Making your holiday sustainable isn’t just thinking about the environment, although considering how eco-friendly you are is part of helping to increase the positive impacts of tourism.
So, how can you make your next holiday a sustainable one?
Here is a guide to help you reduce any negative impact when visiting Lincolnshire from overseas and become the ultimate sustainable traveller.
When thinking about being a sustainable traveller, you can reduce your negative impact by:
- Travelling during the off-peak season
- Slowing down and staying longer
- Using rail or road transport
- Offsetting your carbon footprint
- Spending your money locally
- Choosing your adventures carefully
To be a sustainable traveller, leaving a positive impact on the destination and the local community within your chosen holiday location is just as important as the means you use to get there.
This means you need to consider the time of year you visit Lincolnshire, what you do on holiday and where you spend your money.
Travel during the off-peak season.
Many communities and areas in Lincolnshire rely on the revenue they get during the peak holiday season to help them get through the quieter months.
However, the concentrated surge of people into the area during July and August can often have a negative impact on the environment, and local communities can end up stretched by the demands of visitors to the area.
If you don’t have children, then travelling off-peak or out-of-peak season is by far the best option. By doing so, you will help spread the love and support local communities, especially the smaller accommodation providers, during the more challenging low season months.
Often, travelling off-peak will open up the opportunity for you to experience the real culture of a place which will enrich your holiday in so many ways.
Slow down and stay longer.
If you can, plan an extended stay in Lincolnshire and take your time to truly connect with everything that our wonderful county has to offer. Be a traveller rather than a tourist and immerse yourself in more meaningful local experiences rather than ticking off a packed bucket list of ‘must-do’ activities.
Slow travel is a more sustainable approach that allows you to connect with local culture and enjoy a more authentic experience.
It also means you’ll suffer less from travel fatigue. You’ll be able to give yourself time to relax and be mindful, be present in your environment and appreciate the details of what is around you.
In Lincolnshire, we recommend you enjoy the countryside and coastal destinations in a mindful way, which is the very best way to connect with the natural world and recharge your batteries.
“Travel brings us up close to some of our planet’s most stunning natural wonders and connects us with cultures around the globe” – Sustainable Travel International
Use rail or road transport.
For international visitors, flying to the UK can be the cheapest option, with airlines often promoting fantastic deals for last-minute holidays or advance bookings. However, travelling by air isn’t the most environmentally friendly option.
Use rail or road transport (ideally by bus or electric/hybrid car) to get to, from and around your Lincolnshire to help cut carbon emissions and increase your positive impact when travelling. Discover all the wonderful heritage locations, pubs, hotels and guesthouses that have Electric Vehicle charging facilities on their premises to help you plot your travel in our Lincolnshire EV Charging Points blog here.
Travelling to Lincolnshire by rail is very easy too! From London, take the LNER Azuma train up the East Coast Mainline and you’ll be in the centre of Lincoln in under 2 hours. From Lincoln, you can reach many of the county’s countryside villages and beaches and coastal towns on the East Midlands Railway.
Plan out your bus journeys across Lincolnshire using the Lincs Bus website. Here you can plot your holiday travel route, download the timetables you need, and see live journey updates.
Offset your carbon footprint.
Of course, air travel may be the best option for you. It can be the most convenient way for you and your family and friends to travel, and there are many ways in which you can offset the carbon footprint left by flying.
Check back on this blog soon as we share details of the many ways you can offset your carbon footprint and support local Lincolnshire projects to make your holiday sustainable.
Spend your money locally.
Being truly sustainable on your holiday is about much more than just reducing your carbon emissions. If you take steps to be socially and culturally sustainable you can also have a huge positive impact on where you are travelling.
Spending your money locally and interacting with local culture and communities is a wonderful way to create a memorable adventure. A great place to start is at one of Lincolnshire’s Market Towns, and venturing around their weekly farmers’ markets. You’ll get to know all about (and taste) the wonderful food and drink that the county produces and find a little souvenir to take home too.
Knowledgeable local contacts are invaluable in helping you to discover so many things that you won’t find in the guidebooks. Join a guided walking tour around Lincoln or Stamford to learn about the history and heritage of the ancient towns, or book a tour at one of Lincolnshire’s stately homes to get an insight into the generations that have lived in the county.
Whether it’s frequenting the best restaurants that source seasonal produce from local providers, walking in the countryside with Alpaca or visiting a brewery for a taste of Lincolnshire ale, these locally sustainable experiences will provide you with precious memories to take back home with you.
Choose your adventures carefully.
On your next adventure exploring Lincolnshire, choose activities that have a low environmental impact.
Avoid activities that burn fuel and instead opt for wind, water, and human-powered adventure experiences that are waste free, authentic, and support the local guides and instructors.
There are endless such experiences to enjoy on Lincolnshire’s waters, including paddleboarding and open water swimming in the North Sea, and jumping around inflatable courses on a lake.
Follow a hiking trail or countryside cycle route, go horse riding on the beach, swing from tree tops around an adventure trail and take tours of the county’s many local heritage sites.
Make a positive impact on your next trip to Lincolnshire by finding eco-conscious experiences that will benefit not only the environment and our precious ecosystems but the local communities too.
Plan your next holiday with people, places, and the planet in mind, while at the same time looking after your purse and not spending a small fortune.
