Tui is set to launch a new five-year strategy for developing more sustainability tourism on Monday.
The strategy, entitled ‘Better Holidays, Better World’, is built around three core pledges – Tui calls them pillars – to be achieved by 2020.
These are to cut the carbon emissions of its airline, cruise and ground operations by 10% by 2020 on top of the 10% reduction already achieved by the airline between 2009 and 2014, deliver 10 million “greener and fairer” holidays a year, and invest €10 million (£7.5 million) per year “to enhance the positive impacts of tourism”.
Tui hailed ‘Better Holidays, Better World’ as demonstrating “a step change in approach”. It pledged to collaborate with stakeholders, “customers, suppliers, educational and training establishments, governments and UN organisations to effect change at scale”.
The strategy is underpinned by nine commitments, summarised by simple commitments to ‘Step Lightly’, ‘Make a Difference’, and ‘Lead the Way’.
Group chief executive, Fritz Joussen, said: “I’m proud to work for an industry that can stimulate so much employment and wider economic activity – both in the developed and developing world. I’m also mindful that tourism’s operations contribute to the depletion of natural resources.
“Our interest undoubtedly lies in stimulating systemic change to more sustainable tourism practices and policies, and in leading by example.”
Tui defines ‘Greener and fairer’ holidays as those that include a hotel with a sustainability certification recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
The €10 million a year investment it has pledged will go into a new TUI Care Foundation, which TUI aims to use “to innovate, invest in youth, tourism skills and education, and collaborate with destinations to pioneer sustainable tourism across the world”.
It cited the recent project with PwC and the Travel Foundation to measure the economic, tax, environmental and social impacts of tourism in Cyprus as an example.
Group director of sustainability, Jane Ashton, said: ‘’As the world’s largest tourism business, we recognise our responsibility to pioneer and influence change for more sustainable tourism.
“We don’t underestimate the sustainability challenges that lie ahead for us and for the wider industry as international tourist arrivals grow from 1.1 billion in 2014 to 1.8 billion in 2030.
“Better Holidays, Better World is our response to these challenges. We believe tourism is a force for good, and [that] we can make it better.”