Eco-Tourism Travel Guide, Eco-Tourism Vacation & Travel Tips on Orbitz

Introduction to Eco-Tourism

Orbitz is committed to protecting Planet Earth, by helping raise environmental awareness and by making it easier to be an eco-friendly traveler.

Find Hotels that have earned the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® for using nearly 40 percent less energy than average buildings and emitting 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Reserve a hybrid rental car.
Offset flight-related carbon emissions through our partner Carbonfund.org.
Find out what you can do to save the oceans with oceana.org.
Volunteer to help clean one of America's national parks.

So think green when you plan your next trip, and make every day of your journey an Earth Day.

Eco-Friendly Hotels

Start considering an eco-friendly hotel when you travel. Many lodging properties use wind and solar power as energy sources or purchase only environmentally-friendly products, such as "green" detergents for linens and soaps. Hotels around the world are doing their part to help you minimize your impact on the environment on your next trip. Based on Orbitz' research, we think these hotels deserve some recognition.

Check out our growing list of "green" hotels:

Find hotels by location

Eco-Friendly Hotels Criteria

The Fairmont San Jose

Gaia Napa Valley Hotel

Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco

Eco-Friendly Hotel Criteria:

Use a natural source of energy(i.e. wind, water, solar, bio-fuel)

Use environmentally-friendly and safe products (i.e. detergents for linens, soaps, shampoos, etc.)

Contribute $$ from each hotel reservation to an environmental organization

Use of energy conserving devices(i.e. eco-friendly light fixtures/bulbs triggered by motion detectors, water-saving devices, water filtration systems and air filtration/purifiers)

Earned the ENERGY STAR®

Orbitz is proud to recognize hotels that have earned the ENERGY STAR, indicating that they are among the top 25% of facilities in the country for energy performance. Click here for more information about the ENERGY STAR program www.energystar.gov.

Hotels interested in learning how to track energy performance and the related carbon emissions should visit ENERGY STAR's easy-to-use Portfolio Manager tool at https://www.energystar.gov/istar/pmpam/.

Achieved LEED® Certification

Orbitz is proud to recognize hotels that have achieved LEED certification, third-party verification by the U.S. Green Building Council that a facility is built or operated for improved environmental performance, including water and energy efficiency, sustainable purchasing and waste management, reduced pollution, and healthier indoor air quality. Hotels interested in pursuing LEED certification should visit www.usgbc.org/leed or www.usgbc.org/hospitality.

Top Eco-Friendly Destinations

New Zealand

Forest Walk- Whirinaki

Photo credit: Hiroshi Nameda

Enviro Logo

Content supplied by Tourism New Zealand

In New Zealand you can experience landscapes so unique, they’ve been internationally recognized as irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Around 30 percent of New Zealand is protected conservation land; therefore it is not surprising that the country attracts large numbers of overseas visitors to come play. New Zealand is committed to destination preservation, and embraces the values of manaakitanga (hospitality) and katiaakitanga (guardianship), welcoming everyone to experience and discover its unique and precious natural heritage. Be sure to look for the Qualmark Green logo at accommodation, transport and activity providers – this represents their environmental and social commitment along with general quality indicators.

“New Zealanders are people of the coast, forest and mountains.It’s part of our cultural imprint and we are leaders in nature conservation worldwide.”

(Hugh Logan, Director General of Department of Conservation)

Chicago

Chicago is a leader of the environmental movement, and we have the national and international awards to show for it. We incorporate environmentally friendly technologies, including green roofs, in new public buildings and we encourage private developers to do the same. Mayor Daley has organized U.S. and Canadian mayors to preserve and protect the Great Lakes. You'll want to enjoy our landscaped streets and visit our parks, nature conservatories, bird sanctuaries and green markets.

Get more ecotourist information at ExploreChicago.org

Eco-Travel Tips

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Making big contributions to the environment on your own can seem overwhelming, but there are plenty of simple things any traveler can do to make a difference when you’re on the road.

If your hotel doesn’t already have motion sensor in the room, remember to turn off the lights and lower the air conditioner when you leave your room for the day.

After reading your daily newspaper, drop it in a recycle bin in your hotel.

If going on a business trip or traveling with friends, carpool or take public transportation to and from the airport.

When you check out of your hotel, remember to return your hotel key cards to the front desk for reuse.

When booking your travel opt for electronic tickets instead of paper tickets when possible.

Feature Article

By Jason Sumner, Special Reporter to the Away Network

Making Your Next Vacation Eco-Friendly: Tips and Advice

To anyone who ever questioned tourism’s global impact, consider this: According to the International Ecotourism Society, if tourism were a country it would have the second largest economy, eclipsed only by the United States. In 2004, there were 760 million tourist arrivals worldwide and that number is projected to reach 1.56 billion by 2020. Not surprisingly, something as trivial as a disposable plastic water bottle in the hands of every tourist has a profound effect on the planet.

That doesn’t mean you have to spend your hard-earned vacation days in the backyard lounge chair to be environmentally conscious. But for people looking to take an eco-friendly vacation, there are lots of ways to minimize your impact. You can start by packing a reusable water bottle, and while you’re at it toss in some soap and shampoo. (All those hotel mini-bottles add up.)

Orbitz is proud to be working with its partners at Carbonfund.org, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization. Carbonfund.org offsets travelers CO2 emissions by supporting viable renewable energy development, re-forestation projects and other initiatives focused on turning back the clock on global climate change.

Click here for more information on how you can donate to Carbonfund.org.

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National Parks

Ever want to clean a trail or volunteer to help preserve our nation’s most cherished environmental and historical treasures? Make sure to visit the volunteer section of the National Parks website and give back to our national parks today!

Check out National Parks destinations at Orbitz! Learn more
Looking for additional volunteer opportunities? Learn more

Orbitz Eco-Tourism Travel Partner

One Square Inch of Silence

Experience the sights and sounds of pure nature with acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton in Olympic National Park, the quietest spot on Earth.

The Green List

The best in sustainable travel, from Africa’s new safari camp to fuel-efficient jets to a float down Chile’s threatened Río Baker. (From Outside Magazine)