Expert advice to help you build sustainable travel itineraries
Learn how to build a sustainable travel itinerary, with advice from this year’s TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes.
From engaging with local communities to supporting biodiversity, designing a holiday package with sustainability in mind can have a remarkably positive impact. And for 20 lucky agents this year, it will also help secure their place on an inspirational training programme.
This is year three of the TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes programme, and marks the second year we’ve taken 20 agent Ambassadors on a journey to learn more about responsible tourism. With new experiences, training and fam trips planned, this is an opportunity not to be missed. Last year’s TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors said the programme helped transform the way they sell and approach sustainable travel; they’ve boosted their confidence, met new friends and gained tips for leading a greener life.
Entries for this year’s programme are now closed, and agents were asked to create a holiday package that features sustainable product from our TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes partners: AE Expeditions (part of Aurora Expeditions), Iberostar, Intrepid and TTC Tour Brands (including Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Contiki). Here, our Heroes have shared their top tips on designing a sustainable travel itinerary.
TOURING
Kelly Jackson, managing director, TTC Tour Brands, EMEA
• Explore travel options with firms committed to responsible travel, such as TTC Tour Brands, which follows The Travel Corporation’s five-year sustainability strategy, How We Tread Right. This strategy aligns with the United Nations Global Goals and addresses the collective impact on the planet, people and wildlife.
• To minimise environmental impact, consider travelling outside peak seasons, exploring lesser-known destinations, and opting for airlines investing in sustainable aviation fuels.
• Choose companies that offer experiences with a positive impact. At TTC Tour Brands, we provide over 500 Make Travel Matter Experiences, each directly tied to the UN Global Goals. The Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative in Amman, which you can experience on any of TTC Tour Brand’s trips with Trafalgar, Costsaver, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold or Contiki, empowers local women by employing them to create and sell handmade goods, preserve local traditions and improve their financial wellbeing.
ACCOMMODATION
Aishling McLoughlin, business development director, Iberostar
• Believe in yourself and your clients – don’t assume clients are not interested in sustainable holidays. Have confidence in your expertise and promote this to your clients. For example, why not set up a client event (virtual or in person)? Sustainable supplier partners will be more than happy to support you with this, as we have done in the past.
• Ask your supplier partners to tell you more about their sustainable ethos – we love to talk about this to our agent partners and give them the knowledge and confidence that they can pass on to their clients. In fact, within Iberostar, employees in all aspects of the business (above) understand our sustainability actions so we can pass that knowledge on to partners and clients.
SMALL-GROUP ADVENTURES
SMALL-GROUP ADVENTURES
Joanna Reeve, head of business development and partnerships, Intrepid
• Look for a partner that is doing something to minimise their global impact on the environment – a commitment to climate initiatives, decarbonising and independent certifications, such as B Corp, are all green flags.
• Intrepid’s itineraries intentionally support locally owned businesses, use local guides, encourage dining at local restaurants and feature stays in local accommodation. Not only do these give an authentic experience, they help to ensure tourism money stays in the local economy. Small-group travel is perfect for a sustainable holiday as it means you can leave a smaller footprint and support the family-run businesses you may not be able to visit in a bigger group.
• Including experiences that connect with communities, like home-cooked meals with locals or visiting social enterprises, is a great way to get started when building a sustainable travel itinerary. Get your clients excited by bringing these experiences to life in the planning stages, highlight what they involve, and how they benefit the community for that feel-good factor.
EXPEDITIONS
Hayley Peacock-Gower, chief marketing officer, AE Expeditions
• Take the time to educate your clients on the importance of choosing responsible operators whose commitment to protecting and preserving the environment is at the forefront of their operations. We have championed sustainability for over three decades and will continue to do so.
• In the expedition travel space, it’s important for clients to understand the difference between travel with a company like AE Expeditions and traditional cruising. We believe small-ship expeditions are the way forward, with fewer passengers, led by experts, where education, immersion and operating with the utmost respect for the environment are at the heart of the company’s operations.
• Many travellers don’t realise having lower passenger numbers has a significant impact on their experience, particularly in the polar regions. In the Antarctic Peninsula, only 100 people are allowed on land at one time, while at some sites it is fewer. Having smaller groups enables passengers to have more time off-ship exploring and connecting with nature. Our two ships currently carry a maximum of 132 passengers per voyage, so our aim is to get passengers off the ship two to three times per day.
For more top selling tips, visit the TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes Hub
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Charlotte Cullinan
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