“We are on a highway to climate hell,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Sharm-El-Sheikh.
“The industry needs to lead by example,” says Philippe Brown, founder of Brown + Hudson. “But the bigger bottom line is that in the context of climate change, we need to be more responsible.”
“Sure, this will have an impact on our bottom line,” admits Brown.
Whilst seeking inspiration for a client project, Brown recently dipped into Cormack McCarthy’s “All the Pretty Horses.” In 2019 outdoor apparel brand Patagonia updated its mission statement to “We’re in business to save our planet.” One line, in particular, stood out: “Between the wish and the thing the world lies waiting.” CEO Rose Marcario added, “We don’t just seek now to do less harm, we need to do more good.”
As COP27 got underway in Egypt and World Travel Market opened in London, travel company Brown + Hudson announced that it would cap the number of travellers it sends to any destination at just 50 people per year.
Whilst tourism might not be the biggest contributor to climate change, its impact is significant. The new initiative is another reason for clients to think strategically—but also open-mindedly—about their travels and what they want to achieve. Meanwhile, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili warned in London, “We have to do more and do better—we have no time to waste.”
One of the positives of this approach is that it will give Brown + Hudson’s experience designers the creative freedom that exists within constraint.
Brown + Hudson believes the travel industry could do more good and be more mindful. Unprecedented effects of climate change affect countries that welcome our clients, including India, the USA, the Maldives, South Korea, Cuba and South Africa. We are in the very privileged position of being able to take action.
There are precedents for this kind of initiative. This is what we must do.” Since 2021, the company has recommended that clients plan far in advance.
Written by: Jill Walsh
