A series of sustainable trips developed with the support of sustainable tourism charity the Travel Foundation have been introduced by Travel Counsellors.
The itineraries have been added to in-house operator TC Journeys to enable its home working agents to offer more eco-conscious holiday experiences.
The Enriching Escapes collection features eight bespoke itineraries focused on Costa Rica, Cambodia and Thailand.
The trips are designed to reduce carbon emissions and boost positive impacts for destinations.
The initiative is the first time the Travel Foundation has directly supported a tour operator to create multi-day itineraries, according to Travel Counsellors.
Each trip has gone through an assessment process to reduce environmental impact, support local economies and protect cultural heritage.
The initiative follows Travel Counsellors’ recent travel tracker research among 2,000 consumers which found that 45% said that recent news about climate change has made them consider more sustainable travel options, with this figure rising to 55% for those aged 16-24.
Sustainability and impact lead Joe Whittle said: “Our mission has always been to create bespoke travel experiences that make a positive difference.
“Through our partnership with the Travel Foundation, we’ve introduced a fresh perspective on itinerary design – one that ensures tourism delivers meaningful benefits to destinations.
“The journeys that have been created showcase the best of each region, help to build lasting memories for our customers and empower our community of travel entrepreneurs to champion holidays with sustainability in mind. Together, we’re creating small but powerful changes in how the world is explored.”
Rebecca Armstrong, head of impact at the Travel Foundation, added: “In collaboration with Travel Counsellors and their destination partners, we’ve drawn on our decades of experience to create a simple framework that helps ensure each decision – whether it’s the choice of transport, accommodation, or activities – is thoughtfully designed to maximise positive impacts.
“The framework is a practical tool that identifies ways to reduce or design-out negative impacts and build-in opportunities to support local communities and the environment.
“For instance, itineraries under this framework should prioritise locally owned accommodation, use local guides and avoid things like single-use plastics.
“The end result is as much about improving the experience for customers as it is about influencing suppliers to raise the bar on sustainability. If widely adopted, this approach can truly transform how the industry operates in destinations.”