Welcome to Curiosity Saves Travel!
Does travel need saving? Unsustainable and harmful travel can be destructive, exploiting local communities, degrading ecosystems, and contributing to climate change.
But, it doesn’t have to be that way.
I believe regenerative and sustainable travel can positively transform nature and vulnerable people. It is all our responsibility to take action to drive meaningful industry-wide change. Here at Curiosity Saves Travel and Curiosity Saves the Planet, I strive to bring you practical resources grounded in research, diverse opinions, and facts, without resorting to shaming.
As travelers, we can learn so much by opening ourselves to how different cultures connect with nature, (ethically) meeting new species in the wild, and seeing firsthand how wonderful our planet is and the people who call it home. In return, we must be respectful travelers and always strive to leave our destinations better than when we arrived and not worse off because of our presence.
Travel can get a bad rep for the airline industry’s carbon emissions, the exploitative practices of large, foreign-owned tour companies, and the wasteful and damaging behavior toward destinations. But, here at Curiosity Saves Travel, I truly believe that by opening ourselves to be curious about how we can be better travelers and learn from our destinations, we can come together to save travel.
Let’s Get Curious!
“Empowering the curious mind with knowledge to embrace travel behaviors that are kind to the planet and the people at our destinations while delivering more equitable economic benefits.”
RELIABLE
There is a lot of information about sustainable travel, and it’s hard to know who to trust. To cut through the greenwashing, I combine 15 years of experience in the travel industry with an MSc in environmental science and a thesis on travel and the environment.
SHAME FREE
Addressing problematic travel behaviors is important, but I don’t believe in harassment or shaming. I’m still learning alongside you. I try to be open to understanding the nuances of travel and different people’s backgrounds. This is a safe space on your journey.
EDUCATIONAL
I love sharing what I learned about ecology in school as I bridge the gap between travel and the environment. The path to a more regenerative future starts with more informed, empowered travelers making conscious choices and thinking critically in ways that benefit themselves and the communities we visit.
Our Commitment to Equitable Tourism and Learning
I acknowledge that the negative impacts of tourism primarily fall on marginalized communities, with many of tourism’s benefits in the pockets of large multinational companies. I am committed to changing my behavior to drive change in the broader tourism industry and create an industry that protects and upholds cultures and the natural environment while delivering equitable benefits. I also understand that some of the foundations of sustainable tourism are rooted in racist ideals, i.e., flight shaming when most of the world does not have access to fast and affordable public transportation or passing 100% of the blame to individual travelers while ignoring the role large corporations play in detrimental tourism.
Our job is to do our best with the resources at hand. I am committed to being a more conscious and aware traveler. As much as I hope you learn from me, I can learn from you. I am not perfect, and I am always willing to learn and build better habits.
I aim to feature and pay diverse writers within the sustainable tourism industry. Additionally, when I travel, I seek ways to support BIPOC and women-owned businesses.
People and Planet Over Profit
While Curiosity Saves Travel is monetized, I aim to educate and drive change. I prioritize people and the planet over profit where I am able. To help me on this journey, I aim to be selective with the companies I choose to work with. Through rigorous research, I strive to work only with companies and destinations that uphold my mission to follow responsible practices that do not cause outsized damage to the natural environment and the surrounding communities. Relentless tourism growth for the sake of the economy at the cost of the environment and human well-being is not sustainable. I aim to prioritize positive impact above all.
MEET SOME OF OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Most of the content on the site is published by me, Susanna Kelly-Shankar. While I always strive to create balanced content to help people make decisions that are right for them, I’m also here to learn. I would love to feature your voice and expertise on my website. Read more details on how to pitch a guest post. I have a small budget for quality, ethical, and researched content.
