The Travel Corporation is making progress toward its commitment to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to findings released in its TTC Impact Report.
The report details positive impacts and the progress made by its 41 brands in 2022 against goals outlined in the company’s five-year sustainability strategy, “How We Tread Right.”
The report shows the company’s efforts made toward sustainability over the past year, including sourcing electricity from renewable sources for its tour operations and offices; how they’re mitigating food waste and increasing the use of local and organic food across its supply chain; including Make Travel Matter experiences in more itineraries; and increasing the exposure travelers have to diverse groups, communities and BIPOC-owned businesses.
Last year, Contiki and Trafalgar began using solar-paneled motorcoaches in Europe. The solar panels help extend the life of the coach’s battery and can also assist in charging the battery during downtime, while reducing the risk of breakdowns. The company’s use of renewable energy at its offices and accommodations accounted for 44% of TTC’s global electricity needs, up 20% from the previous year.
The Travel Corporation has continued to include local and organic food suppliers across its trips and properties, including farm-to-table meals. This has helped empower local communities and food growers while providing guests with a more authentic travel experience. It also helps reduce emissions associated with food transport. The company says it’s on track to introduce at least one local dining experience across 80% of its itineraries by 2025.
Two of Contiki’s properties, Contiki Chateau and Contiki Haus Schoneck, feature 100% local and organic food products from local suppliers, and the company was able to reduce food waste that amounted to 284,000 meals.
Contiki also launched its first vegan itinerary in Eastern Europe, while Celtic specialist Brendan Vacations introduced an excursion that trailed how a local bread maker sources local ingredients and shares her leftover food with a local homeless shelter.
And premium travel company Insight Vacations featured a new farm-to-table lunch experience at Felin Fach Griffin pub in Wales, where guests enjoy a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables grown on the property’s grounds.
The company’s Make Travel Matter program, an initiative aimed at incorporating experiences designed to directly benefit a destination, grew in 2022. TTC had aimed to include at least one Make Travel Matter experience in 50% of itineraries by 2025; the company has surpassed that goal already at 62%.
Make Travel Matter experiences include exploring the Pink City of Jaipur, India with Luxury Gold; tasting sustainable organic cider on a farmstead in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with Costsaver; and learning about the value of buffalo to the survival of First Nations people from a Cree guide in Banff with Trafalgar.
For diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, TTC said Contiki, Brendan Vacations, Insight Vacations and Trafalgar were standouts in 2022.
Contiki and Brendan Vacations have continued to offer LGBTQ+ Pride-focused itineraries. And Trafalgar and Insight Vacations both launched women-only itineraries that help create a safe environment for solo female travelers and showcased women-owned businesses and leaders.
The Travel Corporation is also making strides in how its river cruise operations run more sustainably. Uniworld was able to reduce food waste by 34% across six of its ships using food waste technology system Leanpath. It offered Make Travel Matter experiences on 25% of its itineraries.
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