Climate Friendly Travel

Balancing Tourism with Marine Environmental Protection: Conversation with Patrizia Patti, Founder of Ecomarine Malta In this episode of the Climate Friendly Travel Podcast, host Ged Brown discusses with marine biologist, Patrizia Patti, the balance between marine conservancy and tourism. Patti is the founder of Ecomarine Malta, an organization aiming to increase awareness about marine ecosystems through tourism. Besides offering tours for educational purposes, Ecomarine Malta actively collects scientific data for use in marine biology research. Patrizia emphasizes the potential of tourism to work for conservation and discusses the significance of shared knowledge for increased awareness and purposeful travel. She believes that education and collaboration can make a significant impact on environmental conservation. 00:16 Meet Patrizia Patti: Marine Biologist and Founder of Ecomarine Malta 00:54 The Intersection of Marine Biology and Tourism 01:32 Patrizia's Journey and the Birth of Ecomarine Malta 02:24 The Importance of Marine Education and Awareness 04:05 Ecomarine Malta's Sustainable Marine Tours 06:41 The Role of Ecomarine Malta in Conservation and Tourism 09:55 The Impact of Ecomarine Malta's Tours 16:39 The State of Malta's Marine Environment 19:06 The Role of Tourism in Marine Conservation 20:39 Patrizia's Optimism for the Future of the Environment 22:32 The Power of Meaningful Travel 24:00 Conclusion and Invitation to Join Ecomarine Malta

Today I’m joined by Suzy Hutomo who is the Chair of Body Shop Indonesia and co-founder of Eco Tourism Bali. With a vision to ensure Bali is viewed as a Preferred Sustainable Tourism Destination, Eco Tourism Bali aims to put Bali as a sustainable tourism destination in the world by 2030 and to contribute on Achieving Climate Neutrality in Travel and Tourism by 2050. After meeting up with Suzy recently in Bali, I was keen to learn more about the work of Eco Tourism Bali to learn how they were progressing towards their goals.   And if you’d like to learn more about Eco Tourism Bali then please do visit: https://www.ecotourismbali.com   And you can join Suzy, Eco Tourism Bali and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com  That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Wira who is the Founder and Director of Five Pillars Experiences in Bali.  Wira founded Five Pillars in 2015 with the mission to curate inspiring and responsible travel experiences that celebrate the allure of rural communities, diverse cultures, and pristine natural environments in Bali and beyond. I was keen to learn more about the work of Five Pillars from Wira and took the opportunity when we met up in Bali recently to record this podcast live and in person. So there you have it. Huge thanks again to Wira for sharing his insights with us today and if you’d like to learn more about Five Pillars Experiences and see the wonderful work they are doing in local communities, then please do visit: https://fivepillarsexperiences.com/. And you can join Wira, Five Pillars Experiences and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com  That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Welcome to the Climate Friendly Travel Podcast, where each episode, we speak to the great and the good of the global travel and tourism industry to learn more about what they are doing to ensure that the principles of climate friendly travel are being advanced. I’m Ged Brown, your host for this week’s episode and for this first episode I’m delighted to be joined by the President and Founder of the Sunx Malta Programme, Professor Geoffrey Lipman. Professor Lipman has operated in the highest capacity at global travel organisations such as IATA, WTTC and the UNWTO.  In addition to his position at SunX Malta, he is currently the President of the ICTP and the Green Growth Travelism Institute (GGTI), as well as a Visiting Professor at Hasselt University, Belgium & the Victoria University Australia I caught up with Geoffrey on World Tourism Day this year to learn why Climate Friendly Travel is so vital right now and also to discuss some of the key challenges the movement is facing right now. If you’d like to find out more about how you can get involved in Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Programme, then please visit climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com When it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward is giant stride, when we all step together…

today I’m delighted to be joined by Marcus from Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge in Nepal.  Perched 1,000 feet above the Pokhara Valley with a spectacular Himalayan backdrop, Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge provides the essence of tranquillity. Ideal for guests pre- and post-trek, or for those wishing to take day walks exploring local communities, bird-watching, gentle exercise, or just to relax in a typical Nepalese rural setting.  Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge is a member of some select groups of the world’s most special regenerative tourism experiences including;  Secret Retreats, Rare, Earthchangers and Kiwano. The owners and staff believe in tourism with a conscience and are pioneers of regenerative tourism in Nepal’s hills and to validate their claims, they are independently verified by Yardstick UK. Additionally, they are certified by GSTC affiliate Travellife with Gold Standard Audits in 2017 and 2019. In this episode, Marcus shares their vision, journey and future direction for the Lodge. If you’d like to learn more about Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge then please do visit: https://tigermountainpokhara.com. And you can join Marcus, Tiger Mountain Lodge and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com

Today I’m delighted to be joined by Aoife O’Sullivan from Una Bambu in Sri Lanka. Una Bambu was established by Aoife and her partner Julien in 2019 following an intensive bamboo training with world-renowned developers IBUKU & Bamboo U in Bali, Indonesia, where they trained in receiving the hands-on knowledge required in working with bamboo as a construction material. Eager to bring that know-how to Sri Lanka, and addressing the rapidly growing market demands for ethical travel destinations, the company developed their UNA concept, a bamboo eco-hotel, designed in collaboration with award-winning design firm Atelier Nomadic. The mission for UNA is that it will act as a turning point for bamboo construction in Sri Lanka, showcasing the value of locally grown bamboos, and igniting the bamboo movement on the island. In this episode Aoife talks to me about the origins of Una, the plans for growth and why bamboo is one of the most ecological and wonderful materials which nature has bestowed on us. If you’d like to learn more about Una Bambu, and perhaps even get involved, then please do visit: https://unabambu.com. And you can join Aoife, Una Bambu and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com    That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today we're joined by Murray McCallum from Natural Selection in Southern Africa. Natural Selection offers remarkable experiences in wild, untouched places and they’re not your typical safari company. They are all about conservation first, proudly protecting Africa’s wild spaces for the future and care deeply about the communities which are the heart and soul of this wonderful continent.  In this episode I wanted to learn more from Murray about how Natural Selection foster multiple partnerships with other local organisations to be a force for good in the communities they operate in.  And if you’d like to learn more about Natural Selection, their ethos and indeed see the experiences they provide for yourself, then please do visit https://naturalselection.travel and also https://www.naturalselectionfoundation.org You can join Murray, Natural Selection and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com

Today’s episode was recorded live at the fabulous Distant Relatives Ecolodge & Backpackers in Kilifi, Kenya. With numerous awards and accolades to it’s name, I was keen to visit Distant Relatives after meeting up with today’s guest at the Sustainable Africa Tourism Summit recently.   We hear so many examples of high end luxury properties being super sustainable and regenerative and I’m mindful that there are far more travellers and indeed properties without high end budgets yet dedicated to more eco options. After a full tour of the property and a wonderful 2 night stay, I sat down with Distant Relatives’ CEO, Mwanase, to learn more about the property, their ethos and their journey. As you can probably tell, I was absolutely in love with what they have created here in this beautiful part of Kenya and I will absolutely return one day. If you’d like to learn more about Distant Relatives, then I would encourage you to visithttps://www.kilifibackpackers.com And you can join Mwanase, Distant Relatives and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com  That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today we're joined by Mary Njoroge from Emboo Camps.   Emboo River is positioned in the heart of Kenya's Maasai Mara and is the perfect spot to explore this spectacular ecosystem and spot all its wildlife.  At Emboo River guests can enjoy unique experiences, including silent safaris in solar powered vehicles, dinner under the stars, delicious meals with organic ingredients from their hydroponic farm prepared on biogas, rain showers overlooking nature and so much more. In this episode recorded recently in Kenya, I speak to Mary about how Emboo River Camp came to be one of the most respected and lauded sustainability projects in Kenya and more specifically, how they have achieved so much in such a relatively short space of time.   And if you’d like to learn more about Emboo River, then please do visit https://www.emboo.camp   You can join Mary, Emboo River and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com    That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today we're joined by Greg Bakunzi who is the Founder Red Rocks Rwanda.   Red Rocks Rwanda is an Ecotourism company and a social enterprise that is all about promoting sustainable tourism through community and conservation programs. They bring under-served communities into the tourism supply chain and support community development projects that help people to help themselves through various initiatives. With a variety of accommodation offered, Red Rocks cultural tourism scheme involves developing the community and promoting their nature preserve through tourism and enhancing intercultural exchange programs, between the host local community and visitors.    In this episode I speak to Greg about how he believes tourism, conservation, and community development can co-exist to make a truly responsible tourism offering.    And if you’d like to learn more about Red Rocks Rwanda, then please do visit https://www.redrocksrwanda.com   You can join Greg, Red Rocks Rwanda and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com    That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today we're delighted to be joined by Julie Cheetham who is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Weeva in South Africa.   Julie is one of tourism’s leading sustainability consultants with over 20 years of experience in sustainable development and business transformation. Having worked for a range of clients across the hospitality and corporate sectors, in 2021 Julie drew from her diverse insights and together with an initial group of thought leaders, established Weeva – a SaaS platform that enables the travel industry to adopt a measurable and holistic sustainability practice.   In this episode we speak to Julie about the origin story of Weeva, the challenges faced by her clients and the steps she recommends that every travel and tourism organisation can take to get started on their own sustainability pathway. And you can join Julie, Weeva and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com    That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today I’m delighted to be joined once more by Chalana Perera who is the Founder of RETRACE Hospitality in Sri Lanka. In this second episode, I talk to Chalana about the concept of capacity in tourism destinations. Do we know how many tourists we can safely welcome before there is a negative impact on the host community, the environment and the traveller experience.  We also discuss poverty, it’s role in climate resilience and how this links with the wider climate change crisis. Big issues and thought provoking discussions… My thanks again to Chalana for sharing his insights with us today and if you’d like to learn more about RETRACE Hospitality and the work they are doing in Sri Lanka then please do visit https://www.retracehospitality.com And you can join Chalana, RETRACE Hospitality and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SUNx Program at climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com    That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today I’m delighted to be joined by Chalana Perera who is the Founder of RETRACE Hospitality in Sri Lanka. RETRACE Hospitality is an advisory practice which works together with investors, developers and operators in the hospitality tourism space to bring more regenerative practices into the sector. In this first episode of two, I talk to Chalana about what it means when we talk about regenerative tourism, how is it conceptualised in Sri Lanka today, have things changed since the onset of the financial crisis in Sri Lanka last year and is slow travel replacing mass tourism in Sri Lanka? You can hear the second episode with Chalana next time where we delve into capacity studies as we try to establish just how many tourists can a destination safely accommodate before the experience becomes a negative one for the host community, the environment, and the travellers. For now, my thanks again to Chalana for sharing his insights with us today and if you’d like to learn more about RETRACE Hospitality and the work they are doing in Sri Lanka then please do visit https://www.retracehospitality.com And you can join Chalana, RETRACE Hospitality and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SUNx Program at climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com    That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today I’m delighted to be joined by Prerna Pasad who is the Founder of Ecoplore in India. Ecoplore is an aggregator of hotels in India which all have one thing in common. They are all built from natural materials such as mud, wood, stone, bamboo or any other natural and locally sourced materials. And they are all wonderfully charming.   In this episode I spoke with Prerna about how she transitioned her desire to change the world from being a journalist to becoming India’s champion of sustainable accommodation.  It’s a wonderful and inspiring story.  And if you’d like to learn more about Ecoplore and indeed see "Van Bhoj" for yourself, then please do visit https://www.ecoplore.com You can join Prerna, Ecoplore and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SUNx Program at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com    That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today we have a special episode for you after my visit last week to Kenya where I met up with Kenya’s former Minister for Tourism and Wildlife, Najib Balala.  Najib has served as Kenya’s Minister for Tourism and Wildlife since 2008 and is credited to having led the development and implementation of Wildlife policy in 2020, the National Wildlife Strategy 2030 and the National Tourism Blueprint 2030, as well as the conducting of the first National Wildlife Census in Kenya in 2021.  In this episode I speak to Najib about the state of sustainable tourism in Kenya, what has been achieved so far and what more there is yet to do. Huge thanks to Najib for taking the time from his busy schedule to share his insights with us today.  We’ll share some more podcasts from our Kenyan travels in the coming weeks so do look out for those. And you can join hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com  Remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today I’m joined by Victoria Erasmus who is the Owner Director of Glen Mhor Hotel & Apartments located in the heart of Inverness. Victoria is relentless.  We have been privileged to speak to many industry experts, hotel owners and managers over the years but Victoria is something else. In this episode Victoria tells us how they are not yet a finished product but instead working on changing the mindsets of all their staff as they figure out the best way forward and how they can address the climate emergency in a meaningful way.  Last year Victoria and the team opened Scotland's First Water Source Energy Centre which extracts the heat from shallow wells on their site allowing them to have their own water source along with providing all heating and will remove all gas from their site over the next year.  This £8 million pound project is located at the back of their new brewery and distillery Uile-Bheist (pronounced Ewl-Uh-Vhest and means monster in Gaelic).  Uile-Bheist was built with sustainability at its core.  Heated by their own energy, using water from their own source and solar PV for energy - making it one of the lowest carbon footprint brewstillerys in the country. With a robust green policy, green team and climate action plan, Victoria and the team are clearly determined to do things the right way.                                                       And if you’d like to learn more about Glen Mhor and their ethos and indeed see the property for yourself, then please do visit www.glen-mhor.com   You can join Victoria, Glen Mhor  and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Program at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com  That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today I’m delighted to be joined by Hylton Lipkin who is the General Manager of Alba Wellness Valley in Vietnam. Set at the foot of the Truong Son Mountains, spanning over 50 hectares of lush gardens and pristine lakes, is Alba Wellness Resort by Fusion. The nature-inspired destination which combines rest, relaxation and the healing qualities of Thanh Tan hot springs to form a quiet respite just 30 kilometres north from Hue.The wellness resort features 30 Deluxe Rooms and 20 Bungalows. Surrounded by manicured gardens with calming waters and tranquil bamboo paths, guests can embrace a holistic lifestyle while lounging by the pool bar, enjoying massage and spa services and rejuvenating in the onsite Japanese onsen baths.  With a long and illustrious career in the global hospitality industry, Hylton who is from South Africa, eventually settled in Vietnam at the Alba Wellness Resort where he clearly takes immense pride in the holistic wellness and sustainable approach which they have become renowned for in recent years.   In this episode I speak to Hylton about the essence of what makes Alba Wellness Valley so special. And if you’d like to learn more about Alba Wellness Valley and their ethos and indeed see the property for yourself, then please do visit fusionhotelgroup.com/albawellnessvalley And you can join Hylton, Alba Wellness Valley and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com    Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today I’m joined by Kyle Taylor from Eco Lifestyle Lodge in Barbados. Tucked away on the hills overlooking the dramatic seascape of the Bajan east coast, ECO Lifestyle + Lodge is the realized dream of New York native Kyle & his partner Maryam, who traded the hustle of city life for a slower, more meaningful pace when they moved to Barbados several years ago. With their young family in tow, they’ve firmly established themselves in the local community. With numerous awards already won for their eco endeavours, Kyle tells me how they established themselves as the number 1 eco resort on Barbados. And if you want to be truly inspired, I highly urge you to check out their Eco Sky Water project which just might be the solution to water shortages around the world very soon – it’s truly incredible. If you’d like to learn more about the Eco Lifestyle Lodge and their ethos and indeed see the property for yourself, then please do visit ecolifestylelodge.com And you can join Kyle, Eco Lifestyle Lodge and hundreds more like-minded people and organisations by joining Climate Friendly Travel and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today I’m delighted to be joined by Debra Branker from Welchman Hall Gully in Barbados. Welchman Hall Gully is a glittering jewel set in the heart of Barbados. One and a half kilometres long and 20 metres deep, this is a mature tropical forest located in a collapsed cave which is now defined as a gully. This pristine, tropical hideaway is the home to wild monkeys, majestic rainforest trees and delicate native plants and it is truly a place where visitors come to be at one with nature and the earth. I caught up with Debra to learn more about the Gully and find out what makes it so special. And if you’d like to learn more about Welchman Hall Gully, then please do visit welchmanhallgullybarbados.com And you can join Debra, Welchman Hall Gully and hundreds more like-minded individuals and organisations like by joining the Climate Friendly Travel movement and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…

Today I’m delighted to be joined by Joana Saavedra who is the Co-Founder of BamBu Bicycles. Joana and her brother Tiago had always dreamed of working together on an inspiring project. But it never crossed their minds that this opportunity would happen while living and working in China in 2018. There, they became dazzled with bamboo, its astonishing benefits and all the possibilities to build anything with this beautiful and sustainable material. When they first discovered bamboo bicycles, they became amazed by their unique appearance, beautiful design, light weight and comfort to ride. Instantly, they fell in love with the idea of crafting their own bamboo bikes and being the first bike builders of these wonderful bikes in their home country of Portugal. Inspired by the initiatives of INBAR to promote the economic, social and environmental benefits of these power plants, they decided to put their hands to work and bring to life their own bamboo bike company. Since then, they’ve been crafting and refining their products with heart and soul to bring out the best bamboo bicycles nature can give. I caught up with Joana to learn more about these amazing bicycles and just how and why they came up with such an incredible and novel concept. Huge thanks again to Joana for sharing her insights with us today, and if you’d like to learn more about BamBu Bicycles, then please do visit bambu-bicycles.com And you can join Joana, Bambu Bicycles and hundreds more like-minded individuals and organisations like by joining the Climate Friendly Travel movement and indeed become an ambassador by signing up to join The SunX Registry at , climatefriendly.travel or email us at info@thesunprogram.com That’s our show for this week. Thanks so much for your company and remember, when it comes to Climate Friendly Travel, every small step forward, is giant stride when we all step together…