play Foundation and the resulting Rwanda Cycling Experience. A cycling trip, guided by well-known cyclists, linked to the Cycling World Championships in 2025 in Rwanda. Check the Right to Play website.”
MASTERS Magazine
Every success starts with a dream. That is the leitmotif of the summer edition of MASTERS. As a little girl, Iris Hond dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. She had the talent, the discipline, the love for piano playing and the courage to pursue her dream. Even adversity did not deter her from her path. “Then I remembered the stories about the rough rock 'n' roll life that Jan Cremer told when he visited us: the pain, the misery – it's part of it”, she says in the major interview, with unique photography by Rahi Rezvani. Entrepreneur Harald Swinkels was also guided by a dream: first earn a lot of money, then make films. And so he sold his energy company and took the exit to Hollywood. Real estate entrepreneur Max Vorst uses his fortune to collect art. MASTERS received a private tour of the Beelden aan Zee museum, where part of his collection is currently on display. Dream trips are also being realized more and more often. “The need to invest in 'building memories together' is increasing," says Avila Reizen founder Tim van der Wel in an article about the future of travel. If only I had? If only I could? “I dream that I paint and then I paint what I dream,” said Vincent van Gogh. So, while leafing through the new magazine, dream of the Range Rover Sport SV, the Mulder ThirtySix or access to Ferrari's exclusive elite club Corse Clienti. MASTERS 58: a song to dream away to.
