1. Simon Pickup Sustainable Tourism Manager, ABTA
Responsibility in a finite world and Thriving destinations - ABTA's approach to sustainable tourism 
Simon Pickup
Sustainable Tourism Manager, ABTA
Sören Stöber
Travelife Business Manager, ABTA

2. AGENDA A little about ABTA Sustainability – a modern day context
ABTA’s approach to sustainability
Key focus areas and examples
The supply chain challenge & ABTA’s solution
Summary
Questions

3. ABOUT ABTA 61 years old The industry’s largest association in the UK
Super-brand since 2003
8 out of 10 consumer recognition in 2011
Large and diverse membership:
c. 850 tour operators
c individual travel agents

4. SUSTAINABILE TOURISM – THE JOURNEY SO FAR
Origins dovetail to rise of CSR agenda
No longer – about the “Green & Fluffy” – a wider meaning than ever before
Recession: Doomsday predictions for sustainability haven’t materialised
Value – key driver for consumers – this is good for sustainability
Correlation between sustainability and better
experiences.

5. Abta pLAN & SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable
Tourism
Industry
Approach

6. Good Sustainability Baseline – where we want our members to be
OUR CHALLENGE
Large & Diverse membership
Different levels of awareness and understanding
Different starting points
Defining tangible benefits for each member
ENGAGEMENT
EFFECTIVENESS
Good Sustainability Baseline – where we want our members to be

7. FOCUS AREAS Supportive Destination Policy Supply Chain ABTA Membership
Issue Specific Work areas

8. www.makesnowsportsgreener.com ABTA Membership Retail Travel Agents
SMOs
LTOs
Cruise
Volunteer Tourism

9. Supportive Destination Policy
The fundamental role for destination authorities and governments to take in ensuring sustainability.

10. Issue Specific Work areas
Animal Welfare Working Group
Why animal welfare?
Huge media focus / Rising social media
Intrinsic link between tourism and animals
Emotional link between tourists and animals
Holiday Extras Survey 2010:
46% of respondents loved their dog more than workmates or boss
8% more than their partner
6% more than their parents
1% more than their children
Howling Dog Tours

11. THE SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGE
How do we unite a global supply chain around sustainability?

12. TRAVELIFE Tour operators Customers Associations Hotels Retail agents
Destinations

13. THE TRAVELIFE SYSTEM Travelife Hotel Sustainability System
Tour operators
Customers
Associations
Hotels
Retail agents
Destinations
Travelife
Hotel Sustainability System

14. BACKGROUND
A European initiative – launched in 2007 after 3 year project
Joint initiative – tour operators, trade associations, NGOs, tourism ministries, academics
Multi-stakeholder process involving 60+ participants
Co-financed by EC (EU Life/”Tourlink” and EU ECO Innovation/”INTOUR”)

15. PURPOSE
To provide an affordable and achievable solution to influence the mass market
To allow hotels to get started with sustainability and promote achievements
To remove complexity and costs from the supply chain and tour operator operations
To raise customer awareness and drive demand

16. HOW DOES IT WORK? Hotel registration and online self-assessment
Subscription, guidance and information (8 languages)
3rd party audit, award status, continuous improvement process
In-house, external and tour operator promotion
Re-audit every 2 years

17. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Sustainability action a future licence to trade and operate
Inclusive and low-cost
Encompasses all aspects of sustainability
Only one audit for all tour operators
Reporting tool for chains and groups
Tour operator, agents and consumer promotion
Internationally recognised and supported

18. CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE

19. WHO SUPPORTS IT? Tour operator subscription and commitment TUI
Thomas Cook Group
KUONI
Transat, Cosmos, Virgin Holidays, Hotelplan, Sunvil, Co-operative Travel…
Hotel chain subscriptions and commitment
SENTIDO, HV, Atlantica, Louis, Neilson…

20. THE TRAVELIFE COLLECTION

21. SUMMARY Traditional / Orthodox sustainability has evolved
Issues of competitiveness, value, quality, customer services, guest satisfaction – all form part of the definition in 2011
Future license to operate – time to engage is already here
Consumers increasingly “issue aware” / have a growing appetite
Recession hasn’t changed the game for the worse
Sustainability goal posts are constantly moving
Approach needs to be both current / reactive AND forward thinking / proactive

22. SO WHAT DOES RESPONSIBLE SKIING LOOK LIKE?
It has to be about a sector that creates Better Places for People to live, and Better Places for people to visit.
For this to be achieved – there needs to be unison of aspirations amongst all skake-holders (communities, authorities, suppliers & operators)
Agree the parameters and stay on-piste!

23. THANK YOU!
THANK YOU
QUESTIONS?