Whether you fancy volunteering around the globe or want to get TEFL qualified and start your career teaching, i-to-i will get you there!

Volunteering is adventure travel at its best and i-to-i works with hundreds of projects around the globe. They are bursting with pride that all the projects they work with are worthwhile and have been organically developed by the local community, for the local community.

Teaching English overseas is a unique opportunity to step into another world and become a part of it. As you mingle with the people and wander through the streets you’ll discover a world unknown to the package tourist and invisible to the independent traveller. This unique insight is reserved for those who take the time to get to know the land, to work with the community and to live with the people. It’s an experience that you’ll remember and cherish for the rest of your life.

A TEFL course will give you the qualification you need to do this! A TEFL course is a program designed to give you the skills and confidence you need to teach English as a foreign language.

Now you have to ask yourself, why choose i-to-i on your next volunteer and adventure trip? A great place to start answering this is when you see that they have been sending people to volunteer in South Africa, Asia, Australasia and Latin America since 1994. They are the original volunteer travel company and pretty much everyone at i-to-i is a former volunteer or backpacker. They know what they’re doing and have 20,000 happy former volunteers to prove it.

i-to-i offers volunteer and adventure travel to destinations throughout the world. Take the time to check out their site to explore various volunteer options, visit i-to-i.

To learn more about Voluntourism, read up on previous articles under the destinations news section and see, Planeterra Partners with STA Travel on Voluntourism.

Source: i-to-i

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

Toronto: STA Travel is committing $1 million over five years to a responsible tourism program led by Planeterra which will develop mutually beneficial volunteer travel and community projects targeted to STA Travel’s over 6 million passengers who travel annually to 90 countries.

“This is a significant partnership with STA Travel, a key industry player. The scope of their commitment signifies a major shift as more and more travel companies are now adopting full-scale sustainability as the centerpiece of their tour programming. We believe STA Travel’s passion to make a real difference worldwide is just now beginning to reveal itself,” said Edwards.

Peter Liney, CEO of STA Travel, underscored that the company is now embarking on what he called a “responsible travel journey.”

“Our new partnership with Planeterra is going to change the face of STA Travel. Working with Planeterra we are supporting worldwide community development projects through our new volunteer travel programs and through direct funding of important initiatives,” Liney said.

In addition to the $1 million investment in its responsible travel and voluntourism program, STA Travel will be raising $120,000 for a new Community Tourism Training Institute in tsunami-affected Thailand that will be located in Koh Phra Thong and accessible to communities throughout southern Thailand, providing a way to increase income and sustainable tourism in the area for the future. Funds are currently being raised by staff events and by clients at time of booking. STA will be matching all individual donations to projects up to $30,000 per year. With support of its industry partners and a donation matching program, Planeterra is able to provide 100% of donations directly to projects.

Edwards said that STA Travel will work with Planeterra and local partners to develop projects and direct donations to fund needs such as tools, materials and other items that keep projects going. They will also develop volunteer programs so that people can visit a project, live onsite or with a local family, and contribute to the well being of the community.

Edwards underscored that STA Travel and Planeterra both focus on initiatives for sustainability that yield positive impacts for the long term.

“We believe that supporting education, health, conservation and small business development by connecting local projects to the tourism industry will enable people in the developing world to have a hand in improving their futures,” said Edwards.

For a list of current projects and opportunities doing voluntourism, visit Planeterra and STA Travel.

For further information on Voluntourism, see An Alternative Holiday.

Source: Planeterra

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

The WHL Commitment

WHL is committed to promoting and supporting the development of sustainable tourism. They do this by encouraging all WHL partners (their franchisees) to proactively seek out, list and promote those accommodation and other travel service providers undertaking initiatives which support sustainable tourism objectives.

They also expect all their franchisees to lead by example in their community by minimising their environmental footprint and by having programs in place to extend the benefits of tourism to the broader community. The WHL team has also made a personal commitment to minimise their environmental footprint and to contribute to sustainable tourism initiatives in some way.

WHL Activities in Support of Sustainable Tourism

There are a number of specific actions WHL is undertaking to further sustainable tourism practices.

Caring for the Destination Ratings

In doing the work of collecting information about SME accommodation providers to put online, WHL identified many small SMEs that are actively engaged in projects which, in their own way, are positive steps towards improving sustainable outcomes for the destination. None of the initiatives are “certifiable” to existing standards, but they are good, they are meaningful to the SME involved and address specific local needs.

Examples include employing and training orphaned children, supporting local schools, running a turtle hatchery, restoring a damaged coral reef, teaching traditional building skills, supporting volunteer workers, and restoring historical buildings.

WHL then started to write up some of these initiatives as “brand differentiators” for the respective accommodation providers, highlighting for travellers what the accommodation providers were doing. WHL grouped them under a “Caring for the Destination” banner. Some initiatives were small and some were large, but many offered guests either a unique experience or, at least, an opportunity to feel that by staying with this accommodation provider they were doing some good.

As a small SME already competing in a difficult market, trying to differentiate yourself only on price, location and facilities is a slippery slope. The only real way to distinguish yourself is by selling a unique experience, and this is what WHL is encouraging them to deliver via the “Caring for the Destination” initiatives.

This led to the idea of an “eBay style” bottom-up, sustainable tourism marketing model. The SME accommodation provider (the supplier) markets their initiative(s) – now a core part of their product – and the traveller (the buyer) gives them a rating after staying at the property and provides feedback online for other travellers to read and evaluate in making their buying decision.

It’s still early days with this new rating. Whilst they think a traveller driven approach to change is the way to go, and that the Internet is the way to do it, there are many challenges. The IFC (part of the World Bank group) is financing a 3 year project managed by the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) at Leeds Metropolitan University to look at these challenges, make recommendations for changes and measure impact. Key will be getting travellers behind the idea, so they need your support.

Grassroots and Sustainable Tourism

A unique feature of the WHL network is that each destination booking site is owned and operated by locals. You deal directly with local people in the destination you are travelling to and unlike other global booking sites, the people you book with will be there when you get there.

They not only know the destination intimately, but they have been selected to become part of the growing WHL family because they care ……care about their local community, about their culture and about the local environment.

For further information on caring responsible accommodation, tours or activities, visit WHL Travel.

Source: WHL Travel

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

Home exchange is a vacation alternative where you allow someone else to stay in your home while you stay in theirs. During a home exchange holiday you swap your home at a time that is convenient to both parties. A home swap holiday may also include an automobile exchange.

This is a fantastic opportunity to save on accommodation during your next trip. You could pair up with like minded people and families or people of different lifestyles and culture and your holiday could turn into a learning experience where you explore new culture and different ways of life. You are able to ensure a low carbon footprint because you can continue to practice all of the eco-friendly things you usually do in your own home. This is so much easier to do than when you are in a hotel, boat or train. You are simply in a new home environment but have full control over energy consumption, water usage, food wastage and transport, especially if you home swap somewhere close to your home or somewhere within public transport distance.

Although it is a bit unnerving to invite strangers into your home, you are widening your travel and accommodation opportunities hugely. If you would like to, you are able to spend money on things that count like sightseeing, recreation and dining out. Alternatively you are able to travel far and wide to places you never before could have afforded because all you accommodation is paid. The home exchange community is a low cost, budget ticket to travelling the world.

Here are a few basics when you consider home exchange. Join a few reputable networks. You then create a profile for your house, upload your profile to your choice of home exchange websites, and promote its best features. Input basic information such as how many bedrooms and bathrooms. Better home exchange websites will allow you to indicate personal preferences and deal breakers such as: children or no children, pool or no pool, internet or no internet and so on.

As avid home exchange traveler, Julie Gibbons, explains “In just the same way as you might meet your perfect match through a dating site, there will be a perfect house swap for you. We’ve been surprised and delighted with each of our house swap destinations – all of which have been a mystery to us beforehand. One of the most exciting benefits has been to visit locations we’ve never heard of, and would never have considered for a more traditional vacation.”

Julie Gibbons offers her Top Tips to Getting Started on home exchange. Find her tips on Organikal.

Home exchanging is a travel bargain!

Swapping houses can slash the cost of a holiday. Not only do you save on accommodation (hotel rooms and taxes), but by exchanging cars you can also save on car rental costs. You also save on restaurant meals and snacks, car parking, laundry, Internet connection, and much more.

Here are three fantastic home exchange networks that are sure to find you your dream home swap:

Home For Exchange

This site is owned and run by Ans Lammers. The website is a marketplace for non-commercial home exchange. You stay in their home while they stay in yours. Save thousands of dollars/euros on your next vacation.

Geenee

Over the years, the Geenee team has travelled all over the world. And the best times have been when they stayed in real homes, and lived as locals. That way, you discover a city from the inside out – not the outside in. You tap into the real life of a place – not just its tourist attractions.  Geenee is a home-swapping site that actually helps you swap. It shows you exactly what the homes on offer look like, with clear ratings, and provides advice on things like insurance, swap agreements and all that stuff.

1st Home Exchange

1st Home Exchange allows you to match your exchange preferences with home owners in other countries. Simply post information about your house swap offer including your preferred destination and dates. Once a match is made, it’s up to you and your exchange partner to work out the details.

Source: Organikal, Home For Exchange, Geenee and 1st Home Exchange

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

The initiative aims to improve the competitiveness and environmental performance of tourism businesses by reducing energy consumption has been launched by the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

Small and medium sized tourism operators in Wellington and Auckland have been given the opportunity to take advantage of a free energy efficiency package worth the equivalent of $3000. The package includes a free energy assessment by an EcoSmart electrician and a subsidy to install the assessment’s recommendations.

The initiative is a continuation of the Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme (TEEP), a partnership project between TIA and EECA launched in 2008 to provide practical assistance for tourism businesses to reduce their electricity consumption, fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

TIA Chief Executive Tim Cossar says most businesses can cut 20% off their energy costs – sometimes far more – with smarter energy use, and many of the measures they can implement come at little or no cost.

“Running an energy efficient business can also give tourism operators the edge over their competitors and position them as responsible operators, particularly important as New Zealand gears up for an influx of international visitors for Rugby World Cup 2011.

“Later in the year we will also offer subsidies for members to undertake driver training through the New Zealand Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving programme. These sorts of driver training programmes can result in fuel savings of up to 10%.”

Mike Underhill, Chief Executive of EECA says, “There is so much potential for businesses to improve their profitability through better energy management – we estimate as much as $2 billion worth of energy is wasted by the New Zealand business sector each year.

“As well as benefitting the individual businesses, there’s also a national benefit when our tourism operators can show they are committed to the ‘100% Pure’ brand, and good energy management is a real tangible way to show that commitment.”

Tim Cossar says the decision to extend the TEEP programme into its third year shows the tourism industry’s ongoing commitment to improving its environmental performance.

“New Zealand’s environment is our main tourism product. It is the primary reason that international visitors come here, it is important for domestic travellers and it underpins the visitor offering for thousands of tourism businesses.

“Tourism operators know they must respond to visitors’ environmental concerns by running their business more sustainably and by offering clients environmentally friendly products and experiences. TEEP is a practical project that is helping us to achieve this goal.”

Mr Cossar says he is pleased the energy efficiency package – which is being offered to a limited number of TIA members as a pilot project – is targeted at small and medium sized operators, given they make up about 80% of tourism industry businesses.

About TEEP

The Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme (TEEP) was launched by TIA and EECA in 2008, providing a strong incentive for tourism businesses to identify ways to save energy, improve profitability and help conserve the natural environment.

Initiatives completed in 2008 and 2009 included energy audits of 25 tourism businesses around the country and a fuel efficiency stocktake of tourist flight operators that identified ways to reduce fuel consumption and improve profit margins.

The energy audits of the 25 tourism operations found that in total they could potentially achieve:

• dollar savings of $797,521
• kWh savings of 6.8 million
• CO2 reductions of 1613 tonnes

Of the energy efficiency measures recommended in the audits, 60% would have payback in less than 12 months and many would cost operators little or nothing to implement.

Significant energy and cost savings have already been achieved by the businesses that took part in the TEEP energy audit scheme.

Visit Tourism Industry Association New Zealand and click on project for more information.

Source: Tourism Industry Association New Zealand

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

Rishi Sowa’s life epitomizes self sustainability and incorporates the three R’s; reduce, reuse and recycle; in everything he does. He has designed and built two artificial floating islands in the waters off the caribbean coast of Mexico.

As an environmentalist, Rishi believes in recycling and low impact living, he is a musician, an artist and carpenter who built his first floating island beginning in 1998. His famous spiral island was featured in a number of newspapers and TV documentaries around the world. It was also featured in an episode of Ripley’s Believe It or Not TV show. This creative man has built an entire island which he floated from common household trash. He used more than 250,000 plastic bottles to float an island complete with a two-story house, 3 beaches, trees, gardens, and solar panels.

Spiral Island I

The first floating island that Rishi built was 66 ft (20m) by 54 ft (16m) and was located near Puerto Aventuras, south of Cancun on the Caribbean coast. Rishi helped clean up the environment in two ways. First he filled nets with empty discarded plastic bottles to support his structure. 250,000 plastic bottles were used and supported a structure of bamboo and plywood, thereby recycling waste that polluted the Caribbean waters.

Secondly sand was poured on the structure of bottles, plywood and bamboo. The sand Sowa used was primarily taken from the end of the beach where it came up against the man made rock pier. The winds there caused beach sand to constantly pile up. The wind combined with the constant motion of waves created sand pile ups that blocked boats from getting through the canal at Puerto Aventuras. When Rishi built his island, he took over the dredging process by gathering 8 to 10 large buckets of sand per week making it unnecessary for the builders of Puerto Aventurals to clear the canal for the boats by dredging using large machinery as had been their practice.

In 2005, Hurricane Emily destroyed the original spiral island. The island was washed up on the beach completely in one piece while a small proportion of the bags of plastic bottles washed up on the beach away from where the island landed.

Due to the total devastation to his original island, Rishi conducted a reconstruction campaign of the island in late 2007 and 2008. The new island was built in the waters of Isla Mujeres, the “Island of Women” which is close to Cancun. Spiral Island II opened for tours in August 2008 and has been the feature for documentaries produced by Japanese and Korean TV.

New Spiral Island II

About 100,000 bottles were used in the construction of Spiral Island II which was built with the help of volunteers. The new island has beaches, a house, 2 ponds, a solar powered waterfall/river and solar panels. Slightly smaller than its predecessor it is about 20 meters (60 feet) in diameter. Rishi ,who is in his fifties, has created an island work in progress and continues to make improvements to the Island.

Spiral Island II has attracted visitors from around the world in all walks of life, donations and volunteers who are inspired by what is arguably one of the most impressive do it yourself ventures of modern times.

Rishi Sowa welcomes organized groups and visitors to the island. You are able to enjoy time maintaining the island and learning from Rishi on how to live this carefree self sustainable life.

For more information and ideas on how to build your own island, visit Spiral Islanders.

Source: Spiral Islanders

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

It’s all happening in Adelaide and South Australia. This is a great opportunity to see the beautiful Down Under and join in the festivities as the cycling year kicks off. Get ready for the first stop on the world cycling calendar, the Santos Tour Down Under kicks off the cycling year in exhilarating style.

The Santos Tour Down Under was first held in 1999 and has grown year on year to become the biggest cycling race in the southern hemisphere.

The week-long event brings the top ProTour professional cycling teams to race on the streets of Adelaide and regional South Australia each January.   Up for grabs are important UCI ProTour points and the Santos Tour Down Unders Ochre Leaders Jersey.

Not just a bike race, the Santos Tour Down Under is a festival of cycling, with a range of associated events and festivals that create a massive party atmosphere across South Australia.  Amateur cyclists can also get involved in the action, with the Skoda Breakaway Series, which gives people the chance to ride part of the ProTour race route.

The Skoda Tour Parade is a convoy of fanfare, colour and excitement and signals that the Santos Tour Down Under riders are just 30 minutes away.

Race spectators lining the road eagerly anticipate the promotional gifts that are given away by each of the Skoda Tour Parade vehicles at key locations along the race route.

The Skoda Tour Parade features the Santos Tour Down Under official mascot, Oppy the Kangaroo, and six larger-than-life-sized vehicle-mounted torsos of each of the race jerseys.

The Santos Tour Down Under invites the whole state to the party, by taking the race through South Australian regions. The race typically starts and concludes with exciting Adelaide city street circuits, with Stage 1-5 being held in regional South Australia. The Santos Tour Down Under provides a significant contribution to the state’s tourism industry, and showcases the attractions of South Australia to the world through global television coverage.

The Adventure Collective is again thrilled to again be an Official Tour Operator of the Santos Tour Down Under in 2011.

They have a range of great packages to suit every need, whether you’re looking for a full week of racing action, or want a weekend getaway to experience the racing highlights.

Pre-Tour Training Camp With Patrick Jonker
Kick off with a bang! For the first time, The Adventure Collective will be offering a pre-tour Training Camp, hosted by former Santos Tour Down Under champion, Olympian and Tour de France rider, Patrick Jonker. You’ll have the chance to gain valuable riding tips from the very best in the sport, with training rides and workshops each day. Topped off with great accommodation, meals and a host of other surprises in store.

Weekend Warrior Package
If you’re short on time but still want to experience the best of the Santos Tour Down Under, this package is perfect for you. Arrival on Thursday means you’ll get a good night’s rest in time for Friday’s Mutual Community Challenge Tour, including transport to and from the start/finish and the city. On Saturday, follow the race action, with the option to cycle. Celebrate the Legends’ Night Dinner, before the final showdown on Sunday.

Legend’s Weekend Package
Perfect for the cycling enthusiast and avid spectator! If you’re short on time but still want to experience the best of the Santos Tour Down Under, this weekend package is perfect for you. Arrive anytime on Friday and do your own thing. On Saturday, follow the race action on our escorted coach day tour, and enjoy great race viewing from our lunchtime vantage point. Celebrate the Legends’ Night Dinner, before Sunday’s final showdown.

Lead Out Tour Daily Packages
A daily tour aimed at the avid spectator. Each day we will follow the stage and view the race from a number of great vantage points. Each day you will enjoy a gourmet lunch, wine and beer, see some of the great sights of Adelaide and its surrounds. Held from Stage 1 to 5, with discounts for three or more days booked. Accommodation packages also available. Pick-up and drop-off to Adelaide CBD.

For further details on packages, see Travel Collective Group.

For more information, visit Tour Down Under.

Source: Tours Down Under

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

La Lucertola is the perfect eco friendly holiday choice. It is fantastic for a group of friends or a family vacation as the farmhouses can accommodate up to seven guests each. The properties can be rented separately or together sharing a secure swimming pool.

The farmhouses are set on the slopes of Monti Pisani – an environmentally protected area of outstanding natural beauty and tranquillity. Both apartments offer spectacular panoramic views over Pisa, the Leaning Tower and the Mediterranean Sea. La Lucertola is about a 20 minute drive from both Pisa and Lucca, 30 minutes from the coast, and about an hour from Florence.

As well as the benefit of natural countryside and protected land you are able to rest assured that you won’t be racking up your carbon footprint because this eco friendly farmhouse takes the environment into account to ensure you enjoy a guilt free holiday.

La Lucertola is very conscious of doing their best to protect the special area. There is an abundance of natural local resources which allows them to offer a low carbon footprint to guests. This is a footprint which can be offset against the carbon consumed in travelling to the farmhouse.

Here are the environmental considerations that the farmhouse take into account to ensure the environmental impact of your eco-holiday is kept to an absolute minimum:

Solar Power

• The electricity supply is entirely generated by photo-voltaic solar panels fitted on the roofs of the farmhouses.

Water Supply

• A natural spring provides mineral water for both farmhouses and the swimming pool.
• During the drier months we collect rainwater from the roofs which we use to water the garden and allotments.

Heating

• During the colder months, the farmhouses can be heated with wood free of charge – this is in addition to central heating. The wood is cut annually from our olive trees and is therefore a renewable energy source.

Recycling

• We recycle glass, plastic, tins, paper. Old clothes, towels and sheets are donated to charity.

Public transport

• Using trains and buses one can easily get to Pisa and Lucca, and from there onto Florence, Siena, Vinci and other spots in Tuscany.

Shopping

• Prior to your arrival we can do your main shopping for you. Just send us a list a few days before.

La Lucertola also offers complimentary seasonal organic fruits, veg and herbs which ensure that you are still able to have a variety of fresh produce without racking up carbon food miles:

Spring / early Summer

Lemons, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, salad, tomatoes, fennel, meddlers.

Summer / early Autumn

Tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, salad, peaches, pears, apricots.

Autumn / early Winter

Olives, lemons, pears and then back into the winter cycle of brassicas.

Winter / early Spring

Oranges, lemons, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, fennel, leeks, winter salad leaves, wild asparagus.

For more information about this delightful eco friendly farmhouse holiday in Italy, visit La Lucertola.

Source: La Lucertola

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

Not only are green hotels better for the environment, travelers overwhelmingly prefer them. This week Travelocity announced that eco-friendly hotels get higher consumer reviews than their non-green counterparts. To celebrate this, the company has kicked off the It’s Good to Be Green sale with special deals on green hotels that have great reviews.

Travelocity allows consumers to rate its hotels on a scale of 1-5 smiley faces. When the company studied the reviews for green hotels, a fascinating trend emerged. Consumers gave 83 percent of non-green hotels three smiley faces or more–but they gave a whopping 94 percent of green hotels three smiley faces or more. “This data confirms something we’ve long suspected,” says Alison Presley, manager of Travelocity’s Travel for Good® program. “Our eco-friendly hotels care deeply about the entire experience they provide and that attention to detail translates into an awesome stay overall.”

The company has more than 2,000 hotels in its Green Hotel Directory and the company works with an elite group of certification programs to ensure that each hotel in its program is making significant strides in sustainability. Travelocity is the only major online travel company that flags green hotels site-wide with an eco-friendly tag and the company holds the line against “greenwashing” by not accepting “self-certified” hotels.

For the It’s Good to Be Green sale, travelers can save up to 30 percent on more than 160 eco-friendly hotels around the world that have an average rating of 3.5 smiley faces or higher.

Travelocity doesn’t just promote eco-friendly products–the company is also working hard to reduce its own footprint and to promote sustainability within the travel industry. The company’s sustainability efforts start at home with its LEED-certified Silver headquarters. And to date, Travelocity and its customers have helped The Conservation Fund plant more than 24,000 trees across five national wildlife refuges that will trap an estimated 25,400 metric tons of CO2 over the life of those forests. The company is also a founding member of the Tourism Sustainability Council, which is working toward a more sustainable future for the industry.

Source: Travelocity

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director

TUI is the parent company of Thomson and was previously recognised for its commitment to sustainable development by its listing in the FTSE4Good Index. They also received the World’s Responsible Tourism Award at the 2009 World Travel Awards. They received awards for World’s Leading Tour Operator: TUI Travel PLC, World’s Responsible Tourism Award: TUI Travel PLC and Worlds Leading Tour Operator Website: www.thomson.co.uk

The new Holidays Forever brand outlines Thomson and First Choice’s five year sustainable tourism commitments.

Holidays Forever represents the next stage of Thomson and First Choice’s sustainable development strategy and aims to get its customers on board supporting sustainable tourism to help preserve their holidays long into the future. The new brand will also be used to raise awareness of sustainable tourism amongst the companies employees.

Holidays Forever encompasses 20 sustainable commitments that Thomson and First Choice have pledged to achieve. These include reducing the carbon emissions from the TUI Travel airlines, by 6% by 2014, working towards having all of its suppliers Travelife-awarded by 2014 and aiming to recycle approximately 30% of the cans it hands out onboard its flights, equating to 13 tonnes of aluminium in the next year.

Thomson and First Choice decided to launch the brand after carrying out customer research that found 96% of holidaymakers polled care about protecting the local environment and wildlife in the resorts they visit.  A further 83% said they appreciate advice from a tour operator on how to make their holiday more environmentally and socially responsible when they’re abroad, and 73% want to be able to easily identify a greener holiday. The tour operators also noticed a change in customer behaviour when comparing these results to similar research First Choice carried out in 2005.  It showed customers are more familiar with the concept of sustainable tourism than in 2005, however although the percentage of people recycling has increased, they are still less likely to recycle on holiday than at home.

As a result, the company is planning to launch Holidays Forever microsites for both brands to educate customer on sustainable tourism issues, how Thomson and First Choice are addressing these, and also to give them tips to help them have a greener holiday.  Each microsite for Thomson and First Choice will reflect that Holidays Forever is a joint initiative, but each site will have its own voice in keeping with the brand identity.  A joint landing page is already up and by end of July the sites will be fully functional.

Jane Ashton, Head of Sustainable for Development said, “We appreciate our holidays have an impact on the environment and the people who live and work in our destinations across the planet. Whilst we are proud of the efforts we have made to date, we recognise that we are still at the start of our sustainability journey.  With Holidays Forever we are making 20 commitments to do what we can to drive real change. Through our new microsites we are inviting our customers to take this big, yet important, journey with us.”

On Friday an internal celebration at Thomson and First Choice head offices has also been organised to mark Make Holidays Greener Week and to launch Holidays Forever.  Managing Director Dermot Blastland will be making presentations to colleagues at Wigmore House in Luton about the new strategy and the commitments the company has made as part of the Holidays Forever launch.  A green fair has also been arranged, with green organisations and charities setting up stalls to promote sustainable tourism internally.  Fun green activities will also happen across the business, including prizes for best team dressed in green.

To find out more about Thomson & Fist Choice’s Holidays Forever 2010 Commitments, have a look here Holidays Forever 2010 Commitments

Source: Thomson

Samantha Minogue

Editorial Director