Abta is encouraging travel businesses to join the association’s annual ‘Make Holidays Greener’ campaign, which will run throughout July and August.
The initiative is run with Travelife for Hotels & Accommodations, an international certification scheme that helps 1,300 hotel members around the world to improve their environmental, social and economic credentials.
This year’s campaign aims to inspire holidaymakers and the travel industry to make sustainable holiday pledges, to take care of the environment and support local communities in holiday destinations.
Travel businesses can also encourage customers to make a pledge and organise clean-up activities in resorts for staff and customers.
Holidaymakers may choose one of 15 sustainable holiday pledges, ranging from eating local food to saying no to plastic.
Last year, more than 700 sustainable holiday pledges were made, such as recycling water bottles, reusing hotel towels and using local transport.
Furthermore, almost 2,000 people collected more than 6,000 kilogrammes of rubbish as part of 125 beach cleans in 23 countries.
Nikki White, Abta director of destinations and sustainability, said: “We know that two-thirds of people think travel companies should ensure that their holidays help the local people and economy and so Make Holidays Greener is the perfect way for the industry to engage with customers and tell them about all the fantastic work being done in this area.
“I would encourage travel businesses to get involved with Make Holidays Greener, whether they’re organising a beach clean or encouraging their customers to make a sustainable holiday pledge.”
The pledges are:
- Organise a holiday clean-up
- Eat local produce
- Buy local souvenirs
- Talk to locals in their languages
- Respect local customs
- Reduce, re-use and recycle – leave and recycle any packaging at home before you travel
- Say no to plastic – avoid plastic straws and bags on holiday
- Offset your carbon
- Use local transport
- Switch off electrical devices in your accommodation when you’re not using them
- Save water – reuse towels and take shorter showers
- Protect children – support local community projects and refrain from giving money to begging children or visiting orphanages
- Tell the world – tell the world about my positive holiday experiences and leave an honest travel review
- Look for the Travelife logo – stay at a hotel that cares for the environment and its staff such as Travelife certified hotels
- Free choice – the chance to organise or suggest an activity specific to your holiday