The travel sector is going to the worst crisis in living memory. By now, this is not news to anyone: it is common knowledge that, if there is one industry that has suffered as a result of the Covid crisis, it is ours. The travel restrictions imposed globally, as a result of the pandemic have brought it to a grinding halt with little hope of going back to normal any time soon. And yet not all crises are created equal. While tourism can hope for a rapid recovery once health risks are contained, the business-travel industry is facing a much wider and more complex problem. What the crisis has taught us, in fact, is that most activities can be carried out remotely, which has led many companies to question business-travel budgets, not only for economic reasons but also based on sustainability concerns. In fact, if this part of the industry is to have any hope of recovering, it will be essential for it to address the issue of its environmental impact, which has been put off for too long. While sustainable business travel is not unheard of and has been discussed to some extent, in Italy the debate has fallen somewhat behind the rest of the international community, amid more or less well-founded fears of increased costs or poor results. Yet, according to many, embracing an eco-friendly style of travel could be even easier in our country than elsewhere.
Cutting back on air travel has never been easier
One of the sore points to be addressed, in order to achieve sustainable business travel, is long-distance transport. We know that air travel has the highest environmental impact, particularly on long-haul flights, and yet we can’t seem to find an acceptable alternative. The good news is that Italy, as a relatively small country, allows for shorter flights and fewer stopovers than most Western countries. This means that, as long as business travel is limited to domestic destinations or to the nearest European countries, the environmental impact of the industry does not change dramatically and can still be considered sustainable compared to the world average.
Sustainable mobility is finally spreading in Italy too
Until recently it would have been unthinkable to suggest the use of alternative means of transport on a business trip. The accepted procedure was stepping out of the plane, getting into a taxi to reach the hotel, and then another taxi to reach a client’s office or a restaurant. In recent years, however, sustainable mobility has also become widespread in Italy, to the point that even high-end hotels have started offering their customers the option of using bicycles and electric scooters to visit the city. Car-sharing can also be considered an excellent option, but where this choice is seen as unsafe from the point of view of health and social distancing, it will still be possible to offer business travellers a wide range of options that make business travel sustainable without compromising comfort and style.
Choosing green hotels is the first step towards sustainable business travel
Another trend that is finally taking hold in Italy is that of eco-friendly hotels and resorts, which are striving to reduce their carbon footprint and environmental impact as much as possible. These structures rely on renewable energy (such as solar and wind power), optimise thermal insulation, reduce detergent consumption while favouring organic detergents, and often relying on local farms for fresh products to serve in their restaurants. Choosing one of these facilities is the best way to ensure the travellers’ comfort while safeguarding sustainability and minimising environmental impact.
Prefer digital over paper
Another small step worth taking to achieve sustainable business travel is the choice to go paperless. Tickets and travel itineraries don’t need to be printed out in this day and age, and neither do brochures, flyers, leaflets, schedules, and any other kind of travel information or time-management tool. Our hand-held devices can hold all of these materials – and many more – in a tidier and more sustainable way.
Is it possible to implement sustainable business travel in Italy too?
Planning an entirely sustainable business travel experience is still very difficult, but there is plenty even small businesses can do to improve on the sustainability of their travel plans. It is enough to implement even just some of these policies in the organisation of your business travel to start making a difference, especially if these virtuous behaviours are adopted on a large scale.