Barrhead president Jacqueline Dobson shares the importance of giving back
The old saying, “Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints”, is a quote that’s been repurposed time and time again over the last century.
Its origins date back to a translated speech made by Chief Seattle (or Si’ahl) who was the leader of the Duwamish Native American people. He was referencing Earth’s resources, indicating we must take care when using the air, water and land that sustains us. But the phrase has often been adopted in a travel and tourism context – serving as a reminder to respect the destinations we visit.
The sentiment is still relevant today, but I can’t help feeling that in the current climate, where we are in a race to reduce our carbon footprint and ensure tourism is a force for good, that leaving nothing but footprints isn’t enough: we have to have the mentality of giving back to the destinations and leaving a trace of positive impacts.
Our sustainability journey started several years ago and I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved. We don’t have a dedicated sustainability resource, but we do have a team of highly passionate people who genuinely care about driving sustainable
and responsible practices.
Last year, we focused on addressing what we could control, such as our operations across our store and office network. This year, we’re looking at how we can make a better contribution to the wider tourism ecosystem through education and inspiration.
Make small changes
For many travel businesses, particularly agencies which don’t have direct control over operations in resort, it’s hard to understand where to find your place when it comes to sustainability.
We realised – with the talent we have internally, our in-depth knowledge and the devotion we have in curating exceptional travel experiences – that we had the power to influence customer decision‑making for the better. As agents, we are trusted sources of information and inspiration. A reputable agent isn’t just an order taker but someone who cares deeply enough about the customer and communities to make a tangible difference to local economies and those who rely on tourism spend.
We’re not pretending that we can change the world overnight, but it really is as simple as committing to making small changes in how you approach the whole concept of selling a holiday. It’s no longer enough to encourage customers to parachute in and out of a destination without leaving the hotel. We must make collective efforts to support wider tourism communities. Indeed, being able to harness your experience and contacts as an agent can make the world of difference.
Spread the wealth
Recommending family-run local restaurants that you or your colleagues have been to, for example, is a simple way to ensure that not only is money spread within the economy but your clients can also enjoy regional produce and interact with locals.
Additionally, travel is increasingly being tarred with negative associations when it comes to climate change. Changing the way we travel is essential, but what is often fundamentally bypassed in the coverage surrounding travel and sustainability is the inherent good that comes from tourism.
The race to produce more sustainable ways of transport and tourism infrastructure is real and something we strongly support and are following closely. Making a difference in destination can start with social responsibility and being accountable for the types of experiences you encourage your customers to enjoy. We’re also pleased that we’ve been able to commit to offsetting all of our employee carbon emissions this year, playing a small part in our overall approach to sustainability.
If we want to make our industry more sustainable, we must proactively make a choice to leave behind more than just footprints and take away more than just memories. We must leave positive economic contributions that are far-reaching, varied and impactful, and we must take away meaningful learnings from the cultures we encounter as well as leaving with a commitment to support the people and places we visit long after our departure date.