Abta has invited members to attend a webinar on the implications of the Cop26 climate summit for travel businesses and how firms can take action to reduce carbon emissions to reach net zero.
The association sent a video update to members as Cop26 gets underway in Glasgow to highlight the role the travel and tourism industry has to play in tackling climate change.
In the video message, chief executive Mark Tanzer says tourism’s challenge is to balance the benefits with the costs and reiterates Abta’s commitment to working with members to meet tourism’s sustainability challenges as laid out in its Tourism for Good report.
Tanzer says the industry must work with governments at home and internationally on how we develop tourism for the future.
Abta is working with its aviation partners to drive towards lower carbon aviation, with the aviation sector committing to achieve net zero by 2050, and Abta’s Travelife for Accommodation helps the industry manage sustainability through the supply chain, accrediting hotels which improve their environmental footprint.
Tanzer said there was a lot businesses can do, and said “big problems don’t always have big solutions”.
The Decarbonising Tourism webinar will highlight the top line implications for travel businesses from Cop26; give examples of how tour operators are meeting carbon targets; explain how hotels can look forward to net zero; how aviation can transition to net zero and how tourist destinations are planning for and adapting to climate change.
It takes place on November 11 and is free for Abta member and accessible to non-members for a fee.
Speakers include, Dirk Glaesser, Director, Sustainable Development of Tourism, UNWTO; Christopher Imbsen, Director of Sustainability, WTTC; Emily Cromwell, Director, Sustainability, Deloitte; Andy Jefferson, Programme Director, Sustainable Aviation; Nadine Pinto, Sustainability Manager, TreadRight & The Travel Corporation; Manuel Butler, UK Director, Spanish Tourist Office; and Carolyn Wincer, Commercial Director, Travelife.
Abta offers other resources to help members develop a sustainability approach via its MemberZone.