🎬 Opening Scene
On a rooftop terrace of a hotel facing the sea, a traveler pours himself a cup of coffee as the morning sun illuminates an urban garden, carefully arranged in wooden pots. Among tomatoes, aromatic herbs, and flowers pollinated by bees, solar panels shine like mirrors, promising clean energy. The air smells of salt and freshly cut mint.
Everything seems designed to convey a sense of harmony: nature is not just outside, but incorporated into the travel space itself. Here, sustainability is presented as part of the experience, as visible and alluring as the view of the horizon.
🏛️ Origin
From ecological urgency to commercial strategy
Have you ever wondered where the whole "green travel" trend started? It all goes back to the late 70s and 80s, when the environment became a global concern. Suddenly, headlines were talking about pollution, deforestation, and climate change, and people realized something had to change.
Tourist companies were quick to react. In the 90s, do you remember those early attempts at being "eco"? Signs in hotel rooms asking you to reuse towels to "save the planet" and small seals promising a more sustainable tourism. Although many of these practices hid an economic interest, it was at that moment that marketing discovered that the word "eco" was very powerful.
With the new millennium, the phenomenon exploded. Promises of "responsible travel" multiplied, but at the same time, it became increasingly difficult to differentiate the authentic from what was pure facade. Could you recognize genuine sustainable tourism if you saw it? Thus, from that mixture of marketing, aspiration, and ambiguity, greenwashing in tourism was born.
🔬The Phenomenon
Today, have you noticed how the color green has become one of the most sought-after credentials for travel? For example, Costa Rica doesn't just have beautiful jungles and beaches, it built its entire identity around ecotourism. How did it do that? By offering protected jungles, volcanoes, and beaches with environmental certifications that attract a very specific type of traveler.
Meanwhile, Bhutan, in the Himalayas, took a completely different route. Can you imagine limiting the number of visitors with a "high value, low volume" policy? With a mandatory daily fee that includes everything from lodging to guides, it transformed the idea of sustainability into an exclusive filter. This way, it doesn't just sell landscapes and monasteries; it also offers the feeling of being in a place that protects its essence from mass tourism.
And what about Iceland? It has become a true symbol of green tourism. Its volcanic and glacial landscapes, along with the pride of being a country powered by almost 100% renewable energy, turned it into a magnet for those seeking a destination that balances future and nature.
In all these places, sustainability is no longer just a detail. It has become the main attraction, an experience as desired as the beach, the mountain, or the desert.
