The beginning of the year is the time when we take a step back and look at our lives with a critical eye. Resolutions can be hard to keep if you’re making them for the wrong reasons, but they’re also a useful way to focus your intentions for the year ahead. You don’t have to set resolutions on the first of January; you can assess the ways you wish to change aspects of your life at any point in the year.  It’s easy to get stuck into a rut with the way that you see the world, hence our following suggestions for resolutions to set a slower and more sustainable focus on your travels for the year ahead. 

Right: photo by Purienne for Lack of Color

This year I will fly less

Although we love travelling, it’s impossible not to feel flight shame every time we board a plane. Every flight we take increases our carbon footprint, and ultimately the best thing we can do for the environment is to fly less. Take a look back at the flights you took last year and assess whether any of them were avoidable. Perhaps you could have taken a boat or a train instead of flying? A sustainably minded resolution for the year ahead would be to aim to fly less, focusing on exploring destinations that can be reached without boarding a plane, taking more staycations and limiting your flights to just a couple of big trips for the year. 

I want to slow down my travels in 2020

If you’re the type of traveller that likes to see as much of your destination as possible, rushing around attempting to cover everything in the guidebook, perhaps this is the year that you resolve to slow down. Slow travel has numerous benefits, allowing you to focus on creating memories and savouring the experience rather than seeing travel as a competition. Focus on the quality of your trips, rather than the quantity of how much you can see and do. Let go of the attitude that you want to see as much as possible and learn to relax and unwind while travelling. 

I want to step off the beaten track

Rather than travelling to the same places as everyone else, think for yourself and step outside the box. Take the path less trodden and carve out your own adventure by visiting places that intrigue you rather than following a list of popular places. Avoid anywhere struggling with over tourism and find your way to more unusual destinations. Think about how many places there are in the world – why would you want to visit the same destinations as everyone else when there is so much to discover?

I’m going to start travelling lighter

Not only is travelling lighter better for the environment, it’s better for your soul. If you choose to travel with hand luggage only, you’ll have less bags to lug around, making your whole travel process easier and less rushed. Rather than being weighed down by excess luggage, pack a small bag with your essentials and focus your attention on experiences rather than things. If you’re travelling someplace hot, do you really need anything more than a swimsuit, a couple of lightweight dresses, a large sunhat and a pile of books? 

I’ll leave the guidebooks at home this year

Discover your destination for yourself, rather than following the same itinerary as everyone else. Allow yourself to wander around the place that you are visiting, choosing to investigate the places that catch your eye or asking the locals for tips, rather than simply ticking off the big attractions that guidebooks recommend. If you like to be organised, do your research before your trip to allow yourself the freedom to stroll around armed with the knowledge of the areas that you wish to visit. 

I’m going to stop geotagging locations on Instagram

Instagram is the source of plentiful travel inspiration, but we’re becoming increasingly conscious of the impact of geotagging our exact locations. When you’ve discovered a hidden gem, help to keep it that way by keeping its location under wraps rather than broadcasting its exact coordinates to the world. So many places are struggling with over tourism as social media has made it easier to track down exactly where photographs were taken. 

I’d like to explore more of the world by rail

Not only is train travel a more eco-conscious way of travelling than via plane, but it also enables you to adopt a slower pace. We love the romanticism of travelling by train, watching the world go by from a window seat, changing your travel plans if someplace you pass intrigues you. Train travel also has the benefit of being much more comfortable than flying, offering more spacious seats and even private cabins on certain routes.