There are increasing ways to travel by electron rather than fossil fuels. Better, faster & more sustainable – green travel options are gathering pace.

How a client begins and ends an event considerably impacts the experience and sustainability of the event, and events invariably begin and end with transfers. For many European destinations, the choice is between starting with security queues and ending with delayed baggage or taking a point-to-point train service and gliding across Europe's glorious and changing plains by train.

Not all decisions revolve around arrival and departure. With a bit of planning, transport around the destination can be made more enjoyable and far more sustainable.

Destination and departure points will influence how clients get to an event, and that will impact the event's sustainability. So, selecting an event destination is key for international and domestic transfers. Sometimes, there are no alternatives to air travel; in that case, sustainability decision-making must focus on local transfers, activities, and accommodation choices.

It is worth noting that sustainable suppliers offer better solutions as sustainability becomes a central part of event planning.

WHY PLAN A SUSTAINABLE EVENT?

If your company operates an ESG policy, then travel should be one very obvious area of interest. ESG is concerned with quantifying outcomes and there is a great deal of transparency today in our transport choices. Whether short or long-haul, flights are significant contributors to the overall carbon output of an event. With planning, these carbon footprints can be slashed, and these decisions are not just confined to arrival and departure.

Cities right across Europe boast some truly outstanding public transport systems. Tram, train, underground or on water, transport systems move people faster than by road. And where a coach is absolutely necessary, electric coaches are coming on-stream in numerous locations.

Rail travel is the faster option on many cross-border and domestic routes in Europe. It is often far more pleasurable, reduces redundant time, and is quantifiably more environmentally sustainable. As good as alternatives to roads are, it’s important to remember how lousy road travel can be in popular locations. Gridlocked crawls by road from accommodation to nearby event locations are some of the most uninspiring moments of any event.

Taking the road option invariably adds to the problem as well. In terms of sustainability, spending on sustainable transport and public networks invests in their operation, ensuring they are maintained for future generations – sustainability in a nutshell.

SUSTAINABLE EVENT TRAVEL - WHAT TO EXPECT

SUSTAINABILITY CREDENTIALS

Taking the Eurostar means moving the electric way, and as the power grid surges toward exclusively renewable sources, the carbon impact difference between flying and train travel widens. Carbon considerations aren’t limited to the Eurostar journey itself – the rail hubs are located in city centres, so there is little need for a taxi at either end. Trains are a great, sustainable way to travel, but other means of transport are also de-carbonising.

Ferry routes in Scandinavia are being electrified, as are coaches that take delegates between venues. As investment in public transport grows across Europe, the idea of delegates sitting on gridlocked coaches as congress-bound trams whisk by becomes increasingly unappealing.

SUSTAINABLE PLEASURES

The reality of train travel to an event is often far removed from the daily commute experience. Passengers sit, listen, watch, work, and dine, but there is also the possibility of having exclusive carriages and entertainment on train services. Food tasting, art classes, magicians—the options are impressive. Moving by electron is not only more sustainable but also far more pleasurable.

City centre to city centre train trips versus the slog of an airport departure and arrival in the suburbs. Perching atop a clunking diesel engine versus the tranquil hum of an electric ferry in the Norwegian fjords. The decision to move away from air travel, where possible, is becoming increasingly obvious.

MORE SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS FOR EVENT PLANNERS

Truly credible sustainability accreditation, in the form of national eco-label schemes, all start with the UN sustainable development goals.

Besides the environment, social and economic factors determine an event's sustainability. Here is more information on practical sustainability frameworks and topics.

Mural art of a woman in Stavanger

Social

Empowerment of women and minorities through positive action is a corner-stone of social sustainability.

Men buying fish from a trawler in Italy

Economic

When event revenue stays in the local economies, local supply chains develop, employment increases and education opportunities improve.

View over an off-shore wind farm

Environmental

Event carbon footprints can be slashed with a few key decisions. The outcomes for the delegate will be barely noticeable.

Sand yachts racing across a beach

Dining & activities

Some of the best event activities are also the kindest to the planet. Sand yachting, coasteering, canyoning, and cycle tours are all fantastic experiences. Regional dishes are the only authentic way to dine.

Chairs in front of a window in an eco-lodge hotel

Accommodation

Event delegates can stay in sustainability-accredited hotels to promote better environmental and human resource policies.

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