About the Green Travel Blog
Who we are, how we work, and what we stand for
How can we travel while being more mindful of our use of resources, our impact on nature, and our interaction with local people?
We research responsible travel, talk to experts and hosts, and take a look behind the scenes when it comes to sustainability in tourism and the hospitality industry. Our main focus is on specific measures, background information, and experiences that will help you make informed travel decisions.
Behind the blog is the Green Pearls® editorial team, made up of people with many years of professional and personal experience in the tourism industry.
How we work
On our blog, you’ll find more than just beautiful travel stories. We carefully research our topics, ask questions, and show you where our information comes from. That doesn’t mean you won’t find beautiful travel stories, though!
Our editorial guidelines
We research and verify our sources.
For facts and figures, we rely on current studies, scientific publications, and official, verifiable sources as much as possible.
We speak with people who are well-versed in the subject.
This includes experts from academia and the field, as well as hoteliers, producers, and individuals from the regions we cover.
We draw on our own experiences.
Whenever possible, we incorporate our personal travel experiences, hotel visits, and information gathered from on-site conversations into our articles.
We take a close look at sustainability claims.
Instead of broad, general terms, we focus on concrete, verifiable measures and transparent criteria, as well as the associated challenges.
We share our sources transparently.
When they’re relevant to an article, we cite or link to studies, additional information, and interviewees.
However, if you’re expecting us to provide perfect or completely sustainable travel ideas, destinations, or accommodations, we’re afraid we’ll have to disappoint you. Such options don’t exist, nor do we claim to offer them. We want to encourage you to make your travels more sustainable, one small step at a time. This involves explaining certain contexts to you, critically examining general trends, and, above all, providing you with the information you need to make more sustainable travel decisions.
Who writes for the Green Travel Blog?
Our editorial team has a wide range of backgrounds, areas of expertise, and travel experiences, all of which are reflected in our articles. Get to know us better!
Laura Farag
Key topics: Climate change, zero waste, yoga, and slow travel
Laura wants to understand the bigger picture, explore different perspectives, and give all sides a voice whenever possible. She is a trained journalist who learned her craft from the ground up. After many years as a freelance journalist, she now researches and writes for the Green Travel Blog. She lives with her family in the Middle East, practices a minimalist lifestyle, and is an avowed fan of Greta Thunberg and zero-waste pioneer Bea Johnson.
Expertise & Experience:
Journalism internship · Many years of experience as a freelance journalist · Interviews with experts
Stefany Seipp
Key Areas: Hospitality, Tourism Development, Italy
As the founder of Green Pearls®, Stefany is a pioneer in sustainable travel. As a frequent traveler, she had a vision early on to combine travel with a commitment to people and nature. She is passionate about special places and the people behind them. Through Green Pearls®, she gives a voice to hosts and businesses that are making a difference with their ideas and dedication. Her personal place of longing is Italy.
Expertise & Experience:
Travel experience in 86 countries around the world · Active in the tourism industry for over 38 years · Sustainable tourism before it became trendy
Mara Biebow
Focus Areas: Hiking & Outdoor, Female Solo Travel, Traveling with a Dog
Mara has a degree in communication design. However, her passion lies in writing about sustainable travel—especially with dogs. She also loves extended stays (she has spent months in New Zealand and South Africa, among other places), good vegan food, and hiking vacations in Europe. Her time in South Africa, in particular, shaped her understanding of sustainability from both social and environmental perspectives.
Expertise & Experience:
Travel experience in New Zealand, South Africa, Europe, and Peru · vegan diet · My own travel blog since 2015
Our former contributors
Over the years, so many wonderful people have supported us. Without them, our blog wouldn’t be anywhere near what it is today. Why not take a look at a few of the articles written by our former editors? We promise you they’re still well worth reading!
What is the relationship between the Green Travel Blog and Green Pearls®?
The Green Travel Blog is operated by Green Pearls® curated partners for sustainable impact, an information and communication platform promoting responsible travel. Many of the accommodations we feature are part of the Green Pearls® network. Their initiatives and experiences provide us with practical insights and enable direct communication with hosts.
However, a partnership does not mean that we accept statements without verification. We conduct editorial research, evaluate information, and clearly label collaborations and promotional content. We report on developments, challenges, and critical issues in tourism, even if they do not involve our partners.
Do you have any questions, comments, or ideas for us?
Do you have a question about one of our articles? Would you like to point out an error? Do you know of a topic we should explore further? If so, feel free to write to us. We also gladly accept input from experts, real-world experiences, and new perspectives on our topics.
Disclaimer regarding older blog posts
All blog posts published before May 1, 2026 were prepared in accordance with the legal requirements and industry standards in effect at the time of publication. Consequently, the content and wording related to sustainability and environmental claims may not align with the current legal requirements or assessment criteria. This is particularly due to the stricter requirements of the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo) and the Green Claims Directive, which set more rigorous standards for environmental and sustainability claims.
Any questions?
The Green Travel Blog is Green Pearls®’ online magazine dedicated to responsible travel. We cover travel destinations and accommodations, explore tourism trends, and examine issues related to mobility, cuisine, resources, climate change, nature, and society. Our goal is to provide you with the information you need to make your own travel decisions, help you understand the bigger picture, and give you concrete examples.
We focus on sustainable travel, the bigger picture, and your impact. Our blog has helped shape terms such as “glacier-friendly travel” and “charity hotels.” We also ask critical questions like “Should we still fly?”, explore the pros and cons of tree-planting campaigns, and report on disappearing islands, endangered villages, and travel in the rainforest.
Throughout all of this, we invite sustainability pioneers from the hospitality industry to join us in our digital newsroom. So it’s not uncommon to come across well-known industry names such as:
- José Koechlin von Stein (nominated as a world leader in sustainability and founder of the Peruvian Inkaterra Hotels)
- Stephan Bode (owner of the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA, which has gained popularity in recent years for its “Circular Living” rooms)
- Benjamin Förtsch (owner of Hotel Luise, which established “renewable” hotel rooms 10 years ago)
- Bea Johnson (author of “Zero Waste Home” and founding figure of the zero waste movement)
- Anna-Karina Reibold (spokesperson for Cradle-to-Cradle)
- Dr. Yvonne Würz (biologist, Ph.D., and PETA specialist on animals in the entertainment industry)
- Aggeliki Charami (vegan celebrity chef and culinary storyteller)
In addition, our blog features Galapagos volunteers, Arctic tour operators, insect experts, safari organizers, and lab-grown meat producers — the Green Travel Blog is a hub for individuals passionate about shaping the future of sustainable travel.
To us, sustainable travel means exploring the world mindfully while helping to ensure that the beautiful places we visit are preserved for future generations. We want tourism to promote positive change, protect nature and habitats, support local communities, and preserve cultures and traditions.
In other words, we consider environmental, social, cultural, and economic factors. Examples of these factors include:
- responsible use of energy and water
- mobility that is as eco-friendly as possible
- protection of biodiversity and natural habitats
- fair working conditions
- strengthening regional economic cycles
In addition to our own perspective, we are guided by the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) because they clearly demonstrate the close interconnection of issues such as climate and nature conservation, labor, responsible consumption, community, and tourism.
The great success of our blog stems from our thorough research and real-life examples from local partners, hosts, and experts. For our research, we consult relevant sources, such as studies, scientific publications, and environmental reports.
Our recommendations are based on the Green Pearls® criteria. The accommodations in our network are distinguished by their commitment to sustainable tourism and provide evidence of concrete measures in various areas. These include, for example, the responsible use of energy and resources, environmental and species conservation, social engagement, and the promotion of regional economic growth.
The specific accommodations, destinations, and offers that we feature depend on the topic of each article. We carefully select properties whose initiatives, experiences, or areas of focus are particularly well-suited to the topic and provide an accurate, up-to-date picture of what the article covers.
No. Many of the accommodations featured on the Green Travel Blog are part of the Green Pearls® network—but not every accommodation, destination, organization, or company mentioned is a Green Pearls® partner. The deciding factor is whether an example is relevant to the editorial topic at hand. We label collaborations and promotional content accordingly.
The Green Travel Blog is operated by Green Pearls®. Green Pearls® is an information platform and communications agency that highlights its partners’ initiatives and developments; it is not a certification body. The blog expands on this approach with editorial research, interviews, background information, and personal experiences related to more responsible travel.
