When planning your vacation, how often do you think about the environment? Do you think of the toll your weeks’ worth of fun would take on the planet? High carbon pollution, environmental degradation, and overcrowded cities – these are just a few of the problems that spur from the growth of global tourism. With the pandemic having shut tourism down long enough for the planet to recover slightly, calls for a sustainable reboot of the industry are louder than ever.

Pexels | Around 2.5% of global carbon dioxide emission is created by airplanes

As such, to balance the needs of the planet, people, and prosperity, even the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has suggested that the tourism sector be recovered responsibly – and it seems like most people are keen on playing that part.

Explorer X

The year was 2017, and Anquan Boldin had been in the NFL for 14 years. Undecided on whether or not he wanted to play that year, Anquan planned a getaway to clear his head. Soon enough, he and his wife Dionne were all packed and ready for a trip with Explore X to South Africa.

Explorer X is a travel and tour company that offers crafted destinations, travel engagement, and guiding principles to travelers. To put it in the easiest possible way, Explorer X offers transformational travel.

That’s all it took for the company to “break” Anquan Boldin, as its co-founder Michael Bennett puts it. The ex-NFL star announced his retirement as soon as he returned from the trip, leaving behind millions in terms of potential checks, and this is where his philanthropic work started.

The Washington Post | Once he retired, the NFL star never looked back

The Transformational Travel Council

In 2017, Jake Haupert formed the council to make travel sustainable, regenerative, educational, and philanthropic. With interstate highways, cruise ships, and jumbo jets, you might think that current travel practices are as good as it gets, but you're wrong. And that's exactly what the council fights for: helping people embrace better travel practices.

Pexels | When exploring the world, try to be as respectful as possible

Global Family Travel

Owner Jenn Spatz started her travel company to inspire people to become global citizens and wholly immerse themselves in the culture and community of their destination. Quite aptly, Jenn states that travel isn't only about the beauty of a place and the experiences you share with the locals. As Anquan put it, people are too busy thinking about what they can get from travel rather than what they can give.

Pexels | Explore and embrace local cultures as you travel

Wrapping It Up

The gift of communicating and sharing experiences is what makes you human, after all. Perhaps it's time to take a step back and reevaluate the impact you have on the planet in every capacity. It's time to give back as much as you’ve been taking. If an NFL star can leave fame and wealth behind, so can anyone else.