The travel industry is heeding the call from an increasing number of travelers in quest of eco-friendly vacations by considerably raising the bar on sustainability initiatives. And all industry segments - hotels, cruise lines, tour operators and destinations - are getting into the act.
On the hotel front, large brands like Marriott International, Hyatt, Accor and Hilton are eliminating single-use plastics at properties around the world, among other things.
Palladium Hotel Group, which garnered the Travvy President's Award for Sustainable Tourism in February, is also eliminating single-use plastic on a global basis.
Additionally, EarthCheck recognized 15 hotels in the Palladium Hotel Group portfolio for their commitment to sustainability.
For the last 20 years, Four Seasons Resorts Maldives properties have featured the Marine Savers initiative, which rehabilitates and releases sea turtles back to the ocean and finds homes for non-releasable sea turtles, Maldivian clownfish and seahorses as an alternative to harvesting them from the wild.
At Banyan Tree, the company's ethos has long been tied to "building in harmony with nature and contributing to the growth and development of the community where each of our hotels are planted," the company said. Its Banyan Tree Foundation has educated more than 4,000 children in Asia, Africa and Mexico.
In all, the company logged 25,000 volunteer hours, with its associates spending 47,299 hours to support communities and the environment.
Additionally, upward of one million trees have been planted since 2007.
Similarly, Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas weaves environmental programs into the fabric of each of its properties.
At the company's Cardamon Tented Camp in Cambodia, sustainability efforts include protecting forests that have been devastated by illegal loggers, poachers and sand dredgers.
"At Anantara, we not only ensure we do the right thing for the environment but always look for ways to engage the guests, to make them part of our sustainability efforts," said John Roberts, the company's group director of sustainability and conservation.
Cruise lines are doing their part on the sustainability front as well. Major companies like Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Costa Cruises all have sustainability initiatives in place.
On a more granular level, Oceania Cruises now features still and sparkling VERO Water on its vessels. All suites and staterooms, restaurants and bars are stocked with refillable and reusable VERO Water decanters
Crystal has partnered with Caudalie, a French skincare company, to provide bath amenities for its fleet. Caudalie products are free of parabens, phenoxyethanol, mineral oils, sodium laureth sulfate, synthetic coloring agents and animal-based ingredients.
On the tour front, Big Five Tours & Expeditions introduced SafariTours.com, a sustainable travel website, and G Adventures was one of the winners of GLP Films' Best Sustainable Tourism Films for 2020.
Natural Habitat Adventures, believed to be a completely carbon neutral operator, partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to create the July "Zero Waste Adventure," which will consolidate the waste from the trip into a compact container, which will virtually eliminate the need to send it to a landfill or incinerator.
Wilderness Scotland introduced the "Big Picture Rewilding Retreat program, which immerses travelers in destinations that are in the midst of natural revitalization."
Destinations are also making strides on the sustainability front.
New York City and Auckland, New Zealand created a tourism pact that puts the spotlight on leading global change around economic, environmental and social sustainability and sustainable and responsible tourism.
And, last summer, Dubrovnik and CLIA signed a memorandum of understanding to join forces in an effort to preserve and protect the cultural heritage of Dubrovnik through responsible tourism management policies.
One thing is abundantly clear: the industry is trying to keep pace - and in some cases staying one step ahead - of today's trends.
Booking.com research corroborates the fact that sustainability issues are top-of-mind with the traveling public. Its research found that sustainability was important to nearly seven in 10 U.S. travelers (69 percent).
It also found that six in 10 of respondents (53 percent) were more determined to make sustainable choices when looking to travel again in the future.
Arguably, sustainability is an attractive proposition for travelers and travel companies.
As Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas Group Director of Sustainability and Conservation John Roberts said about the company's own sustainability efforts: "It's educational and meaningful, and the planet benefits too, so everyone wins."
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