InteleTravel agents need not mention ‘sustainability’ to clients, conference hears

Travel agents do not need to use the words “sustainability” or “responsibility” when promoting responsible tourism to their clients, Abta’s industry relations director told InteleTravel’s annual conference.

 

Susan Deer, who gave a talk on overtourism and the impact on destinations, urged agents to learn as much as possible about sustainability, carry out research on suppliers and create a plan for promoting responsible travel.

 

“You can sell these kinds of trips without using the words ‘sustainability’ or ‘responsibility’,” she said.

 

Advising agents to seek “progress over perfection”, she said they could recommend that their clients visit a destination at a quieter time of the year or choose an alternative location.

 

“The more you know about your products, the more opportunities you have to have those conversations,” she said.

 

She conceded agents would also need to be “realistic”, noting: “I’m not talking about saying, ‘You can’t go here’ or ‘You can’t go there’. If people are travelling somewhere for the first time, they will want to see the main attractions.”

 

She cited Abta’s publication of Tourism for Good in 2020 and suggested delegates read the document, which includes passages on destination management.

 

Overtourism is the result of “not having the right balance”, she said.

 

“It might not mean there are too many people [in a destination], but it might mean the flow of visitors is not working,” she added.

 

“It can be about visitor flow as much as numbers and it can be about the local economic situation. Overtourism can be about travellers’ behaviour.”

 

Agents might wish to recommend that their clients use public transport, stay in accommodation outside the city centre or travel at quieter times of year, she said.

 

In the summer, Abta published advice about overtourism on its website.

 

“Each and every one of us in this industry plays a role [in promoting responsible tourism],” Deer said, adding that agents should not wait for action from airlines or cruise lines.