In the ever-evolving landscape of the travel industry, sustainability has emerged as a crucial element that businesses must integrate into their operations. Our recent webinar, “Integrating Sustainability into Travel Businesses,” brought together a panel of experts to discuss the challenges and best practices for achieving this integration.
Integrating sustainability into travel businesses presents several challenges. First, there’s the complexity of comprehending the multifaceted nature of sustainability, encompassing environmental considerations, diversity, inclusion, and commercial aspects. Bridging the disconnect between what the travel industry reports as sustainable and what consumers genuinely seek in terms of sustainability options is another hurdle. Additionally, finding practical and sustainable alternatives for deeply ingrained practices, like heavy reliance on air travel in the industry, poses a significant challenge. Navigating these obstacles is essential for travel businesses looking to foster a more sustainable future.
Embracing slow travel, characterised by staying in one place, supporting local businesses, and selecting sustainable transportation, not only fosters more memorable and enriching experiences but also deepens the connection with the local culture. This approach is a win-win for both communities and travellers, as it aligns with the evolving demands of customers seeking positive travel experiences. Travellers want to feel that their presence enhances rather than degrades a destination. Slow and positive travel experiences not only cater to this demand but also lead to increased customer satisfaction, repeat bookings, and referrals. They also enhance your storytelling potential in marketing efforts, offering a more meaningful and sustainable vision of travel.
Small businesses may find the laborious process of certification daunting, but such schemes offer invaluable guidance for implementing systematic sustainability practices within their operations. One valuable resource for beginning this journey is the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). For evaluation and certification, SP Sustain is a reputable accreditor that assesses travel businesses and destinations against GSTC standards, verifying their adherence to sustainable and responsible tourism criteria. Following these principles can significantly fortify your business, ensuring a commitment to sustainability while expanding your potential for success in the industry.
• Integrating sustainability into businesses should no longer be framed as an option, it is essential.
• A huge range of destinations are being negatively affected by the climate crisis, so even if your focus is purely commercial, it is still imperative to integrate sustainability into operations to ensure your destinations are protected.
• Travelling in the right way, with care for the destination and compassion for the people on the ground has a positive effect on your business.
• Start by understanding the baseline criteria for sustainability in the travel industry, as provided by organisations like the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
• Implement, measure, and monitor sustainability practices to ensure they are making a positive impact.
• Consider carbon offsetting as an interim solution while other sustainable practices are being implemented, but recognise that it is not a long-term solution.
If this webinar caught your eye and you’d like to hear more about going paperless with a travel app, book a meeting with us today or start a free trial.
Dare we say it… the reign of PDFs is almost over! In a world where travellers can find everything they need, from interactive visual itineraries to key travel documents, all within a single platform, it’s difficult to resist the appeal of a travel app. But the hard part isn’t deciding to embrace travel tech, it’s choosing which app solution is right for you.
For tour operators and travel agencies, the ability to communicate directly with travellers, share important travel documents and keep clients informed about itinerary changes is crucial – especially if you want to deliver an excellent overall experience. Here’s the bad news: emails are getting in the way. They’re outdated, time-consuming and easy for your clients to miss. Don’t worry though; we’re sharing 3 ways in which emails are letting you down, and showing you why an all-in-one travel app could be the solution to your problems.
In our first villa travel blog, we looked at why villa travel companies need to ditch paper and emails to offer a more holistic, modern experience that matches client expectations. This time, we’re showing you how to go one step further by using travel tech to integrate trip-defining detail into that experience seamlessly.
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