“We are the only online network carrier. We sell 90% of long-haul SEARCH ENGINES


Yahoo: Travel brands are not inspiring clients


ONLY A tiny percentage of European travellers find travel brands inspirational, according to research from search engine giant Yahoo. The internet company’s revelation follows


a survey of 6,407 European travellers, which found that only 3% were inspired by travel companies. While 75% enjoy the experience of


organising a holiday, many searches lead to “desperation”, said Laura Chaibi, Yahoo’s senior director of international research, at WTM. According to Chaibi, 44% of holidaymakers


use more than five different sources to get the best deal, and consolidate their research on their chosen holiday destination. “Don’t leave it to consumers to dictate to


consumers,” she said in reference to the proliferation of review websites such as TripAdvisor, which further promote independent travel. She added that very few brands


encompass more “aspirational” aspects, such as good advertising, presenting new and inspirational ideas and appearing fun. Chaibi commended the work done by


brands such as Trivago, as well as high street bastion John Lewis, which has embraced digital and uses tablets in store. To increase sales, Chaibi suggests that


operators and agents optimise their sites for mobile and attempt to create better links between different mobile devices, so that customers can easily find products they’ve looked at using another device.


SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY


‘Enclave tourism’ from cruise ships doesn’t benefit local communities


CRUISE LINES are irresponsible when it comes to sustainable tourism and often come bottom of Corporate Social Responsibility tables, according to Mark Watson, executive director of Tourism Concern. Watson singled out the Caribbean as a


prime example of enclave tourism – where little money trickles down into the local economy – and said some tourists don’t even get off cruise ships when they dock. “If we’re going to travel round the world


we have to bring some benefit to local communities,” Watson said at a session on human rights and tourism. As holidaymakers become increasingly conscious of human rights abuses, and also


of their responsibility, the panel warned that operators which do not adhere to their CSR will soon be losing out on customers. “It’s not just about the exploitation of


people, but the right to a good wage, job security and progression,” he said. At present many consumers are relying


on the industry to make the right choices. “They believe we’ll do the right thing in


the right way,” said Fiona Jeffery, founder of international water aid charity Just a Drop. “Operators hold great power.” Stephanie Ossenbach, a project manager


at Kuoni, said the issue of human rights in the industry was a massive challenge which cannot be tackled alone, but requires the full support of the entire industry.


TOP MODELS Lauren Lambert (left) the winner this year of Sky Living’s Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model(the finale was shot in Barbados) and runner up Sarah Kennedy are all smiles with Adrian Elcock, chairman of the Barbados Tourism Authority.


07.11.2013 05


‘Going green is business sense’


Patrick Whyte


GOING GREEN is “absolutely” compatible with returning value to shareholders, according to the deputy chief executive of Tui Travel. Speaking after participating in a debate


to make the start of World Responsible Tourism Day, Johan Lundgren said it made complete business sense. “Going green is about reducing waste,


going green is about making sure that you run you business in an efficient way that has the least possible impact on the environment,” he said “It means that you’re encouraging local


communities to grow and to flourish and we need that to make sure that we’re offering attractive destinations. “If the destinations we have didn’t have


anything to offer because we had been milking them out in the tourism way, people would simply not go there.” Lundgren said that consumers would not


necessarily pay extra for green products but that there was now an expectation that companies should act in a certain way. “We also see that there’s a lot of interest


from customers and consumers about this. We see that in our hotels, we see that there is a willingness to participate in activities that we do that reduce the effect on the environment,” he said. “So there is an interest in this but I


wouldn’t go as far as to say that consumers Lundgren urged companies to set a stretch target


are willing to pay for it but they will choose the company they believe is doing a good job in this area if nothing else is different.” In 2012 Tui pledged to sell ten million


greener holidays in its mainstream business by 2015 and Lundgren said the company was on its way to achieving this. “The first year we had... two million, so


actually to say within the three years to achieve cumulatively ten million, that is still a stretch target to do. For the environment’s sake I think it is always better to put a stretch target out there and if you achieve 80-90% of that then its usually better than achieving 100% of a lower target.” Earlier, Lundgren had taken part in a


roundtable discussion, chaired by the BBC’s Stephen Sackur, alongside Gerald Lawless, president and group chief executive of Jumeirah Group and Marthinus van Schalkwyk, South Africa's tourism minister.


tickets on the internet. That is unmatched in the entire world.” AER LINGUS’S CHRISTOPH MUELLER, P32


IN BRIEF


nNEW ENVIRONMENTAL E-TOOLKIT A new service helping accommodation businesses improve the way they communicate their online sustainability has been launched by Leeds Metropolitan University. The service, entitled respondeco (leedsmet.ac.uk/respondeco), has been developed following news that TripAdvisor now requires all lodges to provide environmental data relating to their business as part of its new GreenLeaders Programme.


nSOUTH AEGEAN WEBSITE LAUNCH The Greek region of the South Aegean, which comprises the Cyclades and Dodecanese islands, is to launch a web portal featuring all its destinations in one place. The website will go live in the new year.


nLENDING A HAND IN LATIN AMERICA The Latin American Travel Association Foundation has announced two new projects. The first will provide funding for four greenhouses at two rural schools near Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, while a second will see a tie-up with La Vida development agency, which will contribute bathroom equipment to a school in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico.


nCHINESE TOUR GUIDE ENDORSEMENT UKinbound, the trade association representing the interests of the UK’s inbound tourism sector, has launched its Chinese Tour Guide Accreditation Scheme. The scheme is being delivered with support from Capela Training and China Holidays and is endorsed by VisitBritain.


nSTRONG GROWTH FOR CROATIA Figures from the Croatian National Tourist Board show 74,027 Brits visited Croatia in September, up 27% on the same period in 2012. So far this year, 374,674 UK tourists have visited the destination.


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