This study seeks to assess the role that sustainability concerns currently play in educational travel within higher education. Although sustainability issues and initiatives have become popular on campuses across the globe, little has been written specifically about efforts within higher educational travel programs.
The paper conducted an online survey of practitioners in the field of higher education travel about attempts, if any, to incorporate themes of sustainability and sustainable travel into travel programs at the institutions.
In general, the paper found that sustainability‐related themes and concerns have yet to develop to the level of campus sustainability. The paper also found three additional themes: a disparity between sustainability in discourse and practice; sustainable measures that focus on local organizations/relationships and external programs; and the financial, marketing and relational offsets associated with the implementation of sustainability.
The paper could find no other similar study; thus the paper represents a first glimpse into current efforts to incorporate and address sustainability concerns in higher education travel programs.
