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A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET
Eco-Tourism & the Sustainable Traveller Q&A WITH CHRISTINE AND SARAH FROM WELLNESS TRAVELLED Mediaplanet sat down with Christine and Sarah, the Canadian sisters behind Wellness Travelled (@wellnesstravelled). Christine and Sarah shared some insight on why sustainable travel is important to them as well as some tips for Canadians looking for sustainable travel destinations and accommodations. Why is sustainable travel important to you?
PHOTO CREDIT: ZACHARY ZAZA
When we started traveling together, sustainability wasn’t top of mind. We were simply looking for adventure and somewhere to de-stress from our busy jobs. It wasn’t until a trip to Thailand where we started to see the impacts of over-tourism, single use plastics, and animal exploitation. It’s also where we had one of our best travel experiences doing a sustainable homestay in the Northern Thailand mountains. There was no plastic waste, the funds went to the local community, and we stayed at someone’s house instead of a hotel. This experience made us think differently and more consciously about how we travel. The sustainability message became important to us because we want to see these beautiful places across the world flourish for generations to come so our future generations can enjoy these same experiences.
How do you find sustainable travel destinations and accommodations? The best way to discover sustainable accommodations is by doing a simple Google search.
Accommodations that have sustainable practices and certifications (i.e. LEED or Green Globe) will often share these accolades on their website. It’s important to note when doing research that there is no one-size-fits-all approach for sustainability for a hotel – it will mean different things in different locations. For example, solar power might be effective in some sunny destinations but not in colder climates. Some hotels grow their own food, which isn’t viable in a dense city. Also, your accommodation isn’t always the number one thing to look at when trying to travel more sustainably, the destination itself can be implementing measures to ensure tourism doesn’t impact the ecosystem. Belize, for example, has been taking great measures to protect their barrier reef (the 2nd largest in the world). Bonaire, to protect its coral reefs, has banned anchoring, plastic bags, and sunscreens that aren’t reef-safe. If you’re trying to travel more sustainably, know that some Read the entire Q&A on destinations are making it easier truenorthliving.ca. for tourists to do so!
How Corona and Mobi-mat Are Making Canadian Beaches More Accessible Corona Canada has teamed up with Mobi-mat to make select beaches more accessible for Canadians with mobility challenges. Tania Amardeil
Wade Watts Mobility Facilitator, Watts Accessibility Consulting, & Canadian Representative, Mobi-mat
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his May, Corona Canada announced its Accessing Paradise Pledge, an ongoing commitment to make select beaches (and beach sunsets) more accessible for Canadians with mobility challenges. The initiative kicked off with a promise to address seven beaches across Canada in 2024. Three, including Sudbury Beach in Penticton, British Columbia, were selected by the brand and Mobi-mat, and the remaining four will be chosen by Canadians through crowdsourcing. With Mobi-mat, Corona has already transformed the first two beaches — Saint-Zotique in Quebec, and Wellington Beach in Ontario, with Sudbury Beach in Penticton, British Columbia next — and is now looking for Canadians to help pick four more. Mediaplanet spoke with Mobi-mat's Canadian representative, Mobility Facilitator Wade Watts of Watts Accessibility Consulting, about how Corona Canada is collaborating with Mobi-mat to transform Canadian beaches.
How did Mobi-mat become a partner in the Corona Accessing Paradise Pledge? Wade Watts: A representative from Corona Canada reached out to me, as Canada’s Mobility Facilitator and Mobi-mat's representative in the country, to explain what they had in mind for the project. Through my fieldwork, I know that less than 15 per cent of Canadian beaches are accessible and we need to do more to help those with mobility challenges be able to enjoy the outdoors. So, when contacts from Corona explained its commitment to reconnecting people with nature, I knew we were on the same page and that myself and the work I do with Mobi-mats could help them with the Pledge.
What accessibility features are being added to the beaches? WW: We’re installing Mobi-mats, semi-rigid roll-out portable pathways made with reclaimed ocean-bound plastics, to help create smooth transitions to shorelines.
We’re also providing Mobi-chairs, f loating wheelchairs for in-water accessibility, and Mobi-decks, which provide multi-purpose areas with added stability for beachgoers.
How has this partnership contributed to this project and its seamless installation? WW: To ensure the project’s success Corona Canada worked with MobiCorona’s pledge is aimed mat. The first thing to be done is an at ensuring Canadians audit of the location, to see if there with mobility challenges are accessible parking and accesscan experience sunsets ible washrooms. We don’t want to at more beaches this put these accessibility upgrades in summer. place somewhere that persons with mobility challenges can’t generally access and enjoy. I am personally onsite to help facilitate the installation and educate on proper maintenance, winter storage, and re-installation of the Mobi products.
What feedback have you received from visitors of the transformed beaches? WW: It’s been overwhelmingly positive. Those facing mobility challenges can now access select beaches in their community with greater ease and security. I’ve been working with Mobi-mats for 10 years and have not had anything but good, positive feedback and tons of smiles.
How did the BC beach come to be included in the Accessing Paradise Pledge? WW: I’m regularly in touch with locations across the country, we realized early after announcing the pledge that there was demand at some of British Columbia’s most beautiful beaches and after connecting with Corona we determined we could add one more beach to our efforts.
Visit coronaextra.ca/accessingparadise to nominate a beach that you believe should be made more accessible. Follow @coronacanada on Instagram to stay updated on its Accessing Paradise Pledge. This article was sponsored by Corona Canada.
Publishers: Celia Bildfell, Liz Ashfield, Jonas Hatcher Business Development Manager: Maddie MacNeil Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Production & Delivery Manager: Michael Taylor Creative Director: Kylie Armishaw Graphic & Web Designer: Christina Morgan Digital & Social Media Strategist: Kristen Neals Digital Traffic Strategist: Karm Rathod Content Strategy Manager: Nicole Kansakar All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve The National Post or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.