Here's how South Africans can turn sustainable luxury travel into reality in 2022

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As a result, more travellers became conscious of their carbon footprint once restrictions eased, especially while travelling.

For example, a 2021 study across 24 countries that assessed the impact Covid-19 had on consumer attitudes towards travel found that 58% of respondents are now more aware of their environmental impact.

Additionally, 62% said it is now more important that companies behave in an eco-friendlier way.

"We realise that more travellers are thinking of ways to reduce their carbon footprint. As a result, they now prefer flying and booking accommodation with companies operating with a conscious approach," says Anand Yedery, regional head of marketing and sales for South Asia, Middle East and Africa for Cathay Pacific. "Thankfully, brands are now looking to support responsible tourism, which helps travellers reduce their carbon footprint, without compromising the luxury experience."

So, while you’re searching for even more ways to reduce your carbon footprint, here are some sustainable luxury travel options, like eco-friendly hotels available on the Cathay Pacific website, carbon offset programmes, and environmentally safe travel products, to help you see more of South Africa and the world while making a sustainable choice.

Stay at an eco-friendly luxury hotel

The beauty of travelling sustainably in 2022 means you don’t have to sacrifice luxury to stay at an eco-friendly hotel. Several luxury hotel brands worldwide have adopted eco-friendly policies that encourage them to use solar energy, reusable bottles and sustainable materials that conserve local resources to minimise the impact of their buildings on the environment.

Choose an airline with a carbon offset programme

Flying people worldwide is a very energy-intensive exercise – so much so that flights produced 915 million tonnes of carbon dioxide worldwide in 2019.

Thankfully, as part of a collective effort to reduce aviation's impact on climate change, airlines globally have committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. As a result, you now have more options to fly more eco-consciously than ever before.

One of these options is to fly with an airline that offers passengers a carbon offset programme, like Cathay Pacific's Fly Greener initiative. This programme allows passengers to purchase offsets based on carbon emissions generated from their flights. These contributions go directly towards Gold Standard-accredited third-party projects that actively reduce emissions.

Use eco-friendly products while travelling

The growing demand for more eco-friendly travel options has also seen new brand partnerships forming to make accommodation, travel, and even eco-friendly products more accessible to travellers.

For example, Cathay Pacific recently partnered with lifestyle brand Back 2 Nature for Earth Day to offer travellers a 20% discount on natural, plant-based, and eco-friendly skincare, hair care, and sun care products.

This ensures travellers purposefully reduce the waste they produce while travelling, which is better for them and better for the planet.

"Luxury eco-travel is now a global reality, which is why at Cathay Pacific, we are helping travellers generate positive environmental and economic impacts at every step of their journey," concludes Yedery.