We sit down with Mr Londoner to share thoughts on how Destination Management Companies (DMCs) can approach sustainability in the Travel Industry.

When it comes to uncovering the hidden layers of London, few do it better than Mr Londoner, one of our most trusted narrators and curators. Leading bespoke tours that delve into the secret side of the city, his work reveals London’s unseen stories, offering guests more than just a sightseeing trip—it’s an invitation to connect deeply with place, culture, and history.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you’re interested in sustainability.

I’m a writer, broadcaster, presenter and former museum director. I live and work in the heart of the city.Five years ago, when I became a London Blue Badge tour guide, I started my own business. As Mr Londoner I now provide communications and research services. I also run specialist tours. I love heading off the tourist trail to reveal the secret – and the sustainable – city. The clock is ticking and we can no longer afford to ignore a warming climate, an obstacle-laden public realm, and a degraded natural environment. This year Mr Londoner teamed up with Mrs Londoner, when my wife became an accredited City of London guide, her focus being wellbeing and nature.

There is hope. I’ve watched my city gradually become cleaner over the years. When I was a child, London was really dirty – its fine buildings coated in a thick layer of coal dust. The cleaning programme in the 1970s and 80s transformed the place. The River Thames, declared biologically dead in the early 1960s, today teems with life. Air quality however remains a massive challenge. I support the Mayor of London’s environmental ambitions. I’m also right behind schemes that encourage (those of us who can) to get out of our cars and use more active transport. This is, in the jargon, defined as ‘wheeling, walking and cycling’. The concept prioritises the needs of those with disabilities, older people, families and kids. It dials down the more polarising debates, fired-up by some commentators, about road wars between motorists and cyclists.

Traffic calming measures, for example, often face initial resistance. But they’re eventually accepted – when people see how their own quality of life improves. Anti-smoking legislation was initially seen as a curb on individual freedoms. Today, few of us would vote for a return to smoky offices, pubs and restaurants. The same is true of our reactions to car seatbelts becoming law in 1983. We need to create a city for people, rather than continuing to build a city for cars. Our most popular destinations – loved by locals and visitors alike – include Covent Garden; Coal Drops Yard; Camden Passage; Spitalfields Market and the beautiful riverside walk at Bankside. Interestingly they are all car-free zones.

In a world dominated by towering cruise ships, private jets, and oversized SUVs choking London’s historic streets, it’s refreshing to hear someone in our field speak out about climate and the environment. In your opinion, why is sustainability important for the travel industry?

For too long our industry has turned a blind eye to the environment and to the nation’s ambitions to reach Net Zero – the plan to become carbon-neutral. Our dependence on flights (private jets in some cases), cruise ships and cars, is excessive. And this polluting activity is not offset elsewhere. Too many tour agencies try to cram in as much as possible into their guests’ activities – probably because it increases their margins. I’d love to break this chain. It would be great to see a more nuanced, more intelligent approach. I would love to see a shift towards slower tourism, experiencing a culture first-hand and taking local advice about what to do and see and eat – and what to avoid. Too many tourist itineraries appear to be more about ticking the boxes. Doing less, but doing it better, is invariably kinder to ourselves and to the planet.

Do you see sustainability as a viable trend for the industry?

Yes. There’s no alternative. And it isn’t a trend. It’s mission critical. If we don’t slow down climate change there will no planet to explore. It’s time the industry listened. I think fundamental changes are needed. And we need to consider our own role as agents of that change. We should be at the forefront of driving progress forward rather than lagging behind other sectors. It’s time to prioritise the planet. Crucially we have to end the correlation between luxury and excess – and a consequentially devil-may-care attitude to carbon emissions.

Can sustainable travel be luxury?

Absolutely it can. Luxury travel for me is less about ostentatious displays of wealth and more about getting under the skin of a place and seeing it as the locals see it. I’m often bemused by travel companies asking me to run tours of Notting Hill. Its local market, Portobello, is the draw here and it’s great fun on Fridays and Saturdays. But experience has taught that rummaging through the junk to find the treasure isn’t everyone’s idea of heaven. So, if the colourful chaos of a market doesn’t appeal, Notting Hill is an otherwise well-appointed but quiet residential area. It has a few nice cafés, some brightly coloured houses and one or two posh shops. But Hugh Grant does not live here and he won’t appear!

Mr Londoner’s insights highlight a striking gap in the industry. While travellers increasingly seek nuanced, meaningful experiences off the beaten path, many DMCs remain stuck in predictable patterns—same guides, same places, same approach—differentiating themselves only on cost. This disconnect between what travellers desire and what’s offered prompts an important question: how can we rethink the training and approach of guides to create more meaningful, sustainable, and authentic experiences for modern tourists?

We need to re-define the tour guide thing for a new generation. And we have to start with the training. Like every industry, we must constantly re-evaluate and see what’s happening in the wider world. This requires being alert to the changing needs of our market and, at the same time, a fresh focus on diversity and the environment. We must embrace other voices and different stories. Much as I enjoy telling the tales of Henry VIII, London’s rich story goes back 2,000 years. So it’s time to re-balance narratives to include, contemporary culture. For example, I love to show my guests the little-known Spitalfields Colour Walk. Here, East London locals and artists parade once a month in their brilliantly-vibrant and delightfully-bizarre hand-fashioned costumes. It’s fun, relaxed and inclusive. And I love to spotlight London’s quirky creativity.

As guides ourselves, we too need to re-consider the different ways we can deliver content. We could re-cast ourselves as story-tellers, curators and narrators. We could be more imaginative in our use of social media, broadcasting, blogging, podcasting, photography and more. And we have to better engage our own clients and encourage them to see the city through local eyes – rather than rushing to do something because it’s on TikTok.

There are pockets of green-related activities generated by some really inspiring guides, focussed on the environment and concerned about a changing climate. These are small things but they include wellness walks, bike tours, wildlife trails, crafting, making, mending and exploring the world of pre-loved clothing. It’s great to see my colleagues offer these alternatives when the temptation is to rely on delivering standard touristy itineraries, like the Tower of London and the guard change. These traditional offers are heavily plugged by many agencies and destination marketing companies. And each company does pretty much the same thing, in the same way – all using the same guides.

What are the top sustainable experiences in London?

Cycling, travelling on public transport and discovering our green spaces are simple and obvious ways to explore the city sustainably. Increasingly, my clients come to me to enquire about sustainability and wellness. I’ve seen significant shifts in attitude and a growing market here, especially post-lockdown.

There are all kind of approaches we could take. Here’s my recent blog ‘Dress for less and save the planet’. It explains where I’m currently at – exploring the intersect between wellness, environment and fashion. I’m interested at looking at the small steps we can all take to help achieve our Net Zero ambitions and be generally kinder to the environment at the same time. It’s an approach that has proved popular with young people seeking out a more authentic and immersive experience away from the tourist trail.

At Extraordinary Britain, we have recognised the link between sustainable experiences and wellness. Would you agree that there is a meaningful connection between the two themes?

Yes, the two are intimately linked. With my wife, aka Mrs Londoner, we run a number of walking tours for UK corporates and London-based business. Post-pandemic there’s been a fresh focus on the mental wellbeing of the workforce. Increasingly, with colleagues working from home, there’s a concern about them becoming isolated and not operating as collegiately as they did before. So, company team-building activities might include walks spotlighting history, culture and the environment. This is a way to bring people together once again.

Do you have any general tips for travelling sustainably?

Travel mindfully. Make active decisions. Do your research. It amazes me how many people arrive in the UK and find themselves at Stonehenge or in the Tate Modern without having thought very much at all about those special places – or even looked at their websites. Be informed and engaged. This will help you make the right decisions and better and greener choices.

Try and live like locals. Take their advice and see the place through their eyes. London is a walking city. Yet luxury travel businesses insist on ferrying clients about in cars. Truth be told, this is a pretty terrible way to get around. As guides we’ve all perfected the art of busking it while our luxury car chugs away in yet another traffic jam. All the while the client is missing the really special and quirky stuff they’d see if they’d opted to travel on foot. London has brilliant and affordable public transport. If you need a car you can easily flag down a black cab – many of which are now electric. Or you could hop on a hire bike.

There are small steps we could all take to begin to address some of the bigger issues around the climate emergency.  Holidays and trips should be less about box-ticking. I encourage my agency and guiding colleagues alike to re-think how we shape client itineraries to create more authentic and immersive experiences. Let’s help our guests to breathe in our beautiful city at a slower pace. Let’s create for them an authentic and meaningful experience and, ultimately, a more relaxing and memorable stay in London.