Business Traveller

Greentraveller, whose content is syndicated on Reuters Business Traveller, is celebrating its fifth birthday and presenting readers with no-fly holiday ideas for next year

Richard Hammond, who founded Greentraveller in 2006, maintains: “The single most important decision travellers can take to reduce their impact on the environment is to seek alternatives to flying.”

Greentraveller features on its website 500 green places to stay and over 1,500 holidays reachable by train. In 2012, this content will be doubled, with “thousands of holidays in Europe that are reachable overland, as far north as the wilds of Scandinavia and as far south as the chilled-out riads of Morocco… less carbon, more fun!”

To celebrate their birthday, the Greentraveller team has identified Five Green Holiday Trends for 2012:

1. Rail and sail adventures to the Med: Rail and sail trips to Ireland and Holland are already proving popular. In 2012 it’s likely travellers will try heading a little further afield, to the Mediterranean, by train and ferry. It’s possible to Rail and Sail to Corsica in under 16 hours by travelling through France on a high speed TGV and taking a ferry from Marseille to Calvie, Ile Rousse or Bastia; or Rail and Sail to Majorca by taking the superb overnight Train Hotel to Barcelona and then catching a quick 4-hour ferry across to the island.

2. Learning an Olympic sport: We’re all going to be inspired by the athletes flooding into London next summer, so we think people are going to use their holiday time to have a go at an Olympic skill, such as learning to road cycle in the Shropshire hills: a long weekend that takes you through the ropes as it guides you down quiet country roads on two wheels: greentraveller.co.uk/cycling; Learn to sea kayak in the Scottish highlands: a 5-day course that combines expert instruction with exploring some of the most breathtaking coastlines of West Scotland: greentraveller.co.uk/kayaking; Learn to wild swim: Join the outdoor swimming craze by learning how to swim in open water on a long weekend swimming holiday in the Lake District: greentraveller.co.uk/swimming

3. Seeing the alternative side of classic destinations: European holiday destinations are getting wiser to the demands of travellers who want unique experiences in places that are in harmony with the natural environment and local economy. Go stargazing in Tenerife: greentraveller.co.uk/star-gazing; take the train to a ski resort: greentraveller.co.uk/ski-trains; go donkey trekking in France: greentraveller.co.uk/donkeytrekking; see the alternative Ibiza on the island’s peaceful North coast: greentraveller.co.uk/agroturismo

4. Hiring a bike for a day: Greentraveller City Guides provide info on how to pick up a rental bike in Berlin, Valence, Utrecht and more of our favourite cities: greentraveller.co.uk/faves. Watch this space, too, for the fast-expanding Electric Bike Network here in the UK. These whizzy machines make cycling accessible for everyone and can currently be picked up in the Lake District, Peak District and Devon: greentraveller.co.uk/electric

5. Going on an overland adventure for your gap year or sabbatical: Around the world tickets are becoming less popular as both belts and time is tightened. Consequently more people are turning to adventures closer to home for their break from work or study. Our top picks? Taking the train through France and Spain and a ferry across the straits of Gibraltar to catch the Marrakesh Express to the souks, mountains and desert of Morocco: greentraveller.co.uk/marrakech-express; or enjoy the landscapes, people and cultures from West to East on a 9-day guided tour from London to Beijing by train. greentraveller.co.uk/london-beijingtrain

(Caption on blog landing page: Greentraveller has worked with over 25 of the UK’s leading tour operators to feature over 1,500 trips holidays that are reachable by train and/or foot passenger ferry from the UK.)