The travel industry has been spared little in the past year and a half, and though the world looks very different than it did pre-COVID when we launched our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Pledge on World Tourism Day 2019, the changes have only been cause to strengthen our commitment . Our pledge calls on travelers and the travel industry to stand and commit to make travel matter, and one year later, on World Tourism Day 2020, we shared our plan to build on this pledge with action: a 5-year sustainability strategy How We Tread Right. This year, we’re proud to introduce you to the people who are bringing this strategy to life, and ensuring progress against our goals across The Travel Corporation (TTC) and our family of brands. Learn about them and the sustainability initiatives close to their hearts below:
NADINE PINTO ON MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences
Sustainability Manager, The Travel Corporation
“How do we ensure travel experiences go beyond a ‘feel good factor’ and have a real impact that positively affects the communities, wildlife and the planet?
Back in 2019 the TreadRight team was posed with this question from our Travel Experience Teams. One way we’ve done this is by introducing MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences on our itineraries and I’m most proud to be one of the architects behind this program.”
Read more about the development of this program >
TASHA HAYES ON CLIMATE ACTION
Sustainability Officer, Contiki
“Working closely with transport, our site managers, and our product means I am involved from the ground up in finding more ways that we can reduce our carbon footprint across all facets of our operations.
I started with Contiki in 2012 as a European Trip Manager and I feel so fortunate to have witnessed the immense transformation the brand has gone through since then. In those 10 years, Contiki has built momentum and continuously found new ways to make positive small changes that have led to the impactful decision of becoming a carbon neutral business.”
Read more about what this means for Contiki >
VALERIE FURPHY ON GIVING BACK
Sustainability Officer, Insight Vacations & Luxury Gold
“We have been in business over 100 years, and it is our mission to continue that legacy. The only way we can continue to take guests on vacations that delight and inspire is to protect the people, places and wildlife we visit.
Two years ago, we were the first brands at TTC to launch a ‘Global Volunteering Day,’ a day when as many of our global team as possible come together to give back to the communities where we live and travel. On our inaugural Global Volunteering Day, we logged over 1,000 volunteer hours, supported grassroots organizations and connect with each other and our communities.”
Read more about Insight Vacations’ and Luxury Gold’s sustainability efforts >
MICHELLE DEVLIN ON REDUCING FOOD WASTE
Sustainability Manager, Red Carnation Hotels
“Our work with Winnow began while the hotels were closed due to the pandemic. At a time when many companies were setting sustainability to one side, Red Carnation Hotels and the other TTC brands were putting it at the heart of the business.
In 2020 we partnered with Winnow Food Waste Management Solutions and began our journey to better understand the food waste being generated by the hotels and provide a baseline from which to work.
It was fascinating to see the impact the Winnow system had on our chefs – it completely changed their mindset, and they became driven to find ways to reduce waste.”
Read more about Red Carnation Hotels’ sustainable food initiatives >
GEMMA MYHILL ON TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
Sustainability Officer, Trafalgar & Costsaver
“We’re constantly being challenged to think ‘outside the box’ and to ensure doing good is at the forefront of everything we do.
The Trafalgar team is well versed in making a difference through support for local communities, being one of the first guided tour companies to offer Be My Guest experiences over a decade ago – an opportunity to break bread with locals, share in their stories and heritage and gain insight into the daily lives of those around the world.”
Learn more about transformative travel experiences >
JULIE HIGGINS ON MEASUREMENT & TRACKING
Sustainability Officer, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
“What has become blatantly clear for us is that to make progress, we need to ensure that we can measure, and understand our impact. Once we can measure, only then can we manage!
It is now clearer than ever that travel providers and travelers must take responsibility and acknowledge the role that each of us plays in helping to make travel matter. But how do we know whether or not we are making progress if we don’t have a full understanding of our current footprint?”
Read more about how Uniworld is measuring and managing its carbon footprint >