Industry co-operates over sustainable tourism

First Choice, Thomas Cook, MyTravel, TUI and Sunvil Holidays have given their support to a new charity created to help manage tourism more sustainably and increase economic benefits to local communities.

The charity, recently named ‘The Travel Foundation’, developed from a Foreign and Commonwealth Office initiative with backing from more than 40 organisations spanning government and industry associations including ABTA, AITO and The Federation of Tour Operators (FTO).

From December 2003, First Choice, My Travel and Sunvil Holidays will be piloting a scheme for holidaymakers to give a voluntary contribution to The Travel Foundation as they book their holiday. Sunvil Holidays is also already donating 50 pence per booking for its 2003 holidays to The Travel Foundation. TUI intends to fund the charity directly with a guaranteed annual donation to contribute to its running costs. Thomas Cook will initially make an annual donation.

Sue Hurdle, director of The Travel Foundation confirmed there will be a consumer appeal at the end of 2003 to raise funds to “care for places we love to visit”. The money raised will help the charity to develop sustainable tourism projects such as ones now underway in the Gambia and Cyprus, which are already helping British holidaymakers make a greater contribution to the people, environment and economy of these countries.

The aim of The Travel Foundation is to work with partners to produce consumer information and train sales staff so they can confidently explain the appeal to customers. It will also work in partnership with the industry to develop best practice guidance on sustainable tourism and piloting this through practical programmes in UK offices and overseas.

The Travel Foundation announced it will also work closely with a new organisation called The Responsible Tourism Unit, a non-profit making organisation that aims to bring together operators from the FTO, AITO and the wider industry to deliver a common approach to sustainable tourism.

Sue Hurdle explained: “The Travel Foundation will be a massive change for good and we’re appealing to the travel industry to get involved now in one of three ways. We look forward to hearing from companies interested in adding The Travel Foundation’s charitable appeal to holidaymakers in their brochures or booking processes. We’ll be launching this with a major push to consumers towards the end of the year and travel organisations that get involved will get credit and recognition for their support.

“The second opportunity for the industry is that any organisation that needs help in integrating responsible tourism practices into their core business can now contact The Responsible Tourism Unit through the FTO.

“Finally we urge any organisation involved in the travel industry to join The Responsible Tourism Forum. This meets once a year to discuss key issues that its members would like the Travel Foundation to address. Organisations that have already joined the Responsible Tourism Forum include the UK’s main tour operators and Sunvil Holidays, Rainbow Tours and Travelbag Adventures as well as Climate Care, Friends of Conservation, Tourism Concern and the UNEP Tour Operators Initiative.”

Further information on all three opportunities to get involved are available on The Travel Foundation’s trade website www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk