TTC Tour Brands impact report highlights sustainability successes

TTC Tour Brands has unveiled its latest Impact Report, outlining its sustainability successes and community tourism achievements.

 

Parent company The Travel Corporation launched an “ambitious” five-year sustainability strategy in September 2020, called How We Tread Right and the report details the progress made.

 

Seven of the 11 sustainability goals, which were set out in 2019, have been achieved, with “significant” progress being made on the remaining targets.

 

TTC Tour Brands, the umbrella brand for Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Costsaver, and Contiki, now sources all electricity from renewable sources; all wildlife experiences adhere to its animal welfare policy; and all staff members have had diversity, equity and inclusion training.

 

All Insight Vacations itineraries include at least one Make Travel Matter experience, while the figure across the wider portfolio has reached 88%. Make Travel Matter experiences directly support the UN Sustainable Development Goals and are designed to have a positive social and/or environmental impact.

 

More: TTC Tour Brands appoints two area sales managers for southeast

 

The operators passed their goal of halving the number of printed brochures, with Contiki reducing numbers by 92% from 2019, while Insight Vacations and Trafalgar also cut printed brochures by 89% each.

 

Another goal achieved was the completion of 30,000 volunteer hours by 2025. In 2024, TTC Tour Brands’ employees contributed to 8,066 volunteer hours, amounting to a total of more than 32,900 hours since 2020.

 

Other highlights in the report show how £2.1 million has been donated to sustainable tourism projects and nature-based solutions, while £1.6 million has been invested in decarbonisation projects.

 

Shannon Guihan, chief sustainability officer at The Travel Corporation, said: “Our focus was on supporting destination-led approaches. We believe that thoughtful, community-informed policies are essential to preserving the very qualities that draw in travellers in the first place.

 

“I understand the value that tourism can bring to communities when managed in partnership with key stakeholders.

 

“Ultimately, tourism shouldn’t happen to a community; it should happen with them.

 

“If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that tourism must evolve proactively, transparently, and together.”

 

Ongoing goals include the drive to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and the elimination of as many unnecessary single-use plastics from operations and itineraries as possible.

 

TTC Tour Brands has secured HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) biofuel where available in Europe, and Contiki and Costsaver have removed flights from itineraries where rail or coach options were suitable.

 

A three-year partnership was launched with Visit Scotland and The Travel Foundation in 2024, focusing on how to reduce carbon emissions in the tourism supply chain.

 

Main picture: Rainforest rescue tree planting, by Martin Stringer.