Sustainability in Tourism

Sustainability has become one of the most widely used terms in the travel industry. It shows up in strategy documents, marketing campaigns, and conference conversations. But sometimes it can be hard to really define sustainability in tourism.

We know that sustainability is important. The challenge is not in understanding why it matters. It’s understanding what it actually looks like in practice.

Because sustainability in tourism isn’t defined by a single initiative or certification. It becomes real through the choices destinations make, the stories they tell, and the experiences they design. Looking at sustainability in these terms gives a clearer picture of what meaningful, community-driven tourism can look like today.

Sustainability in Tourism Is Broader Than We Think

One of the biggest barriers to progress is the assumption that sustainability is a fixed concept.

In reality, it’s anything but.

As Rob Holmes of GLP Films explained in Destination on the Left episode 394, sustainability has evolved through many lenses over time—from ecotourism to regenerative tourism (leaving locations better than you found them) to stewardship. Each term reflects a slightly different emphasis, but they all point to the same underlying goal: ensuring tourism supports the long-term health of a place.

That variety of nuance is not a weakness. It’s what allows destinations to define sustainability in ways that reflect their unique context.

It’s Not a Tactic—It’s a Foundation

Where many destinations get stuck is in how they organize sustainability internally. It’s often treated as a standalone category, sitting alongside culture, outdoor recreation, or culinary tourism. But the most effective approaches don’t isolate sustainability as a single tactic—they embed it in everything they do.

Sustainability in tourism works best when it becomes the foundation that shapes every experience, every investment, and every decision. It’s not a campaign. It’s a way of operating.

The Role of Storytelling in Making Sustainability Visible

Even when meaningful work happens, it doesn’t always translate to visitor perceptions of the destinations.

That’s where storytelling becomes critical.

Too often, sustainability is communicated through claims, certifications, or broad statements. But travelers don’t connect with messaging alone. They connect best with stories. In our conversation with Rob Holmes, he emphasized that effective storytelling must be people-first and story-driven, not sales-driven.

In Destination on the Left episode 371, Joanna Haugen points out that “the beautiful, sanitized aesthetic that is shown on social media can actually flatten a place,” stripping away the very complexity that makes a destination meaningful and authentic. This again demonstrates the need for storytelling.

Embracing Complexity Instead of Polishing It Away

The most compelling stories don’t avoid challenges—they acknowledge them. Whether it’s environmental pressures, cultural shifts, or social issues, these realities are part of what defines a place. And increasingly, destinations are finding value in showcasing the people working to address them.

That might mean highlighting a local social enterprise, sharing the story behind a conservation effort, or giving space to voices that haven’t traditionally been part of tourism narratives. These stories don’t just inform. They invite travelers into something more meaningful.

You Don’t Always Have to Say “Sustainability”

One of the more subtle shifts happening across the industry is a move away from overusing the term itself.

As Rob Holmes notes, “At the end of the day, the traveler wants to have a great experience… see new things, learn things, be immersed, feel like they’re having a positive impact… they don’t necessarily need to hear sustainability… but if the experiences have a positive impact, that’s really what we want.”

In many cases, the most effective storytelling demonstrates sustainability rather than labeling it.

Elevating Local Voices and Community-Led Experiences

At its core, sustainability in tourism is about people. It’s about who benefits, who participates, and who gets to shape the narrative of a place.

Joanna Haugen describes this shift as moving travelers from passive visitors to active global citizens: people who engage more deeply with the places they visit. You can see this clearly in the types of experiences gaining traction. Across destinations, there is growing emphasis on:

• Social enterprises that offer tours led by underrepresented groups
• Indigenous-led experiences that center cultural knowledge and history
• Community storytelling that reflects lived experience rather than curated highlights

These are not side offerings. They are becoming central to how destinations differentiate themselves.

Cultural Preservation as a Tourism Outcome

In Destination on the Left episode 445, Florence Li of Songtsam Resorts shared how they approach tourism with strong roots in cultural preservation—not as a side initiative, but as a core part of the experience.

At Songtsam, that commitment shows up in tangible ways. Travelers participate in traditional practices like handicraft workshops, which not only create meaningful, hands-on experiences but also generate revenue for local artisans. In many cases, these efforts are helping younger generations see a viable future in continuing cultural traditions that might otherwise fade.

The impact goes beyond the experience itself. It helps ensure that culture is not only preserved, but actively lived and shared.

Designing Tourism Experiences That Give Back

If storytelling shapes perception, experience design is where sustainability becomes tangible. What travelers do—and how they interact with a destination—has a direct impact on whether tourism supports or strains a place.

Some of the most effective examples of sustainability in tourism are rooted in participation. At Songtsam, that includes a workforce model where 92% of employees come from local communities, supported by training and development programs that create long-term opportunity.

In other destinations, it might look like:

• Travelers joining community-led beach cleanups or trail restoration efforts
• Guided experiences that educate visitors about local environmental challenges
• Immersive stays that connect visitors directly with local communities

From Passive Consumption to Active Participation

The common thread is a shift in the role of the traveler. Instead of simply observing a destination, travelers are increasingly invited to contribute to it, whether through learning, participation, or direct support. That shift not only reduces negative impact, it creates more memorable, meaningful experiences.

Sustainability as an Ongoing System, Not a Campaign

In Destination on the Left podcast episode 345, Rachel Brown of Visit Durango describes a fundamental shift in how her organization approaches tourism—moving beyond marketing and toward long-term destination management.

For Visit Durango, that shift required structural change. The organization evolved from a traditional destination marketing model into a destination management approach, supported by new roles, updated governance, and a significant budget realignment. Today, 39% of its budget involves sustainability-related initiatives, from stewardship campaigns to grants that support local businesses and community priorities.

What stands out is not any single program, but the intentional integration of sustainability across the organization.

Embedding Sustainability Into Decision-Making

At Visit Durango, sustainability influences decision-making across the board, including:

• How funding is allocated
• Which initiatives are prioritized
• How success is defined within the destination

The result is a model where sustainability becomes part of the system itself—shaping both strategy and day-to-day operations in a way that supports long-term community well-being.

The Future of Sustainability in Tourism

As these approaches continue to evolve, a few clear patterns are emerging.

Travel is becoming:

• More immersive and experience-driven
• More connected to local communities
• More focused on inclusion and accessibility
• More aligned with conservation and restoration efforts

As Rob Holmes explained, in places like the Oregon Coast sustainability intersects with accessibility and climate adaptation. In regions like Chile, it’s tied to rewilding and biodiversity. Sustainability doesn’t look the same everywhere—and it doesn’t need to.

What matters is how clearly it connects to the place itself.

Sustainability is a Journey

“Sustainability is a journey. It takes time. No one’s perfect.” – Rob Holmes

The destinations making the most progress on their sustainability journey are not those talking about it the most. They’re the ones embedding it into experiences, elevating local voices, and aligning their systems to support long-term impact.

The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. And the destinations that succeed will be the ones that continue to evolve, making sustainability visible, tangible, and meaningful through what they do every day.