Our 5 Point Climate Action Plan

Seven months ago, the team at The Travel Corporation and TreadRight shared our group sustainability strategy, How We Tread Right (HWTR). In it, TTC and our family of brands committed to 11 sustainability goals aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG's), our focus now is on progress against those goals and, specifically, the way in which our family of brands impacts climate, food, waste, the travel experience, diversity and wildlife.

The conversation surrounding sustainability in travel and tourism has continued throughout the pandemic, conversations that TTC remains actively engaged in. That said, like many in the business community, I’m personally driven by action, and my colleagues at TTC share that ethos. And so, today we are launching a critical next step towards progress. We remain committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 (HWTR Goal #1) and to sourcing 50% of our electricity from renewable sources (HWTR Goal #2). While we are on track to achieve both of these goals far sooner, to ensure our success, today we are launching our Climate Action Plan.

Our challenge is complex. With more than 20 offices, 18 Red Carnation Hotels, 13 Uniworld Boutique River Cruise ships, 6 accommodation facilities and 500+ vehicles, our scale is considerable. That’s nothing to speak of the emissions from the more than 1,500 itineraries we operate worldwide. What this means is that there’s no single solution for us, rather there’s a myriad of current and evolving solutions that we must begin to employ. Our approach is simple, and that is to begin to act now, rather than wait for the perfect response. 

Our plan consists of 5 points: to Measure, to Reduce, to Remove, to Offset and, finally, to Evolve.

Our focus remains on measurement and reductions, both of which we have made considerable progress on. This new Climate Action Plan builds on TTC’s efforts to date and its commitment to continual improvement. Advancements to date include the installation of solar panels in 2020 at the Uniworld head office in Encino, California, the implementation of a 400kW Tesla plant supplying over 95 per cent of Xigera Safari Lodge’s energy, which opened December 2020 as part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection and the recent shift to 100% renewable electricity by Contiki’s Chateau De Cruix and Haus Schöneck as well as Red Carnation Hotel’s Ashford Castle, which sits on a 350-acre property.  

I am incredibly excited by the potential of new and existing carbon removal solutions, and bringing them to scale is critical for our industry as I anticipate their role growing as the myriad of potential projects begin to come online. And so, we have invested in two developing nature-based carbon removal solutions, Project Vesta and GreenWave.

And we will offset what we cannot currently avoid. Beginning January 1, 2022, all TTC offices will be carbon neutral, as will all air business travel, which we hope will begin again soon! Further to that, Contiki, on the same timeline, will be a fully carbon neutral brand, trips included, a claim that each of our brands will be able to make as we progress with our Climate Action Plan.

This is just the start, however, as we are deeply engaged with industry leaders such as the Future of Tourism Coalition and the World Travel & Tourism Council on addressing the ways in which we can de-carbonise our industry, and do so swiftly.

Finally, we are telling our story, and are focused on transparency through future impact reports. Until then, follow our progress at our Impact Hub.