No more pessimism: good travel news from 2025
Whether on television, in newspapers, or on the big screen: crises, war, scandals, and disasters dominate our media landscape. For many, this triggers anxiety, feelings of being overwhelmed, or even depression. To protect themselves from the flood of negativity, more and more people are turning their backs on traditional news formats. It's a vicious cycle, because those who are poorly informed often participate less in democratic processes—and consequently feel even less connected to society. In a sea of bad news, a small beacon can make a big difference. That's why we at Good Travel have searched high and low—and are presenting you with seven travel news stories that cast a positive light on the year 2025.
1. Canary Islands: La Palma has a new strategy for sustainable tourism
The island of La Palma has begun implementing a new tourism strategy to promote sustainable, high-quality experiences instead of mass tourism. The strategy's focus on nature, culture, and authentic experiences promises ideal development for vacationers seeking relaxation who care about environmental and cultural preservation. Cooperation between municipalities, local providers, and the private sector aims to secure jobs and thus boost the economic benefits of tourism for the local population.
2. Paris Métro abolishes paper tickets for greater environmental protection
The Paris Métro discontinued the sale of paper tickets on November 5, 2025, ending a tradition of more than 125 years. Only digital alternatives are now available—such as the rechargeable Navigo Easy card and smartphone tickets. Those still holding paper tickets can continue to use them until mid-2026 or exchange them for a digital ticket free of charge.
The change will reduce the environmental impact, as previously around 500 million tickets were printed annually, which then ended up in the trash shortly afterwards.
3. Italy: more blue flags than ever before
In 2025, Italy reached a new record for the number of Blue Flag beaches: a total of 487 coastal areas were awarded the prestigious seal of approval that year. Holidaymakers and nature alike benefit from safe, clean, and environmentally conscious beaches with high water quality, effective waste management, and sustainable infrastructure.
A particularly large number of blue flags were flying in Liguria, Apulia, and Calabria. The quality seal is awarded annually.
4. Balearic Islands: new initiatives for more sustainable tourism
In 2025, the Balearic Islands are pushing forward with several new initiatives to make tourism more sustainable. These include stricter regulations on water and energy consumption in hotels, as well as support programs for businesses that rely on renewable energy and the circular economy. At the same time, the islands are investing in projects to protect their beaches and marine ecosystems, for example, by limiting visitor numbers in sensitive natural areas. These measures are intended not only to reduce environmental impact but also to offer guests higher-quality, more authentic holiday experiences.
5. Denmark: Copenhagen is once again rewarding visitors for more sustainable travel
In 2025, Copenhagen launched the second round of its CopenPay campaign, once again rewarding environmentally conscious travelers. For example, those arriving by train, switching to bicycles or public transport, picking up litter, or staying longer can borrow bicycles or kayaks for free and receive discounted entry to various attractions. The city aims not only to protect its environment but also to offer visitors a more authentic, sustainable experience – moving away from mass tourism and towards conscious, green travel. The smaller the ecological footprint of the trip, the greater the reward.
Study 6: Music helps against motion sickness
A recent study shows that music can significantly reduce the symptoms of motion sickness. Upbeat music is particularly effective, reducing nausea by almost 60 percent in affected individuals. Gentle music also proved very effective, providing nearly 57 percent relief. Sad music, on the other hand, sometimes worsened the symptoms. The study was conducted in a driving simulator, where individuals with known motion sickness were exposed to various music genres to measure their effects on nausea and dizziness. The researchers explain that music can reduce tension and activate the brain's reward system.
7. Klimalink helps track tourism emissions.n
The new KlimaLink platform makes it possible to monitor CO₂ emissions.2 To calculate travel emissions – such as flights and hotels – in a standardized and transparent way. Since this year, travel providers have been able to automatically integrate emissions data into their booking systems in real time. This allows customers to see how climate-damaging their trip is even before booking. KlimaLink thus creates a reliable basis for climate-conscious travel decisions and promotes more transparent and sustainable tourism. We spoke with Managing Director Saskia Sánchez Buitrago.
As you can see, amidst the negative news, there's also positive travel news that should give us cause for optimism. And what does the outlook for 2026 look like? According to forecasts, sustainability will continue to be a central theme in the travel industry next year. It's no longer just a marketing trend, but a necessary standard. More and more travelers want to know the size of their ecological footprint and are making conscious choices for slower, more meaningful, and more mindful travel.
With that in mind, we wish you a happy New Year!
Photos: Pexels / Kseniachernaya, leeloothefirst, Anchukk, Federi, Saskia Sanchez
Ina Hiester
Ina is a digital nomad and travels through Europe by land and sea. The journalist is always on the lookout for special places for Good Travel, philosophizes about travel in her column, takes photographs, makes music and writes articles on all kinds of environmental and sustainability topics.
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