Treading lightly

Exploring new places, finding new paths, stepping into new, unknown landscapes – being able to share the thrill of travel has guided us from the very beginning.

We’ve designed our holidays to provide those moments; when you turn a corner and are greeted by the most mesmerising vistas with nobody else around; seeking out family-run restaurants where the experience is as enriching as the food; and staying at independent hotels and guesthouses where generations of the same family can tell you their story over drinks in the library bar.

The challenge? Our holidays must tread as lightly as possible through these landscapes and communities, allowing them to regenerate and thrive once more.

The Inntravel mission

To support local

What could be better than an unforgettable holiday that directly benefits the local community? As Inntravel trips are for individuals rather than groups, we are often able to work with small, family-run hotels and restaurants where an authentic experience is guaranteed. Our larger accommodation is carefully chosen, too. In Portugal's north, for example, we work with historic manor houses that have opened their doors to visitors in order to preserve their splendour – and a piece of the nation's history.
To avoid the crowds

We actively seek out unspoiled destinations for you to visit – not only because overcrowded paths are no fun for anyone, but because bringing business to overlooked, rural areas can create vital employment. It can also help to maintain and improve local services – for example, our walking routes help to keep open traditional drovers’ roads and other ancient paths. Where our holidays take in better-known locations, we aim to give you the opportunity to travel outside peak season, to reduce the demand in busier months.
To reduce our impact

Walking holidays are typically low in carbon emissions, but there are many decisions we take to further reduce the climate impact of our trips. Environmental concerns are a factor in our product development, for example: in how many on-trip transfers we include; and which hotels we choose to work with. As part of the Hotelplan UK group, we also look to reduce our impact through investment in carbon removal solutions, and in rewilding our landscapes. Learn more about our responsible business initiatives here.

Trip carbon scores explained

We want you to be able to make an informed choice about your holiday, so in collaboration with carbon experts, ecollective, we calculate and publish a carbon score for every one of our trips (you'll find them on each holiday webpage). Here's some useful background information on what these scores mean – and why they matter.

What is a carbon score? A holiday’s carbon score is the average amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by each person taking that trip.

How do you calculate the score? These comprehensive scores consider everything involved in each holiday, from the number of included meals and on-trip transfers to the expected energy consumption per night at each hotel. Excluded from the scores are your journeys to and from the holiday – customers arrive from a range of start points and via several different travel methods. How you travel, particularly if you fly, can significantly increase your overall emissions.

Why is it important to have a score for each holiday? One reason is to enable you to easily compare the environmental impact of different trips. Another key reason is to help us to reduce our carbon footprint – we’ve set ourselves the target of cutting it by 50% by 2030, and reaching net zero by 2050, but we can only do this if we know what it is in the first place.

Responsible travel tips

Looking to travel more sustainably? We've pulled together our top five responsible travel tips.

1) Travel to your holiday by train

At Inntravel, we love train travel for its comfort and convenience, and even more so for the environmental benefits. We are specialists in international rail travel, and have a team of experts to navigate the timetables and ticket arrangements on your behalf, so you can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

For certain destinations, travelling all the way by rail can be easier than taking a plane and onward transport. The Franco-German borderland of Alsace is a perfect example – we can transport you here in just six hours from London by train.
2) Get off the beaten track

Many of the regions we visit are truly unspoiled – places where low-impact tourism can play an essential role in maintaining the rural economy. This is the case in the Logar Valley, an idyllic slice of Slovenia that remains remarkably free of crowds and dedicated to sustainable tourism. As one of the very few tour operators with a presence here, Inntravel’s cooperation with the valley’s one hotel brings vital employment and regeneration.
3) Stay in eco-conscious hotels

We’re exacting when it comes to our hotel choices, and are always on the lookout for accommodation that can combine charm, comfort, and top-class hosting with a passion for sustainability. Few hotels do this better than the family-run, four-star Biohotel Eggensberger: set in a quiet, lakeside village with views towards the Bavarian Alps, it is relentless in its work to reduce its climate impact – and has been recognised with several awards and certifications.
4) Embrace public transport

Wherever possible, we recommend travelling on public transport – it’s a great way to immerse yourself in the local life of your destination, as well as to limit your on-trip carbon footprint.

For some of our holidays – including those on the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey – we go a step further, providing an unlimited travel pass for the excellent local bus networks, allowing you to explore the length and breadth of these islands with ease.
5) Choose a break closer to home

It's possible to enjoy the Inntravel experience without any need for overseas travel. If you're based in the UK, why not choose from our fantastic range of UK holidays (they cover the entire nation, from the Scottish Highlands to the English Riviera)? There’s no requirement to drive on these trips – we can organise transfers between your hotels and the nearest railway stations.

Treading lightly

The Inntravel mission

To support local

To avoid the crowds

To reduce our impact

Responsible holiday picks

Trip carbon scores explained

Responsible travel tips

1) Travel to your holiday by train

2) Get off the beaten track

3) Stay in eco-conscious hotels

4) Embrace public transport

5) Choose a break closer to home