Every Hotel Stay Plants Trees in San Luis Obispo

Innovative, responsible tourism model launches with Visit San Luis Obispo & Kind Traveler to amplify tree planting efforts in helping the city meet its carbon neutrality goal by 2035.

As we head into Earth Month with summer travel around the corner, Visit San Luis Obispo is partnering with Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back program to offer new inspiration for eco-friendly travel on California’s Central Coast. Affectionately referred to as SLO, San Luis Obispo’s Keys for Trees program means every guest staying overnight in any of its 42 hotels will contribute to the planting of new trees in the city, bettering the place with each visit. SLO’s partnership with Kind Traveler provides live impact reports and communication tools, making it fun and easy for visitors to see how their travel creates a positive impact and other ways to travel sustainably. 

The City of San Luis Obispo has a goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2035, making it the ideal place to visit for travelers looking to prioritize sustainability and give back to the planet. Part of reaching that goal is the 10 Tall initiative, or planting 10,000 new trees, of which Keys for Trees supports. The City has implemented numerous ongoing efforts to use greener energy, encourage alternative means of transportation, and prioritize legislation that prioritizes sustainability, including a ban on single-use plastics and a fleet of electric buses. By reaching its 2035 carbon neutrality goal, SLO will contribute to slowing global warming, provide habitats for wildlife, keep the city’s buildings and streets cool, create better air quality and preserve the quality of life in San Luis Obispo for decades to come.
 
Travelers are more aware of the need for travel that goes beyond doing no harm and instead prioritizes improving the communities they visit by giving back. According to Kind Traveler’s 2022 Impact Tourism Report, 97% of travelers want their travel dollars to positively impact the communities they visit, and 75% agree traveling sustainably enhances their vacation experience. Despite this, half of travelers say they don’t know how to start. This new partnership make it easier for anyone wanting to make a positive impact on the environment, knowing just staying in SLO will better the community and planet.

"San Luis Obispo prides itself on being a longtime trailblazer of sustainability efforts,” said Molly Cano, Economic Development & Tourism Manager for the City of SLO. “We were the first city in the U.S. to ban indoor smoking, we’re home to the first solar-powered movie theater, and we have no drive-thrus. Partnering with Kind Traveler to help share Keys for Trees and our big dreams of making a small difference for the planet is a natural and exciting step for us.”

Keys for Trees was created to support the City’s Climate Action Plan, wherein the San Luis Obispo Tourism Business Improvement District dedicates one percent of its annual revenue to help plant 10,000 trees throughout the community in partnership with EcoSLO. A trailblazer in sustainability, San Luis Obispo was the first U.S. destination to launch this type of initiative funded by local hotels. SLO hopes to inspire other destinations to consider this model in making it easy and turn-key for guests to support by giving back to the communities and helping to preserve the destinations they visit and love. 

Artisanal-made wood plaques are now at the front desk of every hotel in SLO with a QR code that links to a live impact report, providing visitors with details about the Keys for Trees program and inviting them to celebrate the fact that their stay has made a positive difference. The impact report features an educational travel guide, making it easy for guests to have fun in SLO while maximizing their positive impact. The enhanced layer of communication, education, and third-party validation creates transparency around the funds raised from every guest stay and invites the visitor on a mutual journey toward SLO’s carbon neutrality.

“While giving back to local charities connected to destination wellbeing helps create a sustainable future, studies share that it’s also related to higher levels of trip satisfaction for visitors,” stated Jessica Blotter, CEO & Co-Founder of Kind Traveler. “Kind Traveler is thrilled to launch a revolutionary, responsible tourism model with Visit San Luis Obispo while helping to make future visits to SLO more purposeful, meaningful, and memorable.” 

Since Keys for Trees launched in 2021, more than $50,000 has been donated to EcoSLO, resulting in dozens of trees planted throughout SLO. To start planning your San Luis Obispo vacation on California’s Central Coast to #LiveTheSLOLife and #TravelKindly, visit here.