IIn November at the UN climate conference COP26, influential travel and tourism guides signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Change in Tourism, a commitment to cut emissions in half by 2030 (and hit zero net by 2050). It’s a big deal that has some big names involved (including VisitScotland, Norway, and Skyscanner). Intrepid Travel co-founder and chairman Darrell Wade, who recently participated in a AFAR live conversation committed to sustainability—told that New York Times: “It’s the first time I’ve seen really concrete commitments from industry and governments.”
What are these obligations? How will the industry present itself at this crucial time? We asked our AFAR Live panelists and their partner organizations, all of them thought leaders, follow-up questions to find out what it takes to get from the idea to action.
- Darrell Wade, Co-founder and chairman of Intrepid Travel; Vice Chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council, who oversees all of its sustainability efforts
- Gavin Landry, VisitBritain’s EPP of the Americas, is committed to responsible travel to the UK
- Patrick O’Meara, IInterim CEO of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
- Denise Naguib, VP of Sustainability and Supplier Diversity, Marriott International (presented in the AFAR Live Panel)
These interviews have been edited and condensed for the sake of clarity.
How will your organization react after the Glasgow Declaration?
Darrell Wade: The Glasgow Declaration is very important to Intrepid. Our industry has not taken its responsibility seriously enough for far too long. The travel and tourism industries are responsible for more than 8 percent of global emissions. Sure, we talk and say nice words, but what is really needed are solid commitments and actions that can be verified through measurements. The Glasgow Declaration provides such a platform. In particular, Intrepid will help our industry colleagues understand what it is about and how to implement plans to reduce carbon emissions. We have a lot of experience and expertise in this area.
Gavin Landry: Environmental policy is one of the UK Government’s top priorities, as is theirs Green industrial revolution 10 point plan and UK goals to be achieved Net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Hosting the last COP26 in Glasgow provided an opportunity to reaffirm the UK’s commitments to climate action on a global basis.
Amid the global challenges of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, VisitBritain sets its priorities Supporting the recovery of tourism and business events at home and abroad, including rebuilding a more resilient, sustainable and accessible industry. Our recently published Discussion paper on sustainable tourism sets out our approach, including promoting regional diffusion and low-carbon transport, sharing resources and best practices with businesses, and working with our trading partners on itineraries that support sustainable and responsible tourism.
Patrick O’Meara: We are the declaration’s launch partner, which means that we help shape the scene as industry leaders and lead by example on our own behalf. We encourage our members to join the Glasgow Declaration when it is appropriate for them to do so.
Most importantly, We’re building a robust path to net positive hospitalitythat we announced in connection with the Glasgow Declaration at COP26. This pathway is intended to be a set of tools, methods and resources that support you on your way to the net positive and can be used by any hotel, regardless of brand, location, size, owner or degree of maturity in its sustainability journey.
It is not intended as a benchmark and we do not set any timelines for further development or completion. We chose to be brave here by setting our goal as net positive rather than just net zero. The net positive in the sector has yet to be defined, but we are driven by a belief in the sector’s inherent good based on what it is already doing and an ambition to be regenerative for people and the planet. The pathway will be officially presented in March 2022 at the ITB in Berlin.
Are there specific things that can be done in the short term?
DW: It’s pretty simple really. If you are a tour operator of any kind, open the statement, read it, understand it, and sign it! Then start developing a CO2 plan. There are now many resources available to assist organizations in this decarbonization process. It used to be daunting, but it’s a lot easier now. When you are a customer start using your power and ask if suppliers are signatories.
Order number: The declaration requires the signatories to have concrete plans within a year. Allianz’s answer is the path to net positive. The immediate task we started with is to define the first stage of the path, that is, the tools, resources and opportunities for small and large businesses at the beginning of their journey towards sustainability. The first phase of the path will outline the basic framework a company should have and the tasks it can take on in the short term.
We have entered into a new partnership with WTTC, other hospitality companies and stakeholders to build the foundation framework. It will be introduced at ITB as phase 1 of the Pathway to Net Positive.
GL: Many companies and organizations already place sustainability at the center of their actions. . . . The recent COP26 Summit in Glasgow provided us with a timely and valuable opportunity to promote the UK’s sustainable tourism offering in international markets, including building our global one sustainable tourism content “Hub” for visitors with itineraries, activities and experiences to enjoy a sustainable stay in the UK.
Why is the Glasgow Declaration a major turning point for the travel and tourism industry?
Order number: It will have direct and indirect effects that can be profoundly positive. . . . It is a timely and urgent call to action for the entire industry. It is administered by a respected and trusted authority in the UNWTO; underlines the need for cross-sectoral and cross-sectoral cooperation in order to achieve meaningful goals; and it offers a timeline in headline form.
At best, it will catalyze the action now– to make it clear to companies that there are many practical starting points and that they do not have to do everything at once. That they can get off to a good start.
DW: There has never been an industry-wide attempt to reduce emissions, which in itself is significant. In addition, the declaration contains a high level of urgency with concrete goals not only for 2050 but also for 2030. This is being developed in line with science-based goals and the aspirations of the Paris Agreement to keep the world within 1.5 degrees of warming. At the end of the day, if we fail to do this, we probably don’t have a travel industry – our travel destinations will be so desperate that they just aren’t attractive anymore. It is an existential issue for our industry.
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