by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:50 AM ET, Tue June 11, 2024
TTC Tour Brands, which encompasses Trafalgar, Brendan Vacations, Costsaver, Contiki, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold, published its third annual TTC Impact Report, marking its 2023 progress for its five-year sustainability strategy.
“The goal of our annual Impact Report is to provide transparency and evidence of genuine progress towards our long-term sustainable goals, enabling advisors and travelers to confidently choose a provider offering both responsible and enriching travel experiences,” says Melissa DaSilva, President of TTC Tour Brands, North America.
Carbon Fund & Net Zero Trip Roadmap
TTC Tour Brands began implementing a Carbon Fund, which all the brands contributed to offsetting their carbon emissions. It’s allocated $1.88 million to carbon reduction projects for 2024. The brands also reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 31 percent and Scope 3 emissions by 5 percent in 2023 compared to their 2019 baseline.
The brands also offer a Trip Carbon Calculator, which provides carbon emissions data for over 700 trips across the brands. As they continue reducing emissions, changes might include offering more vegetarian meals, reducing miles driven and more.
Additionally, the brands ended all branded merchandise as a way to save 6.5 million car-driven miles worth of carbon emissions each year. Funds that were previously used to purchase merchandise are donated to TreadRight Foundation partners GreenWave and Rainforest Rescue.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Expands in 2023
TTC Tour Brands is known for offering at least one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience per trip, and this number has grown with 180 new experiences in 2023. These experiences are immersive travel experiences that create a positive social or environmental impact and actively support at least one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The brands’ original goal was to offer at least one of these experiences on 50 percent of its itineraries by 2025, but it has surpassed that goal. In 2023, 84 percent of its itineraries offered at least one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience.
A farm-to-table MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience at Trattoria Terra Madre in Alberobello, Italy. (Photo Credit: TTC Tour Brands)
Utilizing Renewable Energy
TTC Tour Brands has surpassed its 2025 goal of having 50 percent of its energy use come from renewable sources. In 2023, 54 percent of the energy used by the brands came from renewable sources.
Contiki, the tour operator for young adults, has begun using HVO biofuel for some European coaches, through Atlas Reizen. It’s predicted to reduce Contiki’s European trip emissions by 30 to 40 percent this year.
Local Dining and Community Experiences
TTC Tour Brands’ goal to offer at least one local dining experience on 80 percent of its itineraries by 2025 has been achieved two years early. The purpose of the goal is to offer travelers a taste of the regions they visit while also supporting local growers and local food systems.
“In the last year, we’ve made significant investments to support multiple decarbonization projects using our industry-first Carbon Fund, doubled down in renewable energy, introduced dozens of new local dining experiences and launched hundreds of new MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences, now featured on a majority of our itineraries,” continued DaSilva.
“These efforts illustrate our unwavering commitment to the road to net zero and our clear roadmap and aggressive action, as part of The Travel Corporation’s family of brands, which has achieved far beyond our original benchmarks, serving as a grassroots catalyst for the tour industry at large and a transparent resource for advisors servicing planet-forward travelers.”
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