ABTA, FTO and AITO join forces to launch carbon offsetting scheme
ABTA is joining together with the Federation of Tour Operators and the Association of Independent Tour Operators to launch a carbon offsetting scheme.
The scheme, which will be launched early next year, will allow ABTA members to offer their customers the chance to offset their trips by paying towards environmental projects worldwide.
ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer said although most customers were not currently taking advantage of such schemes, it would become a key issue in the future.
“There is growing concern among consumers about the environment and we need a scheme in place in response to that,” he said.
“Pretty soon this will be a marketing requirement for all travel companies.”
ABTA head of business development and consumer affairs Keith Richards added: “It (carbon offsetting) is not the solution but it is one of the recognized ways to tackle the inevitable impact of current travel pattern. It’s just one part of our longer-term strategy on sustainable tourism generally.”
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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