Travel Experts Stress Sustainable Travel

A round-table hosted by Travel Weekly and Switzerland Tourism stressed the importance of sustainability in traveling, calling for progress in the travel industry.

“I’d like to get to the point where we just have really good travel experiences and sustainability is embedded in that,” said Krissy Roe, Hotelplan UK sustainability lead.

Roe continued by saying that sustainability should be naturally part of how we travel, and consumption-driven mentality should be avoided. Roe also stressed that travelers and agents should prioritize local products and locally run accommodations.

“Sustainability can’t be a competitive advantage any longer,” said Hazel McGuire, Intrepid Travel general manager. “It has to be built into what we’re doing. We as an industry need to make these changes.”

Lucia Dalila, Travel Corporation’s sustainability manager, added that her company is currently working to create the first fully sustainable itinerary and was assessing the sustainability credentials of all its restaurants and transport partners.

“The majority of the public want sustainability if it’s easy, accessible and cheap and doesn’t require extra effort, so it’s all about integrating it into what we offer,” Dalila said.

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