In this issue’s cover story, “It’s Easy Being Green” (page 16), we focus on one of the most important issues of our time. Sustainable travel is a major topic in the media as well as in supplier boardrooms across the industry, where executives are discussing ways to make their itineraries better for the environment, local communities and travelers themselves. A focus on people, planet and profit is at the heart of what can be a triple win, as explained by travel advisor Sarah Lang in the story.
“For a business to be fully sustainable, it should ensure fair wages and humane working conditions for its people; make efforts to reduce its environmental footprint; and ensure that all those efforts are consistent with making a profit,” Lang said. “We call this the triple bottom line, which takes into account three different aspects that, as a whole, make up a sustainable society: people, planet and profit.”
This story is part of a larger initiative at TravelAge West. Our goal is to make sure agents have the tools they need to plan more sustainable travel and have information that will ease clients’ concerns about how travel affects the planet.
In addition to this story, we are making a major change to our website by adding a new page dedicated to sustainable travel. On this new area of the site, we’ll post stories with advisor tips and best practices; profile suppliers who are taking an innovative approach to green travel; share the latest research; and highlight success stories from the industry. (Visit the new page at www.travelagewest.com/travel/sustainable-travel.)
We’re also partnering on a new contest that celebrates agents who go the extra mile and who plan travel that benefits local communities around the world. (Stay tuned for more details on how to enter.)
We firmly believe we’re at a tipping point where advisors must be able to answer hard questions from their clients. Ultimately, we want to be your best source of information as we craft the future of travel.
