The challenge with sustainability in traveling is that it needs to remain quiet
As we’re still in the middle of holiday season, we’ve decided to baptize August the month of ‘sustainable traveling’. No better way to kick off this month by interviewing Clara Le Fort. She’s the author of the book ‘Bon Voyage, in which she bundles boutique hotels that put sustainability at heart in everything they do.
Q&A WITH CLARA LE FORT
Q
Clara, let’s talk about your career a bit first. You’ve contributed to magazines Numéro, Wallpaper* and a handful of Louis Vuitton City Guides besides working as a consultant for Parisian Maisons such as Hermès and Louis Vuitton. How did you end up here?
A
I majored in International Strategies but I wanted to take a job that would keep me close to visionaries with bright ideas, genuine people who make the world go forward. Journalism was not a choice, it was a natural way to stay in contact with bright minds. I’ve contributed to many different pieces, but always with the same idea of interviewing interesting people that are completely committed to what they do and are looking to leave a trace a positive impact. Whether they’re architects, designers, activists or chefs.
Q
You’ve written your book Bon Voyage. How did you came up with the idea to combine your background in luxury, design and fashion with sustainable traveling?
A
Bon Voyage is the fifth book I’ve published with Gestalten and three of them are linked to traveling. The idea of sustainability was already the central theme of the first two books. Bon Voyage, came about because we wanted to define what conscious traveling today is. Often sustainability is linked to nature only, but community and mindfulness are as important today if we want to globalize positive impact.
Q
What goal did you have in mind whilst writing this book?
A
I wanted to give a voice to the people who run beautiful hotels around the world. Most often, they are so invested in building and running that they don’t hire an international PR firm and are lesser known. Although they are the real mavericks making the real changes. I was lucky to travel the world and meet these incredible hoteliers: I wanted to pay tribute to their commitment.
Q
How do you look at flying to all these destinations and compensating for this?
A
The idea is that the hotels and guest houses are sourced from around the world: anyone will find a place somewhat close to your home. Of course, I know my personal carbon footprint was horrible. And for many years it was. But I’ve changed the way I travel. Instead of traveling for short periods of time, I travel longer whilst trying to shoot more stories, giving back as much as we can along the way.
Q
Traveling sustainable isn’t only about choosing an eco-minded hotel though. What are your tips for traveling more consciously?
A
I have 4 ways of looking at sustainability. The first being mindfulness. A lot of people are doing yoga, meditating or cooking because it brings them peace of mind. It keeps travelers away from immediate consumerism. The second one is community, or in another word humanism. It’s how you treat and take care of people when traveling: from the housekeeper, to the gardener, to the local craftsman that has designed the table you’re having lunch on. Thirdly we should think of how we build for the future. Sometimes the most sustainable option is to save an existing building, rather than create a new one. Lastly, we should always be reserving nature and finding ways to conserve it.
Q
You’ve been a travel journalist for quite a while. How would you say the hotel sector has evolved over the years?
A
The hotel industry has exploded: when my parents were young, 800-room hotels and all-inclusive resorts didn’t exist. A few decades back it would have been called science fiction. Today that is a reality we have to live with: the hotel industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. But I’m convinced we can go back to smaller hotels where human beings - rather than process - play key roles. You could take the metaphor of cooking because a hotel is, in fact, a recipe. You put a lot of things in the mix and try to make it as tasteful as possible. The ingredients are the linen, the light, the relationship to nature, the books available and the human spirit that ties them together. We need to get away from process-centric hotels to human and guest-centric addresses. Thirdly we should think of how we build for the future. Sometimes the most sustainable option is to save an existing building, rather than create a new one. Lastly, we should always be reserving nature and finding ways to conserve it.
Q
Could you recommend an underrated destination to discover slow life and sustainable traveling?
A
There’s lots of them and usually they’re underrated because that’s what makes them sustainable. The challenge with sustainability in traveling is that it needs to remain quiet. Any sustainable place with a 100 000 tourists a year is not going to stay sustainable for a long time.
Q
So you rather keep it quiet for yourself?
A
Well you share it with people you care about it, like friends and family.
Information on the book:Bon VoyagePublisher: Gestaltenweb shop: www.gestalten.com
