Sustainable tourism is not a trend, it’s a must, with travelers from all walks of life and from all generations—Baby Boomers to Gen Z—embracing this travel style. Enter Sustainable Suzie, comic book superhero to those who know that responsible travel is the way of today and the future.
As the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) celebrates its 50th anniversary, it is looking 50 years forward and shining a light on how travel can benefit, not harm, our world. With that in mind, they have launched the “Adventures of Sustainable Suzie,” a first-of-its kind comic book whose star, Sustainable Suzie, is a tour operator guide by day, superhero by night, and is ready to fight the good fight towards a more sustainable future for travel around the globe.
And while you flip through the comic book, you’ll learn you can do your part to help Sustainable Suzie make the world a more sustainable one for generations to come. Remember, every time you pack lighter, shop locally, choose reusable and make other planet-conscious travel decisions, no matter how small, “you,” as USTOA notes, “contribute to preserving cherished places for future travelers.”
“While a comic might seem unorthodox, Sustainable Suzie conveys the core messages of responsible travel with humor, a much more digestible way to understand the issues, the stakes, and the solutions,” said Terry Dale, president & CEO of USTOA.
Among the main responsibilities of sustainable tourism highlighted in the comic book is the need to protect the natural resources and wildlife in destinations, and to conserve cultural heritage while creating authentic experiences for tourists.
Tour operator guide Susan leads a small group of travelers to destinations that are at the forefront of sustainable tourism, including Tenerife. The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife offers an annual temperature of 74°F, affording it a unique diversity of landscapes. It’s home, in fact, to the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Teide National Park, whose laurel forest dates back to the tertiary age. When it comes to sustainability, half the island is covered by 43 protected natural spaces, and it’s the first Spanish island to obtain Biosphere Certification.
Also highlighted in the comic book is onboard sustainability pioneer United Airlines, which recognizes its impact as an airline in contributing to climate change. To mitigate that impact, the airline has set a goal of going 100 percent green by reducing 100 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. One example: They use sustainable aviation fuel for the Boeing 737 Max8 aircraft. They are also removing carbon emissions by investing in carbon capture and sequestration, and are collaborating with other industries to drive the next generation of decarbonization solutions.
Check out USTOA’s Tips for Being a More Responsible/Sustainable Traveler, which include ride sharing, walking, touring wisely, opeing your mind to new destinations, and, of course, acting like a sustainability superhero by reducing you use of plastics, recycling and, simply put, treading lightly and sensitively.
To read more about Sustainable Suzie and other destinations at the forefront of sustainable tourism, such as Korea and Norway, click here.
To download the “Adventures of Sustainable Suzie,” visit USTOA.com/SustainableSuzie.
