Responsibility in a finite world and Thriving
destinations - ABTA's
approach to sustainable tourism
Simon Pickup
Sustainable Tourism
Manager, ABTA
Sören Stöber
Travelife Business
Manager, ABTA
AGENDA
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A little about ABTA
Sustainability – a modern day context
ABTA’s approach to sustainability
Key focus areas and examples
The supply chain challenge & ABTA’s solution
Summary
Questions
ABOUT ABTA
• 61 years old
• The industry’s largest association in the UK
• Super-brand since 2003
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8 out of 10 consumer recognition in 2011
• Large and diverse membership:
– c. 850 tour operators
– c. 5000 individual travel agents
SUSTAINABILE TOURISM –
THE JOURNEY SO FAR
• Origins dovetail to rise of CSR agenda
• No longer – about the “Green & Fluffy” – a wider meaning
than ever before
• Recession: Doomsday predictions for sustainability haven’t
materialised
• Value – key driver for consumers – this is good for
sustainability
• Correlation between sustainability and better
experiences.
ABTA PLAN & SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable
Tourism
Industry
Approach
OUR CHALLENGE
Large & Diverse membership
Different levels of awareness and understanding
Different starting points
Defining tangible benefits for each member
EFFECTIVENESS
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Good Sustainability
Baseline – where we
want our members to
be
ENGAGEMENT
FOCUS AREAS
ABTA
Membership
Supply
Chain
Supportive
Destination
Policy
Issue Specific
Work areas
ABTA
Membership
Retail
Travel
Agents
Volunteer
Tourism
Cruise
SMOs
LTOs
www.makesnowsportsgreener.com
Supportive
Destination
Policy
The fundamental role for
destination authorities and
governments to take in
ensuring sustainability.
Issue Specific
Work areas
• Animal Welfare Working Group
• Why animal welfare?
- Huge media focus / Rising social media
- Intrinsic link between tourism and animals
- Emotional link between tourists and animals
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Holiday Extras Survey 2010:
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46% of respondents loved their dog more than workmates or boss
8% more than their partner
6% more than their parents
1% more than their children
Howling Dog Tours
THE SUPPLY CHAIN
CHALLENGE
How do we unite a global
supply chain around
sustainability?
TRAVELIFE
Tour
operators
Destinations
Customers
Retail
agents
Associations
Hotels
THE TRAVELIFE SYSTEM
Tour
operators
Destinations
Customers
Travelife
Hotel
Sustainability
System
Retail
agents
Associations
Hotels
BACKGROUND
• A European initiative – launched in 2007
after 3 year project
• Joint initiative – tour operators, trade
associations, NGOs, tourism ministries,
academics
• Multi-stakeholder process involving 60+
participants
• Co-financed by EC (EU Life/”Tourlink” and
EU ECO Innovation/”INTOUR”)
PURPOSE
• To provide an affordable and achievable
solution to influence the mass market
• To allow hotels to get started with
sustainability and promote achievements
• To remove complexity and costs from the
supply chain and tour operator operations
• To raise customer awareness and drive
demand
HOW DOES IT WORK?
• Hotel registration and online self-assessment
• Subscription, guidance and information (8 languages)
• 3rd party audit, award status, continuous
improvement process
• In-house, external and tour operator promotion
• Re-audit every 2 years
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
• Sustainability action a future licence to trade
and operate
• Inclusive and low-cost
• Encompasses all aspects of sustainability
• Only one audit for all tour operators
• Reporting tool for chains and groups
• Tour operator, agents and consumer
promotion
• Internationally recognised and supported
CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE
WHO SUPPORTS IT?
• Tour operator subscription and commitment
– TUI
– Thomas Cook Group
– KUONI
– Transat, Cosmos, Virgin Holidays, Hotelplan,
Sunvil, Co-operative Travel…
• Hotel chain subscriptions and commitment
– SENTIDO, HV, Atlantica, Louis, Neilson…
THE TRAVELIFE COLLECTION
SUMMARY
• Traditional / Orthodox sustainability has evolved
• Issues of competitiveness, value, quality, customer
services, guest satisfaction – all form part of the definition
in 2011
• Future license to operate – time to engage is already here
• Consumers increasingly “issue aware” / have a growing
appetite
• Recession hasn’t changed the game for the worse
• Sustainability goal posts are constantly moving
• Approach needs to be both current / reactive AND
forward thinking / proactive
SO WHAT DOES RESPONSIBLE
SKIING LOOK LIKE?
• It has to be about a sector that creates Better Places for
People to live, and Better Places for people to visit.
• For this to be achieved – there needs to be unison of
aspirations amongst all skake-holders (communities,
authorities, suppliers & operators)
• Agree the parameters and stay on-piste!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU
QUESTIONS?