Two travelers visit Killarney National Park. (photo via TTC Tour Brands)
TTC Tour Brands, which comprise leading tour operators such as Contiki, Trafalgar, Insight Vacation and more, published its progress on the brands’ sustainability strategy and commitment to the United Nations’ Global Goals with its first-ever Impact Report.
Its commitment to the Global Goals are found in several different plans, including its sustainability plan, How We Tread Right, its Climate Action Plan and DEI Strategy.
TTC Tour Brands’ renewable energy goal is to source 50 percent of electricity consumed from renewable sources by 2025. Contiki is helping further this goal, having sourced all of the energy used by its properties from renewable energy this year. Additionally, in 2021, 30 percent of the brands’ shared facilities used renewable energy, while renewable energy produced 28 percent of the business’s global energy consumption.
TTC’s brands are also working to reduce carbon emissions during transit, reduce food waste and ensure the protection of wildlife by directly impacting national parks and sanctuaries that treat animals respectfully.
Travelers on a TTC Tour Brands trip cook at the Iraq Al Amir Women’s Cooperative as a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience. (photo via TTC Tour Brands)
Another goal is its commitment towards using tourism as a catalyst for change in local communities around the world by adding at least one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience on half of TTC’s itineraries by 2025.
Today, Contiki offers MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experiences on 81 percent of its trips; Trafalgar offers them on 61 percent. Insight Vacations offers these experiences on 94 percent of its trips, Brendan Vacations on 50 percent and Luxury Gold on 77 percent, far exceeding its goal in this category.
These MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experiences directly support local communities across the globe and align with the UN’s Global Goals 1, 4, 5, 10 and 11, working to end poverty, improve education and gender equality, reduce economic inequalities and support sustainable cities and communities.
“It’s our mission to make travel matter today and for the next generation of travelers. For years, we’ve been consciously working to ensure we operate as a responsible travel company, ensuring we leave a positive impact on the places we touch,” said Melissa DaSilva, President TTC Tour Brands, North America.
“We’ve worked diligently to expand our reach in developing regions and incorporate local-focused experiences on our trips that benefit both the visitor and the visited, while intentionally vetting and selecting partners that advance the United Nations Global Goals through our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experiences program. We’re proud to be offering experiences on our trips selected for the way in which they improve lives from grassroots to global, and to using our business as a vehicle for positive change.”
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To view the full report, please click here.