Our commitment to nurturing people extends beyond our employees to the destinations we call home, actively supporting local communities and protecting the nature that surrounds us.

One way we do this is through community tourism initiatives in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Morocco, developed in partnership with Planeterra. These projects not only uplift local communities but also offer our guests meaningful ways to connect with the destination and its culture. With a goal of launching 35 initiatives in the coming years, we aim to positively impact 13,000 lives. As part of our destination stewardship work, we have a unique team of experts dedicated to nurturing relationships and partnerships at a destination 

level to solve areas that require scale and collaboration, such as waste management solutions and renewable energy capacity.

Protecting nature is a cornerstone of our sustainability approach. What began in 2018 with our first coral nursery in the Dominican Republic, has now grown into a multinational reef restoration programme, with eight nurseries established across the Caribbean. Our dedication to coral conservation also includes three Coral Labs, where our team of scientists study how to protect reefs from the impacts of climate change. Beyond the ocean, we nurture 16,000 mangroves and 9,000 coastal dune plants in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, helping to restore vital coastal ecosystems for our coastlines. In the Mediterranean, we support research on posidonia oceanica, a key seagrass species for marine health and biodiversity.

Behind the scenes, sustainability is deeply embedded in the daily operations of our hotels, with many initiatives happening to drive action while enhancing guest experience. Since 2020, we’ve been offering stays free of single-use plastics, while our 3R teams work to continuously reduce and better manage waste.

Given that a large portion of our waste is organic, we’ve introduced AI-powered Winnow systems in our kitchens to minimise food waste. Our commitment to bringing sustainability and memorable experiences together also extends to our menus – more than 90% of our seafood is responsibly sourced, ensuring we serve high-quality dishes that support both ocean health and fishing communities.

Looking ahead, we remain focused on advancing our ambitious decarbonisation strategy. With a roadmap validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), we are on track to reach carbon neutrality by 2030 – 20 years ahead of the industry target. 100% of the electricity powering our hotels in Spain and Brazil today comes from renewable sources, and we are actively working to expand renewable energy across our destinations. 

Why have you chosen to champion sustainability in 2025?

We have come a long way in our journey to create a more responsible model of tourism but there’s still a lot to do – from tackling climate change to protecting biodiversity and supporting local communities. We continue to make progress every day, but we know that real, lasting change happens when we join forces. That’s why we need the support of our partners to work together and amplify our impact. We want to collaborate within the sector to adopt practices that benefit people, nature, and destinations, showing that responsible tourism can also enhance the guest experience.

Our industry has an incredible opportunity to evolve responsibly. We need to be thinking about the traveller and guest of the future, who will place a high value on sustainable travel. And we must strive to balance profitability with a commitment to leaving a positive legacy for future generations. For us, progress is not just about achieving growth; it’s about achieving it in the right way – through a responsible model of tourism that prioritises people, communities and the environment. As we drive expansion and operational transformation, celebrating record-breaking growth, we are determined to use our momentum to invest meaningfully, collaborate, and build a brighter future.

In the year of our TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes initiative we’re seeking agent Ambassadors to champion promoting and selling responsible tourism. How are you planning on supporting these agents in their journey?

Responsible travel is a growing topic of discussion in our industry, and studies show that travellers want to do more to minimise their impact on the environment whilst travelling. We are fully committed to supporting travel agents in this journey, ensuring they are always up-to-date on our latest initiatives related to responsible tourism.

One of the best options to get information first hand is to stay in an Iberostar resort to experience what sustainability in our hotels looks and feels like. We have various initiatives to make sure as many travel agents as possible can do this, such as Star Agents, which offers points that can then be redeemed for free stays and special rates.

We host many training events – both virtual and face to face – across the UK, highlighting not just our brand and product but also our sustainability initiatives in action at our resorts worldwide that we encourage travel agents to join. We will also ensure our agent partners have access to all our content focused on sustainability, such as videos and images that they can in turn share with their customers. 

These TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors will have the opportunity to join a sustainability-focused Iberostar fam trip. What can they hope to experience and learn?

The agents participating will experience first hand how our sustainability movement is implemented in our hotels, and how it not only enriches the local environment and communities but also enhances the guest experience.

WATCH AGENTS’ HIGHLIGHTS FROM IBEROSTAR’S 2024 FAM TRIP

Our aim is that all those participating will come back with a different perspective on what responsible travel should be, and they can then share their experience with friends, families and customers.

What marketing advice or selling tips do you have for travel agents looking to sell more responsible travel?

Knowledge is key, which is why it’s essential to highlight how guests can encourage progress within our industry, and also make a difference on their own journey. By choosing a hotel company or tour operator committed to environmental and social action, guests can make a difference – whether it’s through staying in hotels free of single-use plastics and with a lower carbon footprint, supporting nature conservation, or visiting projects which uplift local communities.

We’ve created a dedicated page where agents can access all the information they need about our initiatives. Additionally, we offer a range of engaging content – videos, images, and written materials – that partners can use to connect with clients via social media, newsletters, and websites.

Furthermore, we would like to invite all travel agents to join our exclusive travel agent Facebook group in order to get the latest updates in real time and check-out our brand-new site for travel agents.