Tui’s tours and activities division has unveiled a scheme to certify the sustainability credentials of its experiences.
Peter Ulwahn, Tui Musement chief executive, said the initiative, developed with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), is a first in the industry.
“We wanted to find a way to give customers sustainable choices for experiences and GSTC offers the best model,” he said.
“Coming from a tour operator background, I know about other schemes but they don’t cover what Tui Musement offers in destinations quite so well.”
Tui Musement has worked with GSTC for three years to create the scheme, which covers all the components of each experience, including transport and venues.
They compiled questions that cover environmental considerations such as carbon emissions, food waste and energy. The questions are sent to suppliers who undertake a full assessment, then Tui Musement’s staff ensure they match its criteria.
About 200 experiences have been certified in destinations such as Majorca, the Canaries, Turkey, the Dominican Republic and Croatia.
The first to be certified are in the Tui Collection, plus those offered in partnership with National Geographic.
Certified tours include Tui’s electric riverboat trip on Turkey’s Dalyan River to spot sea turtles and visit the ruins of ancient Kaunos.
Tours and activities that meet the criteria are highlighted with a ‘Green and Fair’ label on Tui’s website.
Ulwahn said: “[Sustainability] has moved from ‘nice to have’ to must have. Surveys show most customers want a certified experience and more than half would pay extra to ensure their choice is sustainable. Suppliers, such as hotels, would have challenged it 10 years ago; now it is natural.
“They welcome it as it showcases the good they are doing.
“We will help sellers in different channels to promote it, in B2C, retail, reps and contact centres.
“We still sell [tours] that are not certified and will work with all those suppliers to give them the opportunity to certify.”
Ulwahn said Tui and GSTC hope to make the scheme available to others in the industry.
Tui Musement offers up to 80,000 experiences around the world.