One of the trade’s leading figures has dismissed the travel industry’s efforts to respond to climate change as grossly inadequate.
First Choice Holidays managing director Dermot Blastland told the Institute of Travel and Tourism conference in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria: “There are crap industries out there that have a much better line on climate change than travel.
“The industry’s efforts to date have been pathetic. We can’t say, ‘It is not just us creating emissions’ and pick on everyone else.”
Blastland agreed with figures presented to the conference by Jeff Gazzard, head of environmental lobby group AirportWatch, which suggested air travel could contribute half of total UK carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
However he said: “We have to act progressively and reward efficiency. Green taxes won’t save the planet. Yet if there was progressive taxation, people might decide to take just one longer flight.”
Blastland added: “Don’t forget the economic impact of air travel on destinations. We would destroy the economies of the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Kenya if we cancelled all flights.”