Transport & technology news articles from the responsible tourism industry including new flight regulations, lower carbon transport and the environmental effects of cruise liners.
Green skies or green wash?
Several airlines, together responsible for about 15 per cent of total commercial jet fuel use, have committed this week to a more sustainable future, pledging to make positive steps toward developing biofuel use. However, earlier this year a highly-publicised Virgin Atlantic flight using a small proportion of biofuel was dismissed by leading environmental groups as "high-altitude greenwash".
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Rail journeys on track for record bookings in 2009
Booking trends show that Brits are looking for alternatives to travelling by road and air. Instead of fuel charge concerns and the credit crunch, Brits are now rediscovering the romance, ease and environmental friendly nature of rail travel. Travelsphere has reported a marked increase in bookings for rail holidays in 2008 and predicts that 2009 will be the year of the rail holiday, heralding a new era in train travel.
Read more on rail journeys
Cruise travel
You could be forgiven for thinking you would be saving on carbon emissions by taking a cruise instead of flying. But when looking at the statistics, it is clear that the environmental impact of taking a cruise is far worse in many ways... The stark reality is that cruise liners do have a significant ecological impact – one that has gone largely unnoticed in the global warming debate – and bring little or no benefit to the places they visit.
Read more on cruise travel
Air passenger duty
Changing the air passenger duty so it’s charged per flight rather than passenger makes sense. Previously if a plane took off with just one passenger it would attract a tiny duty but still emit large amounts of carbon. This way the airlines will be encouraged to fly fuller planes (which is good as fewer flights in total might be required). However, the industry is rightly annoyed that it’s paying vast sums under a so called ‘green tax’ and does not know what the money is being used for.
Read more on air passenger duty
Several airlines, together responsible for about 15 per cent of total commercial jet fuel use, have committed this week to a more sustainable future, pledging to make positive steps toward developing biofuel use. However, earlier this year a highly-publicised Virgin Atlantic flight using a small proportion of biofuel was dismissed by leading environmental groups as "high-altitude greenwash".
Read more on 
Booking trends show that Brits are looking for alternatives to travelling by road and air. Instead of fuel charge concerns and the credit crunch, Brits are now rediscovering the romance, ease and environmental friendly nature of rail travel. Travelsphere has reported a marked increase in bookings for rail holidays in 2008 and predicts that 2009 will be the year of the rail holiday, heralding a new era in train travel.
Read more on 
You could be forgiven for thinking you would be saving on carbon emissions by taking a cruise instead of flying. But when looking at the statistics, it is clear that the environmental impact of taking a cruise is far worse in many ways... The stark reality is that cruise liners do have a significant ecological impact – one that has gone largely unnoticed in the global warming debate – and bring little or no benefit to the places they visit.
Read more on 
Changing the air passenger duty so it’s charged per flight rather than passenger makes sense. Previously if a plane took off with just one passenger it would attract a tiny duty but still emit large amounts of carbon. This way the airlines will be encouraged to fly fuller planes (which is good as fewer flights in total might be required). However, the industry is rightly annoyed that it’s paying vast sums under a so called ‘green tax’ and does not know what the money is being used for.
Read more on 
