Featured interview by writer Mark Bibby Jackson for eXist - our monthly bulletin about Climate Friendly Travel

Mark Bibby Jackson (MBJ): Angy, you took a Masters in Responsible Tourism Management at Leeds Beckett University, how did you first become interested in the subject? How did this set you on your career path?

Angela Rodriguez (AR): Before taking the MSc at Leeds, I was doing winter seasons in the French Alps. I was fascinated about the mountains and the snow. After five seasons I was really noticing how the snow patterns were changing: some winters we had no snow at all whislt others the amount of snow was huge. It seemed to have lost the consistency that characterised the unique mountain ecosystem and that had a direct impact on the tourism sector and the local livelihoods – as well as in nature patterns. 

Searching for information on how climate was impacting mountain and ski tourism, I discovered the concept of sustainable tourism and responsible travel and that led me to the MSc in Leeds as one of the leading courses at the time. The year I took the course I was lucky to be part of an amazing group of students from many parts of the world, some of them still very close and dear friends, and that I had the chance to meet in their own countries. I was also lucky to have a fantastic group of professors and thanks to Xavier Font I specialised in sustainable tourism communications. 

MBJ: You are also the Director of Travindy in Spain, what does this involve?

AR: After I finished the MSc I was left in a very competitive industry where sustainability was a micro niche. I had no experience but I was eager to find a career path aligned to my values. Jeremy Smith and Anula Galewska had just launched Travindy and I remember prompting Jeremy during a WTM in London together with my friend Gabriela to pitch him the idea to create “Travindy Español”. He agreed and the journey began.

That was back in 2016 and things have changed a lot since then. We started off being three people and now we are an organised team of 19 volunteers, mainly based in Spain, but with representation in countries in Latin America. A year ago, we became an Association based in Spain and now we work together with universities and the private and public sector. During the pandemic we managed to work on the foundations of Travindy and created Travindy Aprende – where we design educational courses of any aspect relating to sustainable tourism and ecotourism and Travindy Consulting – where we work with the public sector creating sustainable tourism destination management plans in Spain, and with the private sector designing and implementing sustainability communications strategies and campaigns.

MBJ: I first got to know you on the climate friendly travel diploma course at Sunx Malta, how did you meet Professor Geoffrey Lipman, and why did you decide to take the diploma?

AR: My final research project with Dr. Font in Leeds was focused on sustainable tourism communications to encourage UK skiers to travel by train to the French Alps instead of by plane. When we are in a ski holiday setting, transport from home to the resort is the most carbon intense component. Once in the resort it is believed that we emit less carbon emissions during our day to day activities than if we were at home. 

My research had a lot to do with the reason why I had decided to take the MSc. Prof. Lipman’s work was one of the references I had, and I followed his work ever since. The summer before the Diploma began, I was listening to one webinar where he presented the concept of Climate Friendly Travel and the Climate Champions Program. I then bumped into the SUNx website and didn’t hesitate to enquire about the diploma. After Leeds I always wanted to specialise in climate change and tourism but never found a course that specifically focused on this particular intersect. The Climate Friendly Travel Diploma seemed to be the perfect fit.

MBJ: What did you learn most from the course? What would you say to anyone considering enrolling for the diploma course in 2022?

AR: The course is a fantastic opportunity for anyone that works in tourism and believes that things can be done differently. If well managed and thought, tourism can be a force of good, not only for the local community, but also for the environment and for the planet. The course is a perfect kick-start to open up your mind, understand the intersect between climate and tourism, learn from world leaders and empower you to make a real change in the work you do and the way you live.

Most importantly, you also learn with fellow students, and again this time I was lucky to be part of a fantastic group from all over the world to learn about their different realities, challenges and opportunities and work together to find solutions and hope.

MBJ: I know that you are in charge of the Strong Climate Champions program for SUNx Malta. Can you explain to our readers what the program consists of?

AR: The Strong Climate Champions (SCC) Program is a platform that brings together the youth and tourism stakeholders to deliver Climate Friendly Travel (CFT) transformation. The purpose of this project is to empower the youth to become climate activist in travel and tourism by providing educational resources and tools (mainly through the CFT Diploma and the SCC Training Program).

We believe that the youth have the key and the energy, but also the outrage needed to transform not only the sector, but also our world to low carbon. We want to involve people from all over the world, small communities, big cities, in joining the SCC community which foundations lie in Maurice Strong’s vision and the Earth Charter. In exchange we are providing knowledge though our courses, Innovation and Strategy Hubs, contacts from our large SGD17 network and registry users.

MBJ: How can people become Strong Climate Champions?

AR: Anyone can show their interest by filling out this short questionnaire. We will be in touch to learn more about them and their ambitions to work towards a better future. 

MBJ: What are you hoping to achieve from the program?

AR: Our goal is to have active Country Programs in 200 countries and 100,000 trained Climate Champions by 2030. Basically, a Country Program is opened when a sponsor is found to support a Strong Climate Champion Leader in the country. This person will manage and run the program together with a team of up to five Local Strong Climate Champions. 

Through the sponsorship, SUNx Malta can guarantee the performance of the Country Program, create qualified green jobs in all countries of the world supporting local economic development and providing tools, resources and support for the country team to advance CFT. 

MBJ: You are also a keen advocate of regenerative tourism, acting as a collaborator for Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency and The RegenLab for Travel. How important do you feel it is for those within the travel and tourism community who believe there is a climate emergency to work together to combat this existential threat to the planet?

AR: I think it is key for the travel industry to come together to act collaboratively and urgently for the climate crisis. It is our world that is at a stake, for our kids, grandkids and any kid in the world who is going to be left with the mess created over the last decades. I am a mother myself of an two-year-old, and I want her to live with hope for the future but also to understand that we are all playing a part in it and that our actions matter. 

However, in order to change the way we work and do business we must first change from within. This involves a conscious effort to modify our world view and understand that we can’t solve the climate crisis without a systemic approach to the way we live and interact with the planet. 

I am truly passionate about the intersect between regenerative tourism and the climate crisis and this is something that I am exploring further at the moment as a potential solution for the tourism sector to look beyond sustainability in a systemic approach.

MBJ: I believe you are also a radio broadcaster in Sustainable Tourism, what does this involve?

AR: I believe podcasting is a perfect channel to get heard and reach people who share the same values about sustainable tourism. At Travindy we have done five seasons of our Sustainable Tourism Podcast (in Spanish) connecting with people and projects from many parts of the world to bring the audience different realities of how sustainable tourism is being implemented. 

When working on this sector, sometimes you might feel alone or isolated, thinking that you are the ‘crazy one’ or the ‘green one’. But it is not true, this is a growing movement of people doing amazing things in every corner of the planet. We are not alone. We are the future. 

MBJ: Finally, you have recently moved to Cornwall from your native Spain. What prompted this change, and what are you doing there apart from surfing the waves?

AR: Me and my partner lived in Cornwall for many summers whilst we were doing the winter seasons in the Alps. We decided to come back when our daughter came into our lives but due to the pandemic, we have only recently managed to make the move from Spain. We love the Cornish way of living, the sea and the wild nature found in this end of the country, not so much the weather though!