Sea, surcharge and sun
Born in the 60s with the democratization of paid vacations, mass tourism was initially a social victory. But this model, based on the accessibility of low-cost flights and the standardization of holidays, has saturated certain destinations. Today, 80% of international tourist flows are concentrated in just 10% of locations (UNWTO, 2019). In Venice, there are up to 100,000 tourists for every 50,000 inhabitants on a peak day. In Barcelona, short-term rentals are driving up rents, forcing locals out of their neighborhoods. The tourist industry is also responsible for overexploitation of water, loss of biodiversity and massive waste production. That's 8% of global GHG emissions, including transport, buildings and associated consumption (Nature Climate Change, 2018). In short...
Travel against the tide
Over the past fifteen years or so, a collective awareness has been growing. Slow tourism, which values slowness and proximity, is gaining in popularity. According to an OpinionWay study for ADEME (2023), 44% of French people say they would rather take the train than the plane, even if it means a longer journey. The Covid-19 pandemic has also been a trigger: many have rediscovered the joys of escapades less than 100 kilometers away...
Labels such as La Clef Verte (which certifies eco-responsible accommodation) or Accueil Paysan (which promotes agritourism and local encounters) are gaining notoriety. Platforms such as Greengo and FairMoove allow you to filter your vacations according to their carbon impact, local roots or car-free accessibility. And on the networks, the trend is also towards authenticity: cycling road trips, bivouacs, nights with local people. Slower-paced vacations, but richer in authenticity.
The world next door
Ok. You're convinced you want to go slow, but you don't know where to start? Here are three concrete ways to travel without burning up everything:
Sleep better: Greengo lists sober accommodation in France and Belgium, with committed hosts. Reduced carbon impact, local roots.
Move more slowly: by train (+23% by 2023 according to the SNCF), by bike (La Véloscénie, la Vélodyssée), or on foot (Chemins de Saint-Jacques, GR®).
Create links: vacation AMAPs, solidarity accommodation, participative workcamps, networks like TWAM (Travel With A Mission): travel becomes a meeting. And that changes everything.
🔍 Zoom on : Greengo, the Airbnb that decarbonizes your vacations
Greengo is a French platform that offers vacation accommodation in France and Belgium, with a strong criterion: low-carbon. Their goal? To promote a greener form of tourism, where people travel less far, in places that are on a human scale, often managed by committed hosts. Greengo also features an interactive map, advice on soft mobility and a no-holds-barred tone.
