How a travel platform allows travelers to book trips with carbon offsets

For those of us who travel often, a persistent question arises — how can we travel sustainably when the act of traveling itself seems to contradict that goal?

In the United States, commercial domestic flights contribute about 4% of total greenhouse gas emissions, while the travel sector as a whole generates between 8% and 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with a significant portion originating from the U.S.

The online travel booking platform Bookmundi believes it has discovered a solution to this challenge by automatically offsetting the carbon emissions produced by every tour booked on its site.

On their website, you can explore over 15,000 tours and package trips spanning more than 138 countries, including destinations like Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Australia, and India. Bookmundi offers users the option to book private, group, and customized tours organized by over 1,500 local and international travel operators and experts worldwide.

Additionally, the company has recently introduced a twofold initiative that enables travelers to monitor the environmental impact of their planned trips in real time, utilizing data that calculates carbon emissions per person for the entire journey, factoring in accommodations, transport, meals, and other activities.

"This initiative aims to make travel more environmentally aware and appealing to eco-conscious consumers," states the Copenhagen-based platform, which hopes to inspire travelers to consider carbon offsets for their journeys by at least reflecting on the greenhouse gases they contribute, both directly and indirectly.

"Everyone has a role to play in addressing climate change, including booking platforms and marketplaces," said Bookmundi CEO and founder Rasmus Juul-Olsen in a statement. "Ideally, since the travel sector represents a significant share of CO2 emissions, it should not be permissible to sell a tour without including a carbon offset."

Moreover, Bookmundi invests in carbon-reduction projects globally to counterbalance the carbon dioxide emissions generated by trips.

"Some of these initiatives include planting eight million trees in Colombia, funding conservation efforts in the Peruvian Amazon, building wind turbines in India, and developing solar energy in Turkey to replace fossil fuels," the statement noted.

What sets its efforts apart is the added accountability placed on the company — essentially a public commitment to back up its promises with action.

"As a traveler, you won’t incur any extra charges since the carbon offset is included in the price of each trip," the CEO explained. "Customers now have the option to choose trips that are already carbon neutral."

However, sustainable travel does come with a cost. In reviewing available trips, I discovered options ranging from $500 to $2,000, depending on the destination and duration of stay. It’s an endeavor the company, founded in 2015, believes justifies the expense.

Collective action from the entire tourism industry will be essential for making a substantial difference.

"The industry has been slow to respond," Juul-Olsen remarked. "The positive aspect is that we are nearing a future where tour operators, travel booking platforms, and essentially all providers of tourism services must shift towards sustainable options, not just to fight climate change but also to stay competitive and ensure their survival as businesses."