Safer Tourism Foundation names ex-Hotelplan chief Paul Carter as new chair

“As an existing trustee, and previously chief executive of a participating pledge partner company, I’ve long been a champion of the charity’s mission,” said Carter.

“I’m pleased to be taking on the chair role at a pivotal time for us as we look to include more travel operators as signatories to the Safer Tourism Pledge – and as we further develop our consumer campaigns, informed by the insights from the travel incident data we collect."

The foundation’s chief executive, Kathy Atkison, said: "As chief executive, I know how critical a strong board and a great chair are to the success of any charity.

“We have a huge remit, great relationships within the travel industry and the independence we need to make a real difference in preventing harm to travellers.”

The foundation was established in 2016 upon the 10-year anniversary of the deaths of Bobbi and Christi Shepherd, two children who passed away from carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Greece.

Their mother, Sharon Wood, set up the charity to spread awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning ,as well as those related to transport, activities and falls. 

To reflect its broader role as a campaigning body, the charity has rolled out a total rebrand featuring bolder colours and designs, and new badges for partners to display.

“We hope this will encourage partners to showcase their pledge involvement, which reflects their commitment both to customer safety as part of broader ESG goals, and reminds travellers about their own personal responsibility in staying safe,” Atkinson added.