'Always assume consumers want sustainable travel'

Abta’s Delivering Sustainable Travel conference heard agents should push the issue, regardless of whether consumers request it.

Barrhead Travel Group’s head of PR and communications Karen Musgrave said “not one single customer” had asked for a sustainable holiday but added: “There’s an expectation that what you offer them has perhaps been vetted before you sell it to them. 

“We can start the conversation and influence the customer over the coming years. Our agents are key to educating customers, so we need to educate them.” 

She said initial “baby steps” at Barrhead had led to a sustainability team of 6-7 people overseeing different aspects. “You name it, there’s someone that owns it,” she said.

Not in the Guidebooks managing director Carole Savage concurred: “Nobody is asking for sustainable holidays, but they are very happy to look for something when you frame it in a way that’s experiential.” She said these included things like community engagement and local food.

“It’s about creating a better holiday that happens to be sustainable.”

Clare Jenkinson, Abta’s head of sustainability, said agents needed to better articulate sustainability, for example by pushing customers towards Travelife certified hotels and pointing out operators that do not sell animal excursions.

Specific examples were better than vague generalisations, she added.

“I think there’s a bit of a myth that unless someone says I want a sustainable holiday, that’s not important to your customers. When we highlight it, this stuff does really well.”

However, Lisa McAuley, Silver Travel Advisor owner said sustainability had scored low on a survey of 3,000 clients’ priorities.

“The vast majority get single use plastic, carbon emissions and animal welfare. Beyond that, I don’t think they get it.”

Silver Travel would undertake specific research on the matter, she added.

Jenkinson added the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) was cracking down on misleading sustainability claims. “Fashion and retail is first, but they have highlighted travel as one they have an eye on,” she warned.