How The Travel Corporation is Leading the Way in Sustainability and Why It Is So Important to Travelers

Many people talk about sustainability, and we all like to think that we are taking steps personally to help respect, preserve, and extend life on this planet. But there is a great opportunity for impacts from large corporations that have the resources, influence, and purchasing power to usher in real change that makes a measurable difference around the world. The Travel Corporation (TTC) – with its 100-plus-year history (still thoughtfully family owned and operated) and 41 powerhouse travel brands – is one such company that has embraced the challenge.

In 2020, TTC set 11 very specific and measurable goals as part of its “How We Tread Right” five-year sustainability strategy. Through it, the company has massive efforts in place to address the impact of its operations and to help make travel a force for good (for all the people, places, and wildlife touched by the travel industry). Here we will focus on six of their brands – those under the TTC Tour Brands division in North America (Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Brendan Vacations, Costsaver, and Contiki).

Preserving the planet
The key to TTC’s first pillar of sustainability revolves around managing and reducing the carbon footprint of its business operations and trips. The company is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To that end, they became the first global tour operator with validated near-term, long-term, and net zero targets by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

This commitment means that they are first and foremost dedicated to reducing the emissions of their business, through initiatives like increasing the use of renewable energy; transitioning to a low-carbon transportation network; reducing food waste; and increasing the use of local and organic food. As a company with more than 30 offices, 20-plus hotels and accommodations, 500-plus vehicles, and operating 41 brands in 70-plus countries, this is a huge opportunity for impact. And, to support their net zero journey, they have shifted the focus of their non-for-profit TreadRight Foundation to prioritizing nature-based solutions that protect biodiversity and restore the planet.

Trafalgar’s Contrasts of Switzerland trip, which holds the Swisstainable seal, was developed in partnership with hotels, restaurants, and other suppliers that have committed to the sustainability efforts of Switzerland’s federal program, and so, have also earned their sustainability stamp. This means that all aspects of the trip have been carefully considered, from traveling by train; showcasing natural landscapes; featuring seasonal produce savored at local restaurants; and supporting Swiss-based organizations that raise awareness for environmental and social issues.

TTC Tour Brands is also working with VisitScotland to support their ambition to become the world’s first net zero destination. The aim of the project is to develop a structured process to better address in-destination travel emissions through a joint effort between tour operators and the destination, thereby reducing tourism’s emissions at the destination level. 

Another example is an excursion on Trafalgar’s Hawaii Four Island Adventure, which takes guests to the Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology Park’s Sea Salt farm, where they learn about the importance of salt in Hawaiian culture. This is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, directly advancing UN SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Supporting people
As its second pillar of sustainability, TTC Tour Brands is committed to encouraging the cultures, traditions, and arts of the communities visited. All the brands work to enable these communities to see the true benefit from tourism through economic empowerment. They do this through their support of micro-enterprises and community-based tourism initiatives that build positive futures for community members and their families.

Putting this into practical motion, as of 2024, all six of the TTC Tour Brands mentioned here have at least one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience on every departure. These experiences have an environmental or social benefit to destinations and those who experience them, and have been qualified using an e-assessment tool proprietary to TTC, endorsed by experts, which identifies the way they advance at least one UN SDG.

Among their many transformative travel experiences are Contiki’s Berlin Refugee Voices Walking Tour and Trafalgar’s visit to the Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative. On a Trafalgar’s Splendors of Japan tour, guests visit the Washi Paper Workshop in Gokayama and learn about traditional paper-making from a family at work. On Insight Vacations’ Italy Bellissimo trip, travelers discover the history of Italian hand-weaving during a private demonstration at the Guiditta Brozetti museum in Perugia.

This pillar of sustainability extends further to address timely conversations in travel about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Examples of how TTC Tour Brands is supporting underrepresented groups include: Trafalgar’s National Parks and Native Trails of the Dakotas trip, which is entirely focused on the indigenous communities of the Dakotas (and in fact, more than 60 percent of Trafalgar’s U.S. itineraries include at least one Native business.); the newly relaunched Women Only Tours with Insight Vacations, which is designed with the female solo traveler in mind; and the recent BIPOC-focused FAM, which zeroed in on supporting and uplifting BIPOC travel advisors.

Safeguarding wildlife
With so many aspects of the planet’s wildlife population dangling dangerously on a precipice, TTC has as its third pillar of sustainability to help protect those species most at risk. As such, they have a strict Animal Welfare Policy in place to ensure they only offer wildlife experiences that are free from animal cruelty, and they have partnered with leading wildlife organizations, working together to make a difference while educating their guests on ethical wildlife experiences.

For example, on Contiki’s Thai Island Hopper trip, guests can spend time with rescued elephants at the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. On day nine of Trafalgar’s Majestic Alaska tour, travelers visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and hear from a local specialist about the important role the center plays in the rehabilitation of wildlife.

In another example that is part of the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® effort, guests on day five of Costsaver’s South America Samba trip can go on a self-guided walking tour through a subtropical forest at a family owned Bird Sanctuary that is home to more than 900 native birds from 150 species. On a Trafalgar’s Wonders of Kenya tour, travelers hear first-hand from the rangers at Ol Peteja Conservancy (which is a sanctuary for over 110 critically endangered black rhinos) about its endangered wildlife and ecosystem conservation efforts.

It matters to travelers
Multiple industry studies have shown that travelers are increasingly looking to travel sustainably, and they want travel companies to offer more sustainable travel choices. The pressure is on for travel suppliers to increase their accountability regarding the preservation of the places they visit, as well as the people and the wildlife that they impact.

TTC Tour Brands is one brand that has impressively stepped up to the plate. The company is delivering on its promise to make travel beneficial for the communities, lands, and wildlife that it impacts – and to empower their guests and travelers everywhere to open their minds to the ways they can live by this ethos.

Another intrinsic pillar of the TTC Tour Brands’ sustainability program is giving back. The company encourages their employees to volunteer in their communities, and gives them paid volunteer days every year. TTC Tour Brands is working towards a goal of 30,000 hours served by 2025.

For those looking to dive deeper into the details of the progress made by TTC Tour Brands in relation to its 11 goals of its “How We Tread Right” five-year sustainability strategy, they can peruse its 2022 Annual Impact Report: https://impact.ttc.com/progress, which is full of facts and figures, and fascinating project information. The 2023 Annual Impact Report will be released this May.

Travel advisors can also learn more about TTC Tour Brands’ immense sustainability efforts and its immersive travel experiences for its guests by visiting their Travel Advisor Portal.

FROM THE SPONSOR:

About TTC Tour Brands
The ease of touring has never been more important nor relevant, and no one does tours better than TTC Tour Brands. The portfolio includes the award-winning brands of Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Brendan Vacations, Costsaver, and Contiki. TTC Tour Brands are the global leaders in tours for any and everyone. From budget to luxury and everything in between, the portfolio brings agents access to over 1,000 tours, across 80+ countries via one single sales, reservations, and marketing team, with the added ease of a single signon booking platform.  

TTC Tour Brands is part of the family owned and run The Travel Corporation (TTC), driven by service for over one hundred years. For more information, please visit agents.ttc.com. 

About The Travel Corporation
The Travel Corporation (TTC) is a family owned and passionately run international group of 40 award-winning brands, with over 100 years’ experience. Our exceptional portfolio of brands spans 70 countries and offers an extensive selection of travel and tourism companies, encompassing a variety of guided travel experiences, independent holiday packages, boutique river cruising, luxury hotels and safaris. We are committed to consistently delivering outstanding service, experiences, and value to every one of our guests – and we do so through continuous innovation. For more information, please visit TTC.com.