Travel firms urged to take next step to sustainability with new online tool
Travel Foundation has created a next step generator
The Travel Foundation has developed a ‘next step generator’ so that travel companies can find out what their next step towards sustainability is. It’s free and available online at: http://www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/green_business_tools/next_step
Following July’s Make Holidays Greener month, the charity’s annual awareness raising campaign, the Foundation is urging the industry to keep momentum going by discovering the next step on their sustainability journey.
A ‘next step’ is generated depending upon answers to a series of questions in five key areas of sustainability:
- Policy
- Staff training
- Environment
- Supply chain
- Communications
In each area, there are beginner or advanced levels of action, the idea being that businesses should try to reach ‘beginner’ level in each area, before moving on to more advanced sustainability procedures. Users are able to have their ‘next step’ emailed for future reference, or click ‘try again’ to generate a new suggestion.
Sarah Davis, research and development manager at HF Holidays, who were one of the first firms to use the generator, said: ‘The Next Steps Generator identified staff engagement as an area of focus for HF Holidays. We’ve already made a start on this by pledging our staff to take the Go Greener Holidays training as part of Make Holidays Greener month, but recognise that there is more to do. We’re just about to begin an annual review of our policy and practices, to be presented to our Board of Directors in September. Following this, we will roll out communications to engage staff with the amended policy and practices and take it from there. The Next Steps Generator helped to highlight that this is an area where we can make strides to continue to build sustainability into our day to day operation, and the suggestions on how to act on this were very useful.’
Julie Middleton, industry programmes manager at the Travel Foundation, said: ‘Many companies are keen to be operating more sustainability, but aren’t sure how to go about it, and this is a great tool for those who’d like some direction. There is no right or wrong way to approach sustainability, and it often seems like a daunting task. The ‘next steps generator’ helps break down the key areas of sustainability into manageable chunks.’
Valere Tjolle
SUSTAINABLE/REAL TOURISM INFORMATION & OFFERS HERE
Valere
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive