Best-practices of Associations

Guidelines and roadmaps

 

The UK travel association, ABTA, has published a report entitled ‘Tourism for Good – A Roadmap for Rebuilding Travel and Tourism’. The report sets out how the devastating impact of the global pandemic has brought into relief the value of tourism to holidaymakers, the UK and destinations and provides a framework for collaborative action to build better places to live in and better places to visit. The report will serve as a strategic framework for ABTA’s ongoing work on sustainability with important industry stakeholders and Government. In order to accurately track the progress being made, ABTA has launched a sustainability indicator survey for its Members to complete which will establish a baseline of how the travel and tourism industry is currently embracing sustainability. The findings will be used to identify the areas where progress is being made and the areas that require more focus.

 

The Norwegian travel industry organisation, VIRKE, has developed with its members a Roadmap for more sustainable travel. The purpose of the Roadmap is to define a vision for sustainable travel in 2030 and 2050, and to define how travel agencies and operators can play their part in the short- and long-term. Its primary focus is on travel abroad. It will provide input to measures politicians could implement to contribute to an even more sustainable industry. It will provide advice on what travellers can do to help make their own travels more sustainable.

 

The Dutch travel association, ANVR, has developed a ‘Better Holidays’ policy. The aim is for sustainable tourism to become widely accepted by 2025 and fully integrated into the operational management of the ANVR members. The association therefore commits in the long term to use the collective influence of the ANVR to drive sustainability within the leisure and corporate travel industry; collaborate with all stakeholders to make holidays better; provide information to its members regarding best practices; develop long-term strategies in collaboration with its members to maximize the opportunities that sustainable development presents, etc.

 

The Association of Finnish Travel Industry, SMAL, has elaborated the Helsinki Declaration for Sustainable Tourism. Signatories of the declaration commit to respect the principles of the sustainable development of tourism. This covers not only their own operations but also those of their suppliers. The Helsinki Declaration 2.0 was published in January 2020. 

 

 

Awards

 

Every year since 1987 the German Travel Association (DVR) has awarded the international prize EcoTrophea for exemplary projects in sustainable tourism. The award is given to extraordinary initiatives in the field of tourism which take ecological and social interests into due account and contribute towards sustainable travel offerings reaching as many guests as possible. Applications can refer to individual travel offerings, holiday country destinations, services or initiatives which support the orientation towards sustainability in tourism in a particular manner.

 

The Dutch Travel Association ANVR organises an annual ‘Sustainable Travel Award’ in collaboration with Travmagazine, Vakantiebeurs and the MVO Network Tourism.

 

The Association of Finnish Travel Industry, SMAL, has been awarding since 2017 the sustainable act /actor or responsible travel and tourism activity of the year at the annual Finnish Travel Gala.

 

 

Consumer-awareness raising

 

ABTA’s annual “Make Holidays Greener” campaign, run in partnership with Travelife, aims to encourage holidaymakers and the industry to take action to help create better places to live in, and better places to visit. Each year there is a different theme. In 2019 the theme was ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’.

 

The Dutch Travel Association ANVR provides tips to consumers as part of other general travel tips. This includes specific tips on nature, culture, carbon emissions, local food, animal welfare, plastic free holidays etc. ANVR also developed a short movie on CO2 for the Dutch consumer.

 

The German Travel Association DRV has launched a Facebook Campaign about Sustainable Development Goals.

 

 

Training

 

In order to familiarize employees with sustainable travel, the German Travel Association DRV has developed an online training program, called Green Counter. The Green Counter conveys knowledge about sustainability in tourism, e.g. on labeling of sustainably certified hotels. In addition, it teaches travel agents on how to provide customer advice on sustainable forms of travel and tourism. Travel agencies learn, for example, which criteria they can use to identify how hotel operators make their accommodations sustainable and how customers can make a contribution to climate protection by making voluntary compensation payments when booking a trip.

 

The Dutch Travel Association provides specific training courses for our tour operators, which consists of a basic training in three areas: carbon management, child protection and animal welfare. It also offers specific online training courses on sustainability for international tour leaders and guides in collaboration with the Travel Foundation. This is to create better and more sustainable tourism experiences. The ANVR also provides specific training on sustainability for DMCs (local partners) in developing countries supported by and in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

The Association of Finnish Travel Industry, SMAL, provides training for travel and tourism professionals on sustainability during the annual Matka Nordic Travel Fair.

 

 

Tools

 

See toolbox of travel agents and tour operators.  

This website uses cookies The website of ECTAA AISBL uses functional cookies. In case of analysing our traffic or advertising, we also place cookies that share information about your use of our site with our analytics partners, our social media and advertising partners, who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services.
Show details Hide details
Allow selection Allow all cookies