Travelers Shouldn't Feel Guilty About Fossil Fuel Emissions — Sustainability Expert

Although a rising number of consumers have expressed a desire to travel more sustainably in recent years, one travel executive believes guilt is not an appropriate emotion when thinking fossil fuels emitted while traveling.

Michel Gelobter, a sustainability expert and CEO Cooler, said — during a discussed tilted "The Business Advantage of Sustainability" — at Skift Sustainable Tourism Summit on Wednesday that while reducing the use of fossil fuels would help improve travel, travelers shouldn't bear the responsibility for making that happen.

"The people who really have to change are the ones emitting fossil fuels directly," Gelobter said. "Radisson doesn't have control over the smoke stacks (and) the power of their hotels."

But Gelobter urged consumers to push suppliers, supply chains and policy makers to drive fossil fuels out of the market and run on clean energy.

"If you turn off your house in a good way, many forms of travel actually (have a) lower footprint than staying home, depending on where you live."