Welcome to the "Gotta GO! Sustainable Explorer Challenge," an exciting initiative by HK Express that empowers students to design lower-carbon travel adventures and become champions of sustainable tourism. Launched in 2024, this campaign challenges young minds to embrace sustainable travel by creating innovative itineraries and turning them into unforgettable, real-life experiences.
Whether you're an experienced sustainability enthusiast or new to concepts like carbon footprints and responsible tourism, this is your opportunity to explore meaningful travel, win amazing prizes, and gaining insights about the aviation industry.
What is the “Gotta GO! Sustainable Explorer Challenge”?
The "Gotta GO! Sustainable Explorer Challenge" is a platform for students to:
- Learn how to design and implement sustainable travel plans.
- Compete for the chance to execute their travel ideas with full sponsorship.
- Gain hands-on experience in responsible tourism through an unforgettable journey.
The challenge offers lectures, workshops and real-life opportunities to implement sustainable travel itineraries. Students will also have the chance to showcase their ideas to a panel of industry experts and compete for exciting prizes.
Campaign Objectives
The Gotta GO! Sustainable Explorer Challenge is designed to:
- Empower students by deepening their understanding of sustainability concepts, such as carbon footprints and sustainable tourism.
- Inspire participants to design and implement lower-carbon travel experiences.
- Raise awareness of the importance of traveling sustainably and responsibly.
- Promote sustainable development and contribute to a greener future for the aviation industry and beyond.
Hear from 2024’s winners about their incredible journeys and what they learned from the competition:
2024 Champion
"Recently, the concept of sustainable travel has become vital, but I had never explored it, nor did I think I could travel sustainably. I even held a conservative mindset that ‘sustainable travel is equal to a geographical site visit, eating vegetables, and no meats.’ Throughout this campaign, I learned so much more about this concept." "During the preparation, the competition host continually reminded us to prioritise our happiness, placing sustainability second. It’s about finding a balance between joy and sustainability, allowing us to reduce our impact on the environment while still having fun while travelling."
Choy Wan Man (Vivian) – HKUST
“Over the past few months, it has been incredible to reflect on our journey. We initially signed up on a whim, without much knowledge of sustainable tourism. However, through a series of lectures, workshops, and trip planning, I learned to consider different interpretations of 'how to achieve a relaxing and eco-friendly trip through small changes in daily life.' "Later, we were given the honour to implement our travel plan in Jeju. Even though the 4-day trip was full of unexpected challenges, such as transportation schedules and itinerary changes, all those experiences helped us grow and turned this into an unforgettable journey.”
Tam Hong Yau (Chloe) – CUHK
2024 First Runner-up
"This competition was an excellent opportunity for us to embark on the journey of discovering more about sustainable travel. It was truly an honour for us to have the chance to execute our plan!"
"After this competition, we believe that everyone can travel sustainably anywhere and anytime. Every small step we take will ultimately become a big step and play a part in achieving sustainability together."
Ho Ka Wai (Opal) – HKUST
“Before this trip, I thought we needed to do many extra things to reach the goal of sustainability. However, when we tried to plan our trip and make it happen, it turned out to be easier than we imagined. We can make our trip sustainable by choosing a less crowded destination to prevent over-tourism and eating greener by trying a plant-based diet.”
Leung Mei Ki (Crystal) – CUHK
Contact Us
Email SEC2025@hkexpress.com