CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Popular destinations are increasingly prioritizing quality over quantity, dispersing travelers across larger geographic areas, and clearly defining the
kind of travelers they want to attract. By addressing overtourism in this way, they also place locals’ wellbeing at the forefront.
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
The world’s first carbon-removal collective for the travel industry offers climate-clever travelers and small businesses the ability to contribute directly to carbon removal and storage.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Despite the fact that COVID-19 essentially grounded international travel for the better part of 2020, the tourism industry’s collective decision to address the climate emergency has gained exponential momentum over the last few months.
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
The implications of Park MGM’s move to go smoke-free within the COVID-19 pandemic are important to consider. Perhaps COVID is the nudge the industry
needs to prioritize people’s health and eliminate smoking on casino floors.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
Travel Unity — a nonprofit focused on increasing diversity in travel through individual and community empowerment — has established a set of standards for
DEI in travel and tourism, as well as the industry’s first holistic DEI certification program.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
For Hornblower, the integration of biodiesel into its latest boats was a natural evolution of its environmental stewardship. The company has led the charge in the industry, in terms of reducing its fleet’s impacts on the environment.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
As COVID-19 continues to change the landscape for food-service establishments, initiatives to mitigate food waste that combine creativity, technology and flavor with good business sense will become a necessity.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
COVID-19 has demonstrated that changes must be made in order to support and secure the future of travel. Along with elevated safety protocols, a genuine
commitment to sustainability provides a roadmap to a more responsible travel industry.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
Recognizing the urgent need to hold travel brands and destinations accountable for their lack of diversity in travel marketing and storytelling, the Black Travel Alliance was formed practically overnight to support Black content creators and increase representation in the industry.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
Carbon-neutral travel giant Intrepid Travel aims to assist others in rebuilding responsibly, for a more sustainable return to tourism.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Surgical mask upcycling and antimicrobial, reusable packaging solutions are some of the latest initiatives aiming to clean up some of our COVID-fueled,
plastic-covered mess.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
The travel industry has done a poor job integrating the SDGs into business operations and reporting on them. But the Goals offer guidance on how to develop destinations that can appropriately manage tourism’s footprint and minimize environmental impact while benefiting local communities.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS -
Myriad opportunities exist to create a new “business as usual,” post-pandemic: People won’t need to be shamed into being more thoughtful or responsible if
sustainable practices become the default in society and in business.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
As the COVID crisis wears on, we wanted to applaud 10 more of our Sustainable Brands community members that have donated their time, money and products and/or pivoted their business models to get people in need what they need, fast.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
While sustainable tourism offerings are increasing along with traveler interest in giving back to the communities that they visit, most operators support local
organizations through donations. But a growing wave are opting for microfinance to create larger, lasting impacts for more people.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
As CEOs spend time reconnecting with their children at home, investors open laptops at kitchen tables and policymakers have more time than ever to consider our future; is now the time when long-term, sustainable decision-making will finally trump all else?
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
While Burberry delivers another carbon-neutral runway show and works to “inset” its emissions, a new report quantifies the staggering amount of travel emissions generated during a season’s worth of major fashion weeks.
COLLABORATION & CO-CREATION -
Over the course of three action-packed days, the inaugural Sustainable Brands Oceans (14-16 Nov) in Porto, Portugal convened a stellar lineup of business leaders laser-focused on saving the ocean while there’s still time. Here’s what we learned from
some of the practitioners and storytellers …
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
The GDS-Index has released its 2019 sustainability ranking of 50 global business tourism and events destinations. Increasingly, the Index is being used on a political level to allow local governments to evaluate their progress in sustainability.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Hilton properties have collectively recycled four million pounds of soap, resulting in 11 million soap bars being distributed to communities in need in 127 countries. Starting today, soap recycling is now a brand standard across over 5,300 Hilton properties.