As increasing numbers of people become more conscious of their environmental impact on the world, the focus has inevitably turned to what is perceived as one of its biggest polluters, flying. However, ‘flight shaming’ has the potential to do far more harm than good, argues Lee-Anne Bac, Director Advisory Services BDO South Africa.

The premise is very simple; flying is bad for the climate because it increases your carbon footprint significantly, so you should feel shame for contributing to that and take steps to reduce it. In other words, you should stop taking general flights, particularly long-haul ones.

“But for a country like South Africa that relies so heavily on economic gains from the tourism industry, the call to reduce carbon emissions associated with air travel has the potential to cast a dark shadow that could cripple the industry,” says Bac.

Tourism is a vital component of the global economy, contributing significantly to the GDP of many countries and providing jobs to millions of people. In South Africa, when measured against other industries, tourism’s direct contribution to GDP is bigger than either agriculture, utilities (electricity, gas and water) or construction. In 2019 the sector’s direct contribution to GDP was 3.7%, or R209 billion (€10.3bn).

Bac continues: “If we take the losses experienced from the shutdown of travel during the height of the pandemic in 2020, inbound tourism expenditure declined by 70.5% in 2020 compared with 2019 – a staggering blow for the economy.

“While the sector is still trying to recover from this decline, there has been a positive resurgence with reports indicating the total number of tourist arrivals between January and July 2023 grew by 71% compared with the same period in 2022.”

Bac points out that these figures highlight the industry’s resilience and potential for growth, despite the challenges posed by the current global economic climate.

“However, we are still only operating at 80% of our pre-pandemic capacity. South Africa is waiting with arms wide open to welcome more tourists from across Africa and the globe to experience our diverse cultures and heritage. But for the most part, the only way to get here is to fly. A sustainability conundrum for conscious travellers. But should it be?”

First and foremost, it is essential to acknowledge that climate change is a pressing global issue that demands our attention and action, notes Bac.

“Of course the aviation industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing its impact is imperative. While flight shaming has raised awareness about this issue and encouraged individuals to think critically about their travel choices, the problem arises when flight shaming morphs into a one-size-fits-all approach that demonises all air travel without considering the nuances of each situation. Case in point: South Africa, where tourism is a key source of jobs, economic growth and conservation funding.”

Bac advocates that, instead of shaming travellers in a bid to get them to cease all travel, travellers should rather be educated on how to travel responsibly so that the impact of the flight pales in comparison to the multiplier impact the tourist dollar has – right down to grassroots level.

“The first thing travellers should consider is quite obvious. When travelling overseas, rather stay longer at the destination. Making travel count with a longer stay means that trips can be taken less frequently.”

Travellers’ choices

The real positive impact, however, begins and ends with the choices travellers make once they’ve arrived, such as choosing providers that display a sustainability badge. Many establishments in South Africa are converting to become more ‘green’. Conscious travellers have a responsibility to seek them out and support them.

Bac advises that travellers must also take the time to do their research before visiting. “In our case for example, it’s not simply the Big 5 that make our country an incredible destination choice. Travellers who are serious about their role in sustainability must look further than the ‘top attractions’. Understanding and immersing themselves in the ‘lesser travelled’ South African cultures and destinations means that they can visit places that are off the beaten track and spend their money in areas that need that revenue the most.

“If they understand that it’s a case of growing the triple bottom line, they can focus on spending that becomes about the sustainability of micro-environments and the people in them.”

According to Bac, if travel stops, any hope of economic growth stops. The simple fact is that it is more detrimental to an entire economic eco-system if travellers choose not to fly than it is to take one long-haul flight.

“With South Africa recently being honoured by readers of the UK’s Telegraph Travel publication with the prestigious title of ‘Best Country’, and our iconic city of Cape Town claiming the coveted title of ‘Best City in the World’, it will be a crying shame if we are unable to leverage these accolades to reap the economic benefits of more conscious visitors investing their travel spend into our magnificent country.”