The Specialist Travel Association is calling for an “honest discussion” with government on climate change as the time comes to end “binge flying”.
Speaking at Aito’s annual general meeting in London, members said it was critical their voice was heard at government level.
Explore deputy managing director John Telfer, who was reappointed an Aito council member, said individuals, government, the industry and businesses all had a role to play to reduce the impact of travel on the environment.
But he stressed: “One of the key things we have to do is influence government. We have to make sure our voice is heard.”
Noel Josephides, chairman of Sunvil, said a meeting with government was needed to discuss the role of the travel industry in tackling the crisis.
He said: “We want to get the government, airlines and ourselves together to have an honest discussion about what is going on. The will is there; it’s a matter of banging heads together to make sure they know how we work.
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“Our task is to get across to government how we can improve things. There is so much we have to educate civil servants on. We want to make sure the likes of the Department for Transport listen to what we are saying.”
He added: “We want to say how ridiculous it is that you are able to take a European flight at a lower price than the Air Passenger Duty charge on that flight.”
Josephides insisted there were practical solutions, such as flight capacity reductions, to lower carbon emissions. Airlines such as Norwegian had already “seen the light”, he said. “Overcapacity in flights leads to overtourism,” he said.
Telfer added tough action was needed, whether it was restricting the number of flights consumers take or the introduction of a carbon tax. He said: “The government has to act.”
Professor Xavier Font, professor of sustainability marketing at the University of Surrey, claimed the travel industry was responsible for 8% of global greenhouse carbon emissions and called for an end to frequent flying.
He said: “Travel has a pretty large impact and 6% of the 8% is aviation. We have to find a way to stop binge flying.”
He urged Aito companies to use airlines with a lower carbon footprint but also consider the impact of other transport, pointing out: “Cruising is the single biggest polluting form of travel that there is.”
The airline Norwegian has already reduced its carbon emissions by 30% since 2009, said UK and Ireland sales manager Mitchell Hawes.
He told the AGM: “We are acutely aware of our responsibility, especially when airlines are often cited as one of the heaviest polluters.”
Other Aito members agreed action could include encouraging clients to fly less frequently and go on longer holidays, as well as educating their own staff on the importance of the issue.
Naturetrek general manager Andy Tucker said his company had been one of those to promote one-week longhaul trips in the early 2000s when airfares were “dirt cheap” but admitted: “It could be we go back to the trend of encouraging people to do longer (duration) trips.”
Clients were already putting pressure on companies to act, said Telfer. “There is more expectation from Aito-type companies to do something.”
Alice Bayly, head of sustainable travel and family product at Experience Travel Group, agreed: “We’ve had three enquiries from agents this week where clients wanted to know what we were doing as a company sustainability-wise.”
But Josephides admitted it could take time to get government buy-in, adding: “It will be difficult because the airline lobby is very powerful.”