Tui is working on a new group sustainability strategy which it says will be its “most ambitious yet”, according to northern region managing director Andrew Flintham.
Identifying sustainability as a key trend in a talk about the future of travel, he said: “In recent weeks and months, we’ve seen travel brands talk about their sustainability approaches. This is nothing new for us at Tui. We’ve been looking at this for over 30 years. It’s been a key focus of ours and remains so.
“Now, as the MD of the largest travel company in the UK – with an airline and a cruise line, I’m not going to stand here today and say that our fundamental activities don’t give us challenges in this space.
“But we have to do everything we can to reduce our impact and help our customers make the most sustainable choices.”
Flintham said Tui was “privileged” to take its customers on one of the most important occasions of their year – their holiday.
“They travel with us maybe once or twice a year for say two weeks, fly on the world’s most carbon-efficient airline and support development, prosperity and cultural wealth around the world,” he said.
“But we clearly have to do more and as a group we are working on a new sustainability strategy which will be our most ambitious yet.
“Most importantly, we believe it is the right thing to do,” Flintham added. “We’ve always felt this way. It is part of our future. And let’s face it, for our planet to have a future, and so people can enjoy new cultures and experience this has to be front and centre of everything we do.”