Looking for a partner with transparent sustainability practices?
Climate-conscious operator Intrepid Travel is making it easier for travel advisors and vacationers to see how its trips stack up, with the debut of carbon labels on more than 500 itineraries, including its top 100 trips. The labels — displayed on the individual tour pages on the company’s website — disclose the carbon emissions of the trip per traveler, per day, to provide greater transparency into its operations.
According to new research commissioned by Intrepid (and conducted by The Harris Poll), 64% of adults worldwide have no idea what their carbon footprint is. In addition, 60% say they are more likely to book travel with a company that’s transparent about their environmental impact — though only 38% think it’s easy to find that information.
Without higher government regulations or the need for ESG disclosure, it is nearly impossible to hold businesses accountable for reducing their emissions.
By labeling its trips, Intrepid is making it easy for travelers to learn about their own carbon footprints, understand their impact on the environment and make informed vacation decisions. The brand will even provide information comparing the emissions to those of everyday activities, so clients better understand the impact.
“Without higher government regulations or the need for ESG disclosure, it is nearly impossible to hold businesses accountable for reducing their emissions,” said Sara King, general manager of purpose for Intrepid Travel. “We cannot shy away from our impact, and we cannot effectively reduce what we do not measure. With carbon labeling, we can increase customers’ understanding of their footprint while advocating for this level of measurement and transparency to become an industry standard.”
In addition to working on measuring and disclosing the emissions of every trip, Intrepid is taking steps to lower the overall carbon emissions on its itineraries. For instance, in 2024, the brand will have about 4,000 fewer flights on trips than it did in 2023, and will discontinue all scenic flights.
