Five Individuals Transforming Our Approach to Sustainable Travel

The Dinogo Global Vision Awards recognize and celebrate individuals, organizations, destinations, and companies making significant progress in creating more sustainable and responsible travel experiences. These honorees not only showcase thought leadership and innovative solutions but also take measurable actions to safeguard communities and ecosystems worldwide. Additionally, they motivate industry peers and travelers to contribute positively.

While our Global Vision Awards predominantly feature nonprofits, collectives, companies, and institutions, no organization can thrive without its people. Over the past year, we’ve witnessed how one voice can inspire change through social media, activism, and unwavering determination. Greta Thunberg, named Time’s Person of the Year for 2019, stands out as a prominent sustainability advocate, and we’re proud to include her among our honorees. We also wish to highlight other leaders who are making their voices heard in their fields. — T+L Editors

Daniela Fernandez

Growing up in Ecuador during the 1990s, Daniela Fernandez enjoyed the pristine, chilly waters of the Pacific Ocean. Years later, while attending a UN environmental meeting as a first-year student at Georgetown, she realized the dire state of the oceans. She learned about collapsing marine ecosystems, dying reefs, acidification, and rising temperatures. Noticing she was the youngest attendee, she took action. Within months, at the age of 19, she founded the Sustainable Ocean Alliance, a nonprofit aimed at educating her peers about ocean issues and empowering them to make a difference. The SOA global network connects leaders under 35 to create economically sustainable initiatives that enhance ocean health. Its accelerator program has supported nearly twenty marine tech startups with seed funding and guidance, including Loliware, which produces disposable straws and cups from seaweed-based bioplastic.

Greta Thunberg

Through her compelling speeches and adept use of social media, climate activist Greta Thunberg has inspired numerous young activists and, importantly, highlighted the urgent need for environmental action from global governments.

The impact of this global movement on the travel industry is undeniable, particularly in Thunberg's own homeland, where European passenger-rail companies have recorded unprecedented profits in recent years. However, Thunberg believes this is just the beginning. Her goal is to foster a united international initiative to combat carbon emissions and climate change. She is also focused on social equity, advocating for improved living conditions in developing nations and addressing environmental issues that could have lasting consequences for future generations. "What we do or don't do right now will affect my entire life, and the lives of my children and grandchildren," Thunberg stated at the TEDx Stockholm conference in 2018. "What we do or don't do right now is something my generation can't reverse in the future."

Thunberg recognizes the importance of leading by example, yet she acknowledges that she cannot effect change alone. It is essential for each of us to make informed travel choices and collectively encourage our political and business leaders to strive for better practices as well.

President Thomas Remengesau, Jr.

Under Remengesau’s innovative leadership, Palau, an archipelago of 340 islands in the western Pacific, has emerged as a leader in marine conservation. His government has prohibited single-use plastics, banned harmful chemicals in sunscreens that damage reefs, and limited the runoff of agricultural pollutants into the ocean. This year, Palau created a marine sanctuary to protect the majority of its waters, an expanse greater than the state of California.

Palau is particularly susceptible to rising sea levels, and Remengesau has been a vocal advocate urging global leaders to confront the climate crisis. “Our environment dictates our health. Our environment shapes our economy,” he remarked in 2016 at Palau’s inaugural conservation symposium. “Our environment is foundational to our cultural heritage and identity.”

Charles Carlow

The recent bushfires that ravaged large areas of Australia underscored the increasing vulnerability of the country’s fragile ecosystems and emphasized the significance of environmental initiatives like those championed by Charles Carlow and his Australian safari company, Wild Bush Luxury. This is exemplified by Arkaba Station, a Wild Bush eco-lodge situated on a 60,000-acre reserve in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges, which remained untouched by the fires. Arkaba allocates a minimum of 2 percent of its lodge revenues to conservation efforts, including a program aimed at relocating thousands of invasive feral cats, goats, and foxes, as well as replanting native species that provide vital habitats for vulnerable wildlife such as the yellow-footed rock wallaby on the property. Guests at Arkaba can even engage in conservation activities by assisting with land surveys and establishing wildlife monitoring systems, including camera traps.

Julia Jackson

"I urge you to become stewards of the earth," Julia Jackson addressed the 250 attendees at the inaugural Grounded Summit in Sonoma, California, last April. "We must collaborate and act swiftly. Your mission? Spread the message and get grounded."

While there are many conferences focused on climate change, the Grounded Summit stands out due to the Kendall-Jackson wine heiress’s unique ability to gather diverse and sometimes unconventional voices in one space. The eclectic lineup included venture capitalists investing in eco-innovative technologies, indigenous leaders opposing Big Oil in the Amazon, Arctic ice researchers, and prominent foundation executives.

A key topic of discussion was the global surge in wildfires, a matter that became personal shortly after. In October, the Kincade fire ravaged Sonoma County, destroying the Jackson family vineyards and her Geyserville home. However, this loss only strengthened her determination. Later this year, she plans to host the second Grounded Summit in wine country, themed "Accelerate and Connect."