Tui UK has committed to further cut its carbon footprint and reduce the number of brochures printed as part of 20 sustainable travel pledges.
The commitments, set to be achieved by 2014, represent the next stage in the operating group’s Holidays Forever strategy, which brings all of its environmental and socio-economic policies under one umbrella.
Key elements include reducing the “total and relative” carbon emissions from Tui Travel airlines by 6% between 2008 and 2014. As well as making Thomson Airways more efficient, Tui will be researching more sustainable aircraft fuel.
The company aims to cut the number of brochure pages printed by 10% over three years – equivalent to 380 million fewer pages. Tui will also work with its suppliers to reduce the carbon emissions from brochure distribution, and cut out paper by replacing printed ticket booklets with e-ticketing.
Tui says it will have ‘actively engaged’ with more than one million customers in sustainable tourism in the three year period in an ongoing effort to raise awareness among British holidaymakers of the need to make sustainable holiday choices.
Major steps towards the continuing reduction of Tui’s carbon footprint in the air and on the ground, both in its UK operations and holiday destinations worldwide are included.
The operating giant also has a drive to make its hotels more sustainable by helping 90% of them become Travelife awarded by 2014. The Abta-supported scheme recognises hotels that care for the environment, employees and local communities.
The commitments increase volunteering opportunities for staff by extending its overseas volunteering scheme Project Discovery as well as creating more UK opportunities.
More than 500,000 children will also be engaged in sustainable tourism through resort-based Kids Clubs, as well as in UK schools.
Communications director Christian Cull, Director of Communications, who launched the commitments at The Economist Sustainable Business Summit, said: “Tui is committed to raising awareness and converting that into actions, by making it easy for our customers to make sustainable choices when holidaying abroad.
“While we have been leading the industry on sustainable travel for some time now, these are three-year commitments which give us the long term vision and the necessary framework to really drive change. Our hope is that where we lead, others will follow.”
The full 20 commitments are available on the Holidays Forever microsite – www.holidaysforever.co.uk/thomson