Adventure travel carbon credits: Do or Don't?

Just recently, a new survey, "The Role of Carbon Offsets in Adventure Travel," took place among a group of Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) tour operators. As you may have guessed by the title, it was an informal way to gather perceptions of offsetting carbon emissions within the adventure travel sphere. An industry, I might add, that has seemingly adopted earth-friendly policies whole-heatedly.

The results? Surprising.

"Some of the survey results were very revealing," reports Richard Edwards, NativeEnergy and veteran online travel expert. Just 51 percent of all respondents admitted they had a clear understanding of what carbon offsets were and how the voluntary offset market works. Yet when asked if they had a carbon offset program currently in place, an overwhelming 84% said they did not. However, 86% felt that the carbon offsets market could be a positive solution to the climate crisis.

I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised by the lack of industry knowledge in a topic that seems to be discussed daily in the news. If carbon offsets are a positive solution, then perhaps we should begin informing the tour operators we visit, utilize and speak to, to begin offering volunteer opt-in carbon offsets.

This way, guests aren't forced to burden the cost, they're merely informed of the option. In time, I imagine many tour operators will hop aboard in the name of climate change. For now, speak up and share your thoughts and opinions, with me, with the Web, with tour operators.