5 Ways for Travel Businesses to Reduce Carbon Emissions

In early April, United Airlines announced the formation of the Eco-Skies Alliance, a partnership with several global companies that will allow the airline to purchase approximately 3.4 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel this year. This program is one component of the company’s overarching plan to reduce 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

United isn’t alone in its ambitious decarbonization agenda. As the tourism industry gets back to business, it’s finding a world that’s more attuned to the climate emergency. While this global, pervasive issue isn’t new, the urgency to address it within the context of tourism is. For those who are newly inspired to address this topic within their own businesses, it’s worth looking at travel companies that are already well into their journeys of cutting carbon emissions, as they offer a solid blueprint for getting started.

Measure Impact

Peter Drucker (considered the founder of modern management) is known for his “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” mindset, and this is particularly true for decarbonization.

“Once companies understand what they are producing, they can actually start reducing,” said Susanne Etti, environmental impact specialist for Intrepid Travel. “This is part of a carbon management strategy for any business or organization to account for their greenhouse gas emissions.”

Last year, Intrepid released its “10-Step Guide to Decarbonise Your Travel Business” to help other companies begin this process.

After businesses have measured how much carbon they produce, they can then develop science-based reduction goals for decarbonization.

“This effort can take time and will require a deep analysis of your [direct and indirect] emissions, and then require you to put in place a plan to reduce them,” said Jared Meyers, chairman of Legacy Vacation Resorts, one of four U.S. travel companies that has set targets with the Science Based Targets climate action initiative. He suggests using an offset partner such as We Are Neutral or a tool like B Impact Assessment to help with an emissions appraisal.

“By committing to these targets, you are taking monumental steps in the fight against climate change to ensure a healthy world for people to travel for generations to come,” Meyers said.

Reduce Flights

Despite the fact that United is working toward mitigating its environmental impact, transportation (and air travel in particular) remains the biggest emitter of carbon in the tourism industry. This offers a multipronged opportunity for travel companies.

First, opt for itineraries where mid-trip flights are replaced by high-speed trains, boats or other modes of transportation. Intrepid Travel, for example, is in the process of launching 42 low-carbon domestic and “human-powered” trips (such as cycling, walking or trekking) and will be removing all flights that are 90 minutes or less from its top 50 itineraries by the end of 2022.

RELATED: The Travel Corporation Announces Climate Action Plan to Go Carbon Neutral

Global lockdowns also created rising demand for closer-to-home travel. Thoughtfully planned domestic tourism can cut out flights and focus on green opportunities such as locally sourced meals, which also reduces carbon emissions.

Forge Partnerships

There’s a reason the Eco-Skies Alliance is an alliance: Tackling the climate emergency requires companies to learn from and assist each other in a widespread effort. The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), for example, has two programs that make the decarbonization journey easier. Designed for ATTA members, Neutral Together offers a reduced per-ton price for carbon offsets through South Pole. Additionally, ATTA incubated the Tomorrow’s Air initiative in partnership with Climeworks to permanently remove carbon from the atmosphere.

“Our programs are meaningful because, with both Neutral Together and Tomorrow’s Air, we’re offering easy-to-use to tools to make getting started with climate action accessible,” said Christina Beckmann, vice president of global strategy for ATTA.

Examine the Entire Supply Chain

Decarbonization doesn’t stop at a company’s doorstep; the entire supply chain matters, and in the tourism industry, it can be particularly complex. According to data from ATTA, 66% of the adventure travel community is already purchasing from sustainable suppliers, but there’s always room for improvement.

I feel one of the most important things to remember in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed is that it is about progress, not perfection.

Intrepid’s Etti suggests taking a bottom-up approach, calculating daily emissions for accommodations, transportation and waste to ultimately determine the amount of carbon produced across a trip. Partnering with smaller, locally owned businesses can make a big difference in decarbonization.

“The closer your supply chain is, the more easily you can influence it,” she said.

Look Internally

While companies need to reduce the carbon footprint of their travel products and services, they should also make internal changes. This includes switching to a more efficient energy provider, reducing internal waste, offering electric vehicle chargers, eliminating single-use plastics and implementing a recycling program. It may help to remember that every little change does matter.

“I feel one of the most important things to remember in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed is that it is about progress, not perfection,” Legacy Vacation Resorts’ Meyers said. “Decarbonization takes time and effort certainly, but it is not an unachievable goal.”

The Details
Adventure Travel Trade Association

Intrepid Travel

Legacy Vacation Resorts

United Airlines