The Travel Foundation aims to put sustainable tourism at the forefront of travel industry figures’ minds. New chairman Roger Heape outlined his vision to Ian Taylor
How do you define sustainable tourism?
Sustainability is about trying to reduce the environmental impact of tourism, helping the economy of a destination and respecting the culture and heritage of communities.
There are three pillars – economic environmental and social. We want communities to get more of the economic benefits of tourism. It
is not just about reducing CO2 emissions, but about fair trade tourism as well.
What led you to the Travel Foundation after three decades in the industry?
I was a geographer and aware of environmental issues. Then I read a book in the 1980s called The Holiday Makers by Jost Krippendorf, which basically said ‘don’t kill the golden goose’.
There is a danger that tourism can destroy the very things people go to see. I was involved with the Tour Operators’ Study Group – later to become the Federation of Tour Operators – which developed awards for sustainable tourism.
At British Airways Holidays we carried out environmental impact assessments in St Lucia and the Seychelles and discussed the need for an industry-backed sustainable tourism body.
After a world summit on sustainable tourism in Johannesburg, the UK Government was keen to be involved and a process began, involving non-governmental organisations and the industry, that provided the outline of the Travel Foundation. I helped set it up and became a trustee.
What sort of projects is the foundation engaged in?
We have worked with 10,000 hotels in Spain and Turkey on operating in a more sustainable way. We offer energy makeovers and demonstrate clear cost savings and reduced emissions – hotels can save up to 25%.
We take it at resort level and scale up to destinations. In Cyprus we have begun work on sustainable excursions, helping to regenerate 51 communities where people had moved away.
We are working with ground handlers to encourage handicrafts and tour visits. In Jamaica, we are encouraging the use of low-energy light bulbs. We also carry out education and training.
How is the foundation funded?
A lot of money comes from consumer donation schemes, which about 20 companies are involved in. We raised more than £1 million for the first time last year – about a 30% increase on the previous year – and this year we aim to raise £1.2 million.
The Government put in money at the outset and continues to support specific projects, providing about £100,000 a year. But donations of 50p to £5 make up 75%-80% of our turnover.
How do you defend accusations that the industry is not serious about sustainability?
There will always be people who say ‘you are doing this for the wrong reasons’. But I don’t believe companies are doing things because they think they can get more business through sustainable tourism.
The progress is very encouraging. A fair cross section of the industry is involved and the Travel Foundation forum has almost 100 members. Tour operators increasingly talk about environmental factors.
No one is there yet, but this stuff was not even considered 10 years ago.
What is the next step for the Travel Foundation?
There are two challenges – to get sustainable tourism embedded in all aspects of tour operating, and to get more companies to join in.
We would like to broaden our reach and involve the cruise industry. We are talking to tour operators and online retailers – which are particularly suited to organising consumer donations. We are talking to a major airline, with a focus on destinations, not aircraft.
The next stage will be about fair trade in tourism and spreading the benefits. In Sri Lanka, we are involved in a project to revive lace making as a practical way to get money into local communities.
Ultimately, success would mean there would be no need for the Travel Foundation. In the shorter term, we need more of the industry to put sustainability at the core of its practice.
The projects we are engaged in are making a quantifiable difference. The Tourism Foundation has become the leading authority on sustainability in practice, and the increased level of funding – and security of that funding – means we can scale up our efforts and make more of a difference. We would like to become a leading authority internationally.
Roger Heape: profile
Roger has spent over 30 years in the tour operating and airline leisure industry in a variety of high-profile roles including Thomson Holidays commercial director, Intasun Holidays managing director and British Airways Holidays managing director.
He played a leading role in environmental initiatives and received the ITT award and the Observer editor’s award in recognition of his contribution to sustainable tourism.
