New Sustainable Travel Podcast
- Green Traveller
- 11 minutes ago
- 6 min read
The Green Traveller Digest
Welcome to my latest round up of news, features and comments on green travel. This newsletter is written by me, Richard Hammond, the founder of Green Traveller. If you'd like to receive the newsletter by email, please subscribe here.
Editorial:
I'm thrilled to launch a new podcast — It’s a Journey: a sustainable travel podcast that I'm co-hosting with my former colleague and sustainable travel expert Holly Tuppen.
The series is for those who work in the travel and tourism industry, and dives into the future of sustainable travel through candid conversations with leading voices across the industry as well as guests from other sectors.
Born out of a frustration with a lack of platforms to share B2B solutions-focused and actionable storytelling around sustainability topics, each episode of It’s a Journey tackles the uncomfortable, complex, and often overlooked questions facing the travel industry as it strives to have a better impact on people and places.
Our first episode is about communicating sustainability: Don’t mention the S word – Should you shout about your sustainability actions?
Featuring guests Denise Hicks, Climate Lead for C Space and Xavier Font, Professor of Sustainability Marketing at the University of Surrey, it tackles the nuanced and constantly evolving world of sustainability comms.
Have a listen wherever you like to get your podcasts (Spotify, Apple etc), or use the link via the website itsajourney.fm
Please do subscribe so you can find out when the next episodes drop.
Huge thanks to the brilliant team at Lemongrass which is sponsoring the podcast. Lemongrass is a B Corp PR and content agency for travel brands whose clients are tour operators, destinations and hotels.
Green Travel News
Flight-Free Travel Surges
New search trend data shows that interest in train holidays is up 72% year-on-year, "with a clear upward trajectory for 2025".
According to Global Work & Travel, the demand for flight-free European escapes is being driven "by a perfect storm of eco-awareness, TikTok-fuelled sleeper train hype, and a renewed love for slow travel".
“There’s been a major shift in how young people especially want to travel,” says Jessie Chambers, travel expert at Global Work & Travel.
“Trains are no longer just a means to an end – they’re part of the adventure. From the views to the stopovers, it’s a more mindful way to move through Europe.”
SailLink launches passenger sail route across The Channel
A new cross-channel operator is hoping to capitalise on the growing trend for low carbon travel. SailLink is a fast catamaran sailing vessel "specifically for foot passengers, cycle tourists and small groups looking for a unique travelling experience with sustainable credentials." The catamaran is 17m (56ft) long by 9m (30ft) wide and takes about four and a half hours (depending on the weather) to cross between Dover and Boulogne-sur-Mer. The catamarans can take up to 12 passengers and 12 bikes at a time. Passport checks are made at the departure pontoon. The journey costs from €88 per adult per crossing.
Sweden's Göta Canal Trail Awarded Cycle Route of the Year 2025
Sweden's Scenic Göta Canal Cycle Route has been awarded Cycle Route of the Year 2025 at Fiets- en Wandelbeurs, the annual cycling and hiking fair in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
The route is divided into seven stages so cyclists can plan shorter trips and complete the entire route at their own pace. A significant portion of the trail runs along a car-free towpath, offering a peaceful and safe cycling experience through breathtaking landscapes, past tranquil lakes, historic locks, and charming canal-side towns such as Töreboda, Karlsborg, and Motala.
New hiking routes in Ibiza and Galicia, Spain
Seven new trails have been added to Galicia’s Senderos Azules network. Located in the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra, the new trails include a mix of circular coastal routes with views of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as scenic paths near some of the region’s most iconic rivers, "offering hikers a chance to explore one of Spain’s lesser-known natural treasures".
Ibiza also has seven new hiking routes, opening up more of the island’s diverse landscapes and heritage to visitors. All seven hiking routes will be classified as Pequeños Recorridos (small tours), ranging between 10 and 50 km in length. Designed to showcase the untamed beauty of Ibiza's countryside, each route aims to offers "a unique hiking experience, from ancient paths to panoramic coastal vistas". Hikes include the Ruta de Cala Xarraca, a 14.2km route that first leads through through woods and mountains, before passing through the ‘Font des Avencs’ where historically each summer they would perform typical dances. Another new route is the Ruta des Camí Vell de Portinatx, a circular route passing through valleys and small mountains via old walkways to the town of Portinatx.
FlixBus Launches New Service and Destinations For Edinburgh and Glasgow
Coach provider FlixBus is next week launching a new multi-stop bus service to Scotland between Edinburgh and Glasgow. New stops, including Princes Street, Haymarket Station, Edinburgh Zoo, Corstorphine Drum Brae, Ratho Station and Newhouse, will be available for passengers on the FlixBus network.
From 7 July, departing every 30 – 35 minutes throughout the day, the route will connect key locations including Livingston, Harthill, and Edinburgh's West End, offering passengers more convenient travel options.
Tickets on the route start at £3.49, while travel is completely free on the FlixBus Scotland network for Young Scots under 22, over 60s with a bus pass and anyone with a valid National Entitlement Card (NEC) when simply hopping on a service. Tickets booked online include a £1 booking fee.
Andreas Schorling, Senior Managing Director of FlixBus UK, said: “The launch of this route marks the next phase of our growth journey in Scotland, providing a service tailored to the needs of local people, offering a fantastic customer experience through our constant focus on passengers.
“Adding these destinations will bring convenient, frequent FlixBus journeys to those living outside of city centres, perfect for everyone from commuters to university students and day trips.”
In case you missed it...
Renfe introduces Spain Rail Pass
Renfe has introduced its Spain Rail Pass, offering a tailored experience to visitors looking to optimise their time and budget. The Spain Rail Pass is personal and non-transferable, requiring proof of identity with a passport and will be valid for six months from the date of purchase. It will allow travel within one month after the first booking. The pass will provide access to all High-Speed services including the use of commuter trains with a choice of seating options between Standard and Comfort. A Standard Seat pass is priced from €215 for four journeys to €450 for 10 journeys while a Comfort Seat pass is priced from €295 to €615 for four and 10 journeys, respectively. Children aged between 4-13 years benefit from reduced fares starting at €145 for four journeys, while children under four travel free if they do not occupy a seat. The Spain Rail Pass is available at train stations and www.renfe.com
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News from Green Traveller
Featured Destination
This month we are featuring five unique family-run businesses in West Sweden that have grouped together to create holidays with low carbon footprints.
Billed as 'Climate Smart Holidays', they generate their own electricity and keep their energy use down to a minimum, offer pick-ups from local train stations, provide high-quality, local-sourced food, and help you make the most of the great outdoors. All with a low impact on the planet – carbon emissions for each stay have been calculated by the West Sweden Tourist Board using the digital platform travelandclimate.org.
Read all about these remarkable business in our guide to Climate Smart Holidays and see our guide to How to travel overland to West Sweden
Green Traveller's Guide to Saint Lucia
We've published a Conservation Traveller's Guide to Saint Lucia, which aims to shine a light on tourism throughout the island that has a positive impact on nature, conservation and local economic empowerment.
The guide includes two articles by journalist Josephine Price. The first looks closely at Saint Lucia’s green heart: its plants, people, practices and produce. The second reviews community tourism in action - showcasing initiatives that are revitalising and future-proofing Saint Lucia’s tourism offering. This work is led by the Community Tourism Agency, which has a remit to support and champion local entrepreneurs in adventure experiences, tours, cuisine and accommodation.
Videos of Green Traveller's Guide to Saint Lucia
The guide includes a main video about community conservation travel in Saint Lucia as well as video interviews with local guides talking about their perspectives and the visitor experiences on offer. These include Arthur Anthony, owner of Lushan Country Life tours who transformed his family’s land into a thriving eco-heritage tourism attraction. Visitors can learn about the history of how Saint Lucians lived, hear stories of his own upbringing and even try their hand at peeling a coconut.
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This newsletter is part of a series of publications produced by Green Traveller Media.
Our media production website is greentraveller.com and our consumer-facing website is greentraveller.co.uk. Our free online magazine The Green Traveller ties in with related features across all our channels that aim to shine a light on low carbon travel ('less carbon, more fun!') as well as positive impact adventures further afield.
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