Expedia Group has launched its first Climate Action Plan, committing to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its operations by 2040, from a 2022 base year.
The online travel giant has been carbon neutral since 2017 but has now developed a detailed Net Zero Roadmap outlining how to achieve its targets.
The company has pledged to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 75% by 2030, and will set up an internal Net Zero working group.
It is also committed to helping the wider travel industry achieve the global goal of halving emissions by 2030 and reaching Net Zero as soon as possible before 2050, as set out by The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, which Expedia signed in 2022.
The Climate Action Plan aims make lower-carbon travel and tourism products a preferred choice for clients and eventually the default for the global industry.
“We know this is important to travellers, as sustainability-related terms, like references to solar panels, recycling, or the elimination of single-use plastics, have recently doubled in how often they are mentioned in traveller reviews,” the company said in a statement.
It follows the launch of sustainability features over the last year, such as showing information about the average carbon emissions of flights, or the eco-certifications received by hotels.
“We are already seeing an impact — for example, a filter for electric vehicle chargers at hotel and vacation rental properties has become quite popular,” it added.
As well as the Climate Action Plan, Expedia has launched a Nature Positive Tourism Fund, founded with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a global non-profit organisation.
The fund aims to provide local people and organisations with working capital loans at below-market rates, as well as grants and access to technical experts, to improve product quality and tourist experience of “nature positive” tourism infrastructure, operations, and services; and support the transition away from fossil fuels.
It will support best practices in nature positive tourism with key stakeholders, including Indigenous peoples and local communities.
“Together, we will show travellers the value of nature while ensuring nature positive tourism delivers economic value for the local people contributing to conservation efforts in these critical habitats,” said the group.