Coral Road is committed to making sustainable tourism the new normal by connecting sustainable travel providers with those wanting to make a positive impact when they travel. The online platform is a database of sustainable accommodations and responsible tourism activities in Asia, with the aim to expand worldwide.
With the immense incremental growth of the tourism sector, it is inevitable that we put sustainability on the agenda. For an industry that generated 10.4% of all global economic activity in 2018, a sustainable approach has the potential to influence the type of impact travel will have on our planet and it’s inhabitants.
The recent restructure of Visit.org saw the closure of the world’s largest database of responsible travel experiences, hence the need for a more comprehensive database to take its place.
Coral Road vets businesses on their website on whether they have received at least one sustainability-related certificate or award. Eco or sustainability initiatives such as energy-efficient appliances or lighting, recycling practices, water usage and solar power are among the considerations.
Co-founder Lani Lorenzo and her husband founded Coral Road with a passion for preserving the natural world. “I had travelled to Boracay in The Philippines many times as a child. I saw the beautiful white sand and crystal clear blue waters. When I went back to visit as an adult there had been a significant loss of Boracay’s marine life and ecosystems, and the previously crystal clear blue water was covered in algae. This had been caused by tourism-related activities”, Lani explains.
With little options to find sustainable tourism resources online Lani and her husband started to develop a comprehensive and reliable source of information for travellers who were looking to preserve the places they visit, and not contribute to their destruction. “My husband and I realised that the problems existing in Boracay were not uncommon, but also exist in many locations around the world. We want to make sustainable travel accessible for everyone.”
There are now over 100 accommodations listed on the Coral Road platform. Stay in a uniquely constructed tree house hideaway in Bijariya India, right on the edge of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Live like a local while you stay in an eco-friendly homestay with a Thai family in Thailand’s rural province of Nakhon Ratchasima. Stay in an island dive resort in The Philippines and take an ethical dive with thresher sharks. There is an increasing number of options available for travellers to choose from.
The website gives the user the opportunity to search for accommodation and tours based on destination and activity. Users can then read about the experience, their commitment to sustainability and their awards or certifications. Once the user decides to make a booking Coral Road will give 10% of that booking to Kiva – a platform helping to alleviate poverty around the world.
To view the full list of experiences available on Coral Road, visit their website. You can also follow them on Instagram.