The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) would like you to meet "Sustainable Suzie," the star of its new comic book, which promotes responsible travel.
"By day, she's a USTOA tour operator guide named Susan who provides tips for travelers as well as examples of destinations and travel companies that are adopting workable, sustainable practices to ensure there is a world to explore for future generations," the organization said.
"Meanwhile, her alter-ego Suzie battles with the villains determined to contaminate the planet."
USTOA has long advocated for sustainable tourism and held its first Sustainability is Responsibility Summit with Visit Norway in Bodo, Norway this past May.
"Traveling sustainably means being aware of the impact of tourism on the environment and the communities we visit, and our goal for the comic book is to break down barriers travelers might have to understanding that even small steps can make a big difference," said USTOA President and CEO Terry Dale.
"While a comic might seem unorthodox, Sustainable Suzie conveys the core messages of responsible travel with humor, a much more digestible way to understand the issues, the stakes, and the solutions."
In the comic book, which emphasizes the need to protect natural reserves and cultural resources, Tour Guide Susan leads a small group of travelers to such committed to sustainable tourism, such as Korea, Tenerife and Norway.
"The storyline artfully uses classic comic book tropes - superhero defeats villains - to illustrate that sustainable travel is about choices," USTOA said.
"Awareness is key," Dale said. "And that's the purpose behind Sustainable Suzie, to make 'sustainability' approachable and achievable so that we can all make responsible travel decisions that respect the places and people we visit, leave a smaller footprint, and, most importantly, do no harm."
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