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Fair Travel - Responsible Tourism Experiences & Consulting

responsible travel consulting company based in Sweden

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The Original Swedish Responsible Travel Consultancy

I work in tourism. I declare a climate emergency.

January 22, 2020 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

I work in tourism. I declare a climate emergency.

So there I was, on the train from Stockholm Central Station, heading towards Arlanda Airport for a flight to the Azores, when I read the blogpost from Jeremy Smith, Tourism, Climate Change (and why I feel like a fraud). I was on my way to the Azores to participate on a panel, with the title, Slow Travel and Changing Consumer Demands. I was to fly from Stockholm via Lisbon to Terceira Island and back, to speak and have an opinion on a subject, which I myself was the exact opposite of.

In the end I was to spend less than 48 hours in Terceira…Yes, I felt like a fraud too and a hypocrite. Especially since I had contemplated this a few times over before eventually deciding on going there in the end.

I work in tourism and I love to travel, while I’m also very passionate about sustainability. The simple way of looking at this is to say that it is a contradiction. How can anything be sustainable if it involves flying? The easy and short answer is that nothing can ever be considered sustainable when it involves some sort of emission of greenhouse gases. But from a holistic perspective on sustainability in tourism and travel, there is more sustainable tourism and there’s less sustainable tourism. Not all trips are bad, while a majority of trips certainly aren’t good. But this isn’t about justifying my own trips and love for travel. But I do love to travel and I won’t stop doing it.

Maybe it is the Viking blood flowing through my veins, that constantly want to explore new places, meeting new cultures, admiring new landscapes and animals? I identify myself with it and it is a big part of me. I can’t stop doing what I love and what I’m passionate about. But this isn’t a justification. I can still make a difference and I can make a change for the better, because even though I love travel and I’m passionate about it, I love my kids even more, and it is their future that I’m mostly passionate and care about.

I work in tourism. I declare a climate emergency.

In my line of work as an advisor and consultant on sustainable tourism development I’m spending a good deal of my work outside of the office, which requires me to travel. Thankfully most of my travel is within Sweden and the Nordic region, whereby train travel is many times a good and the best option, but not always.

I do my part to be as sustainable as possible. When it comes to everyday life where I ride my bike as much as possible, I’m careful with everyday purchases, choosing suppliers for services like renewable energy, I recycle thoroughly, do the composting and I cut out meat several years ago, I’m being a “pragmatic vegan”, being conscious about purchases of clothing and other gear. But I fly. I take more flights than the average person in Sweden does and this is my main challenge and obstacle, which makes me a bit of a hypocrite, which I’m very honest on.

The beauty of having the privilege to speak and educate the youth of today means that you’re constantly scrutinized and questioned. This is what you tell us, but what about yourself…What do you do? I fly too much and it is something that is eating at me, and I share this in class. My flying comes from work and I don’t really want to fly in my spare time as I associate it with work. My challenge isn’t cutting down on leisure flights, it’s related to flying through work. I try to tell myself that there might be some justification in flying, when I can actually do something good with it, such as educating, influencing and raising awareness in a room of students, travel and tourism professionals and consumers, to make better choices and to teach them on holistic sustainable tourism.

It’s about making something good of your travels and the emissions that you cause, but it’s not a justification and a free pass for binge-flying. I have to do more to reduce my number of flights and the emissions they cause. I work in tourism. I declare a climate emergency.

I accept the current IPCC advice stating the need to cut global carbon emissions to 55% below 2017 levels by 2030 to keep the planet within 1.5 degrees of warming.

This is my Climate Emergency Plan for 2020,

  • I will continue to take flights for work when needed, but I will reduce these, with the aim of reduction to at least 25% less flights in 2020.
  • I will continue to offset all flights for work, which I’ve done since the start of Fair Travel, but where I aim to double offset these flights in 2020.
  • I will travel by train as much as possible through work when time permits and it is a possibility.
  • I will try to conduct more presentations and educational assignments through online video tools in order to avoid unnecessary flights.
  • I will continue to educate and raise awareness on climate change and advocate for sustainable tourism that has a positive effect, in lectures, keynotes, interviews and talks.
  • I will encourage my industry contacts to also declare and publish their Climate Emergency Plans, starting now…

If you’re reading this, and you work in tourism, please visit Tourism Declares. Over the course of 2020 we’re aiming to encourage and enable as many travel businesses, organisations and individuals as possible to declare a climate emergency, develop and publish their Climate Emergency Plans.

Filed Under: Announcements, News, Responsible Tourism comment Tagged With: Climate, environment, sustainable tourism development, Tourism Declares Climate Emergency

Closing down for Summer

July 1, 2019 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Summer in Sweden
It’s Summer in Sweden and we’re off for a leave!

Summer is here people and it is time for a rest! Fair Travel will be closed from July 8th and I will report back to duty on August 12th.

Activities will kick off at full speed again in August with another very busy season with lectures, educational stuff, a few speaking gigs and a very exciting new project, to sustainably assess and develop a regional tourism destination here in Sweden!

Have a blessed Summer y’all and I’ll see you all again in August!

Jeppe

Filed Under: Announcements, News, Responsible Tourism comment

Jeppe speaks at European Ecotourism Conference

September 14, 2018 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Jeppe shared the challenges and opportunities in Swedish ecotourism!

The 5th European Ecotourism Conference was organized in Tbilisi, Georgia between September 10th-14th and Jeppe was one of the invited Keynote Speakers. Jeppe represented the Swedish Nature and Ecotourism Association, and shared the history, challenges, lessons learned and opportunities from quality-assuring Swedish ecotourism through Natures Best Sweden.

The presentation was much appreciated and well-visited, with lots of questions surrounding our experience on the topic. It is obvious that certifications of ecotourism and sustainable tourism is a hot topic around the world and endless to say also in Europe.

Jeppe referred to the latest research on the topic (Research for TRAN Committee – European Tourism Labelling by European Parliament Think Tank) in his presentation, where the report addresses the multitude of available certifications as an actual threat, and where the European Commission (EC) recommends to promote GSTC recognition of standards and accreditation of certification schemes.

As the Georgian Ecotourism Association is in the process of possibly developing a new national certification on ecotourism, Jeppe was asked the question what his recommendations would be,

“Don’t reinvent the wheel and go against what the latest research has shown. Don’t start from scratch. Make use of the experiences learned from organizations like ours. Let us work together to instead further develop existing systems and “translate” it into your requirements and needs, and of course, to develop it in line with at least the minimum standards set by the GSTC. We need better certifications, not more!”

Photo credit: Georgian Ecotourism Association

Filed Under: Announcements, News, Responsible Tourism comment Tagged With: conference, ecotourism, keynote speaker

It’s time to close down for Summer!

July 5, 2018 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Fair Travel is closing down for the Summer!

Due to the inactivity in the market and because the need for a rest, Fair Travel will be closed from July 9th and report back to duty on August 13th. During this time things will be at a standstill but let me assure you that I’ll be back in full force with full energy!

Also worth to share is the fact that I’ve passed the exam of the PM4SD course, thus now holding a certificate in project management for sustainable development. So, bring on the sustainable tourism projects!

The PM4SD training courses have been developed to, certify competences in sustainable tourism management, to manage sustainable tourism project successfully, to transform project into concrete actions, to plan destination with sustainability, to enhance professional careers and to become a certified Project Manager for Sustainable Tourism!

Have a blessed Summer y’all!

Filed Under: Announcements, News, Responsible Tourism comment Tagged With: PM4SD, project, sustainable tourism

Jeppe debate the future of Swedish Tourism at Almedalen

July 4, 2018 By Jeppe 2 Comments

This week is the “Almedalsveckan”, an event and meeting place in Visby, Gotland, with an unusual combination of political summit and openness. It is also associated with an informal atmosphere, intimacy, discussion, democracy, seminars and further education and training.

Jeppe was invited to participate in a panel discussion on the topic “Can we make Swedish tourism more sustainable by upscaling successful examples”. The panel discussion was organized by VISITA and included participants from Hotell S:t Clemens, Långbro Värdshus, Fazer Food Services, WWF and Chalmers University of Technology.

The discussion covered sub-topics such as food waste, sustainable travel and energy efficiency, and lasted 45 min in front of a filled courtyard with an enthusiastic audience.

Jeppe finished off with the message, “Sweden has got all the potential to become a successful and sustainable tourism destination, but in order to get there we need to respect the fact that it is a fairly young and inexperienced destination that has lots to learn. Sweden needs to learn from the successful and experienced destinations around the world but also do its homework when if comes to unsuccessful destinations. It requires cooperation and strong political leadership with cross-sector decisions in order to facilitate the maximum possibilities for this fast-growing industry. We need to be bold and we need to be brave. And we need to decide who we want to be and what sort of clients we wish to attract. We need to do this and the time is now.”

Filed Under: Announcements, Events, News, Responsible Tourism comment Tagged With: Almedalen, environment, food waste, sustainable tourism development, Sweden

Fair Travel to train and educate the future of Swedish ecotourism

June 14, 2018 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Österlens Folkhögskola, an education provider in southern Sweden, focused on adult education, is launching a new tourism course, with focus on ecotourism and nature-based tourism. The initiative is perfectly timed, as nature-based tourism and ecotourism is on the rise in Sweden, with a need for more entrepreneurs that can offer exciting ecotourism experiences in our diverse landscape.

Jeppe Klockareson has contributed to the development of the course and will also be one of the teachers, focused on sustainable development and ecotourism, making use of the diverse and long experience and knowledge of The Swedish Ecotourism Society, where Jeppe is also a board member.

“The initiative to start the course Entreprenör Ekoturism is perfectly timed. It plays an important role in the development of nature-based tourism and ecotourism. The course content are accurate, thorough and exciting. At the same time, the course focuses on the industry’s actual competence needs. The education is in it for the long run, thus a long-term investment and commitment which is exactly what we need in Sweden, where the educational system, often operate with short-term perspectives within tourism. We need to build skills, capacity and quality with long-term perspectives and commitment, which will help nature-based tourism and ecotourism grow in Sweden,” says Jeppe.

The course starts in September 2018 and you can find out more about the announcement in Swedish here.

Filed Under: Announcements, News, Responsible Tourism comment Tagged With: ecotourism, education, nature-based tourism, Sweden, training

GSTC announce Fair Travel as official Training Partner in the Nordics

April 27, 2018 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) announce Fair Travel as its official Training Partner in the Nordic countries.

The partnership was announced at the website of the GSTC and in its Newsletter on April 26, 2018.

“I’m really happy to announce these news and to get the opportunity to further spread the knowledge and training opportunities of sustaianble tourism development in the Nordics, through an internatinally established organization and framework, like the GSTC.”

The GSTC works with Training Partners in various regions and destinations that support the GSTC’s mission to increase sustainable tourism knowledge and practice and offer the official GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training classes on behalf of the GSTC.

As a Training Partner, Fair Travel plans to deliver STTP training classes in Sweden during 2018, and will seek opportunities to expand the program throughout the Nordic Region.

Read more about the announcement here and find out more about GSTC’s Role in Sustainable Tourism here.

Filed Under: Announcements, News, Responsible Tourism comment Tagged With: education, GSTC, Partnership, sustainable tourism, training

We’re closing for the Summer!

July 6, 2017 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Fair Travel is closing down for the Summer!

Due to the inactivity in the market and because the need for a rest, Fair Travel will be closed from July 7th and report back to duty on August 7th. During this time things will be at a standstill but let me assure you that we’ll be back in full force with full energy!

I also want to leave this message on a high note by telling you about the latest achievement of the GSTC Certificate in Sustainable Tourism!

The training program of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council is a critical part of their mission of increasing sustainable tourism knowledge and practices among tourism industry stakeholders. So it is now time to further spread the knowledge and principles of the GSTC, and to put words into action!

Enjoy the Summer y’all!

Filed Under: Announcements, News, Responsible Tourism comment Tagged With: certificate, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, GSTC, sustainable tourism

Is it more important to take care of the tourists than the local community?

July 1, 2014 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Smile at the tourists in TenerifeSwedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reports about the campaign Teneriffa Buena Gente, where the locals on the islands are advised to become more friendly towards the visitors of the island. One of the most important requests is to always smile at the tourists.

The article conclude the importance of having educated employees within the tourism industry and to inform about the importance of tourism for the local economy. Could it possibly be that the reason to why the islanders aren’t smiling for the tourists, is due to them not seeing enough benefit from tourism? How involved are the locals in the monitoring of tourism on Tenerife?

Read the article in full in Swedish here.

Filed Under: News, Responsible Tourism comment Tagged With: community, education, monitoring, tourism

Should conservation use the McDonalds philosophy?

July 1, 2014 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Fuleco the World Cup mascotThe Guardians Sustainable Living Hub report how the World Cup mascot Fuleco fails to promote ecology and conservation in a recent article.

“There were high hopes that Brazil’s World Cup mascot would create awareness around the country’s biodiversity challenges, but he hasn’t hit the mark.”

This worldwide event has the opportunity to raise awareness and with the mascots popularity amongst kids, Fuleco should promote environmentalism.

“We live in a world where everyone tries to manipulate us – the conservation community needs to promote conservation using the same media tools that are used by others to promote the overuse of resources that are degrading habitats and driving extinction of so many species.”

Is it right to use the McDonalds philosophy, to manipulate the kids for a good cause?

Filed Under: News, Responsible Tourism comment Tagged With: biodiversity, Brazil, communication, sustainable living, World Cup

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