Sustainable travel news
Welcome to our blog, where passion meets purpose. Our insights, tips, and strategies are designed to inspire and inform, stay tuned for the latest news on sustainable travel, we’ll showcase real-world examples, innovative practices, and practical advice.
The Next Phase of Net Zero: What ISO 14060 Means for Business
A lot has happened recently in the world of net zero. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has released its revised Corporate Net-Zero Standard, while the public consultation for the ISO Net Zero Standard [...]
When politicians do this we (rightly) complain
Feeling warm? For me Thursday 25th June (the hottest June day on record) was spent dashing across London in 36-degree heat, and it was truly yucky! Aside from heat meltdown, London’s infrastructure is now [...]
How do we continue to grow tourism in destinations facing chronic water stress?
Water scarcity is becoming one of the defining sustainability challenges for tourism destinations around the world. In his latest opinion piece for TTG Media, our Director & Founder Patrick Richards examines why water scarcity [...]
ITT Sustainability Big Debate: “Do Travellers Care? Does It Matter?
Last month, our Founding Director, Patrick Richards, joined travel industry leaders on stage for the first ITT Sustainability Big Debate: "Do Travellers Care? Does It Matter?". The debate delivered on its promise of honest debate, and plenty [...]
California sets the pace on corporate responsibility.
The “Golden State” is about to roll out two landmark pieces of legislation that will affect all U.S. businesses above a certain size - raising the bar for transparency, accountability, and sustainability. These are [...]
Do destinations trust the travel trade with sustainability?
A friend runs master’s degree courses, which pull together students from both public and private sectors. I recently asked whether the exposure to each other brought common understanding between the two? “You must be joking,” [...]
Sustainability in the Nordics: Reflections from the Captain’s Cruise
So, what’s the latest with sustainability in the Nordics? “Go away and reflect on what you have done,” so used to say a variety of parents, teachers and others! So, with a month’s distance since [...]
Bloomberg – Hotter Summers and Overcrowding Threaten Europe’s Tourist Economies
Our Founding Director, Patrick Richards, was delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to this insightful and comprehensive article featured in Bloomberg News exploring the challenges facing tourism in Southern Europe.Tourism sustains millions of jobs [...]
The ATOL Top 50 revisited – Are the UK’s top travel companies moving with the times on sustainability?
Last year, we assessed the Top 50 ATOL holders against key sustainability markers. Our findings were frankly disappointing; showing that over 40% made no mention of sustainability at all, only 30% having published comprehensive sustainability [...]
Tourism leaders still look short-term… this needs to change.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) brings together leaders from politics, business, culture, and beyond to tackle global challenges and set the agenda for industries and regions. For nearly 20 years the Global Risks Perception Survey [...]
What is the real culprit for anti-tourism resentment? (and what can the travel trade start doing about it.)
“Refugees welcome, tourists go home!” is an increasingly common piece of graffiti in some favourite tourist destinations. Hair-raising stories abound of angry locals taking to the streets in protest, spray painting rental cars, attacking tourist [...]
Navigate uncertainty to craft a successful sustainability strategy.
When we first meet with clients, they are often unsure about sustainability or perceive it as vague and lacking in business value. Alternatively, they are overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge. Either way, they [...]
It’s only greenwashing if you intend to deceive. Right?
Imagine you are a marketing professional working for a Tour Operator, your largest hotel provider has recently installed solar panels in 50% of their properties. You know that customers and investors are increasingly looking for [...]
Operators, are you prepared for climate change? Let’s assess risks and solutions.
Nobody caught in the wildfires that swept through Rhodes last summer will forget the devasting scenes: Amy Leyden, a British tourist, said “It was just terrifying” when she was told to leave her hotel immediately [...]
Poo powered planes: could human waste fuel the future of flight?
Hungarian airline Wizz air believe it could. The airline has teamed up with Firefly Green Fuels, who have developed a process which will convert treated sewage into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The limitations of SAF SAF [...]
Carbon Accounting Alliance – New Partnership Announcement.
We are delighted to announce that TerraVerde has become a member of the Carbon Accounting Alliance. This prestigious coalition consists of over 300 organizations dedicated to collaborating on addressing the challenges faced by our industry, [...]
Why have only 30% of the UK’s biggest travel companies have published comprehensive sustainability plans?
Our team in partnership with the ITT’s Sustainability Committee, examined the top 50 UK ATOL holders, analysing their websites for robust environmental strategies, whilst also evaluating their efforts in promoting sustainable travel choices. We found [...]
Seven sustainability trends that travel businesses can’t afford to ignore in 2024
CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALREADY HAVING A REAL IMPACT ON BUSINESS Remember the wildfires in Rhodes last summer or the floods in Germany? The Rhodes fires cost the likes of Tui, easyJet and Jet2holidays tens of [...]
How to Carbon Label Travel Products
Carbon labelling travel products not only helps consumers make informed decisions but also helps tour operators minimise the environmental impact of their products and gain a deep understanding of which components in their itineraries produce [...]
Can your team confidently promote sustainable travel options?
76% of customers are seeking sustainable travel options. How will your next promotion deliver? Over 33,000 travellers were surveyed for Booking.com’s annual Sustainable Travel Report and 76% said they want more sustainable holidays. But, despite good intentions, [...]
Sustainable Tourism First Steps
We are proud to partner with The Nordic Tourism Collective to provide a practical pathway for destinations and SMEs taking sustainable tourism first steps on their journey. Despite significant strides in the advancement of sustainable [...]
When it comes to sustainability terminology matters.
As the conversation around sustainability grows, especially with the issue now firmly on the government’s agenda, so too does our vocabulary – and while many of the terms sound similar, there is science behind each definition. [...]
Can mass tourism really be sustainable?
Justin Francis, the CEO of Responsible Travel thinks it can: “There is no reason why mainstream tourism cannot be as sustainable as niche tourism – in fact in some ways it could be more so. Densely planned [...]
Hoteliers need to help their guest make better choices
Many hotels are encouraging guests to reuse linen and towels by placing a note on their door or hanging their towels in a designated place to indicate they are happy to reuse them. However, wouldn't [...]