Abta CEO: 'Meeting sustainability challenges a political and commercial necessity'

He pointed out that customer confidence “which has taken a knock anyway over the past 18 months, is essential to our industry’s recovery and future prosperity. And part of that confidence is confidence to travel with a good conscience”.

Tanzer added that it is “not just customers who are demanding high sustainability standards, but employees, too. And residents in destinations. And, increasingly, investors. All our most important stakeholders, in fact.

“We’re on the threshold of a new era,” he added. “The future is demanding of us, but if we act now we can deliver a rewarding future for ourselves and future generations.”

It came as Tanzer reiterated the need for the sector to be represented by a dedicated minister in government, arguing that a “dedicated minister is essential to pull stakeholders together to build future resilience and protect the UK’s position as an international, connected economy.

“Our existence as travel businesses, and suppliers to travel businesses, is inextricably linked to government policy, like it or not. We are already a highly regulated industry, whether you think about financial protection – and those regulations are up for review in the light of Covid experience – or the health and safety of staff and customers.

“And the real and present challenges of climate change, and supply chain sustainability more broadly, bring us into direct contact with UK government policy and with that of destination governments.”