Boston, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - October 1, 2024) - Road Scholar, the world leader in educational travel for older adults, announces a comprehensive sustainability initiative as part of their ongoing effort to minimize the environmental impact of and enhance cultural awareness on their programs. This project reinforces their commitment to responsible travel practices, following the organization's carbon offset pledge in 2022.

Leading this initiative is Bryn Geddes, Road Scholar's newly appointed Program Sustainability Manager. With a master's degree in tourism management focused on sustainability, Bryn previously worked on the Road Scholar Southwest Operations Team, where she gained firsthand insight into sustainable practices in educational travel.

"I am thrilled to lead our sustainability efforts, which will not only enhance our programs but also empower our participants to engage responsibly with the communities they visit," said Bryn Geddes.

In a 2023 survey, Road Scholar asked participants to rank their greatest international and national issues. Forty-three percent chose climate change as their number one concern, compared with "the divide in political discourse in America" (29%) and "global unrest" (12%). Seventy-three percent of respondents said that they take into account a company or organization's stance on protecting the environment when purchasing a project or service.

"The response from our participants was clear: climate change is a major concern for them, and they're paying attention to what we're doing to combat it," said Geddes.

Key components of Road Scholar's sustainability initiative include: waste reduction, staff training and participant education, sustainability audits and goal setting, organizational alignment, and compliance with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) tour operator guidelines.

Road Scholar will prioritize partners and suppliers who align with these goals and are educated on sustainable practices. They will also continue their partnerships with Climeco and Sustainable Travel International to support carbon offset contributions.

The organization places a strong emphasis on educating both Group Leaders and program participants to ensure that interactions with local cultures are respectful. Road Scholar participants receive guidelines on visitor etiquette before visiting Indigenous sites, while Group Leaders provide valuable context to foster understanding and respect.

Meghan Flynn, Associate Vice President of Program Strategy at Road Scholar, remarked, "When tourism is done right, everybody wins. It not only provides economic benefits but also allows local communities to take pride in their heritage."

Road Scholars learning about sustainability

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Road Scholars learning about sustainability

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
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Road Scholars learning about sustainability

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
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For more information about Road Scholar's sustainability initiatives and its diverse educational travel programs, please visit www.roadscholar.org/sustainability.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/225069