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UK MP’s made history today by passing a Commons motion to declare an environment and climate change emergency. Considering this development, Latin America and Polar travel specialists, Chimu Adventures, urge the travel industry to elevate the issue of sustainability to the fore; it cannot be just a unique selling point.

Tourism reportedly accounts for around 10% of GDP and around 8% of global emissions (World Travel & Tourism Council and Nature Climate Change report). As such a lucrative and impacting entity, it must use its gravitas as a vehicle for change, helping travellers make informed and sustainable choices about the way they travel and the people and places they visit. The industry cannot rely on government legislation for this.

Issues such as overtourism, emissions and plastic use have recently been thrown into the spotlight. As clients switch on to these problems, Chimu strongly believe they need to be addressed from within to attract and retain sustainable business.

They recognise that the subject of sustainability can be overwhelming, and it is hard to know where to begin, but advocate that simply starting is one of the most important things you can do. A tangible method is wholesalers and travel agents requesting a sustainable travel policy from all suppliers. If they haven’t got one, why haven’t they got one. Businesses will reflect on their own practices and implement change. This may seem small at first but will evolve over time until it is no longer unique to be sustainable, but standard.

More information can be found on Chimu’s Travel Revolution page which has educational resources for travel agents including a marketing pack, library of reading, media links and video content.

Since their inception in 2004, Chimu have promoted sustainability and it remains their core focus. Co-founder Chad Carey explains: “This isn’t a new thing for us, sustainability was always front of mind when we started 15 years ago, and it is something we want to continue with more than ever in 2019. We are at a point now where sustainability can’t just be a unique selling point, it needs to be in an integral part of business. This year, we will continue to check how our products, including hotels and ships, measure up in terms of sustainability and this will be used as selection criteria.”