24 SUSTAINABILITY


Sustainability Sails The Thames With Uber Boat


UBER Boat by Thames Clippers have announced that they are currently building the UK’s first ever hybrid high speed passenger ferries which set to launch in London in autumn 2022 and spring 2023.


Leading the way in passenger boat design, the two new vessels, currently being built at Wight Shipyard on the Isle of Wight, take strides in improving the sustainability credentials of the business as well as propelling the wider marine sector.


The hybrid design will allow the new vessels to operate solely on battery power while transporting commuters and sightseers through the Capital – throughout the Central Zone, between Tower and Battersea Power Station piers – and recharge while using biofuelled power outside of central London. The technology is not reliant on shore-based charging. Instead, the new boats will use excess power from the biofuelled engines to re- charge their batteries for the central London stretch. The new boats push the boundaries in catamaran


design to deliver a future-friendly option that can be made even greener as and when technology allows. As well as being the city’s most eco-friendly passenger boats, these


April/May 2022 Travel News


will be Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’ quietest vessels. Sean Collins, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’ co-


founder and CEO commented “This development in technology has enabled us to take the first major steps to meet our future environmental vision. “For over 20 years we have been at the forefront of innovation for the river marine sector. We are committed to supporting the sustainable growth, infrastructure and economic development on and around the river to endorse the river’s importance to London as a form of transport.


Collins continued “We’re looking ahead with this hybrid design, ensuring easy conversion to green hydrogen or another renewable energy source – something we’re also focusing heavily on with the new projects we’re undertaking thanks to recent DfT funding. It is the next step in our strategy to net zero and, ultimately, tailpipe zero.” Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is committed to achieving net zero with all new builds by 2025 and for its wider fleet, infrastructure and environmental footprint by 2040.


New ABTA Guidance for Travel Agents on Sustainability


ABTA has launched new guidance to help travel agents incorporate sustainability into their business practices. The guidance was developed in response to feedback from travel agent Members for more support on how to adopt a sustainable approach and in recognition of the growing appetite among consumers for sustainable travel.


ABTA research finds that almost three times as many people now say that sustainability is important to them when planning their holiday, compared to ten years ago1. But ABTA recognises that how agents can engage in sustainability varies depending on the size of their business and resources available. The new guidance is designed to help agent Members find a sustainability approach that is suitable for their business, whatever their size.


It focuses on the four areas of sustainability – environment, destination management, animal welfare and human rights – as identified in ABTA’s Tourism for Good report. As well as summarising the different issues within each area, the guidance also includes advice on steps agents can take and case studies on what industry is doing, including from agents, tour operators and other suppliers.


As part of the guidance, ABTA recommends


three ways travel agent Members could approach sustainability:


Address your own business operations – identify


actions to reduce resource use, look after your staff or support your community Explore sustainability in your supply chain – find out how your suppliers are addressing sustainability. For example, do you sell any Travelife hotels? Do you know how aviation is reducing its emissions? Are you aware of products that most tour operators won’t sell and why, such as elephant riding or orphanage visits? Engage your customers – think about how you can


profile holidays that benefit communities or nature in your marketing and social media activities, to engage your customers and maximise your sales. The guidance is free to ABTA Members and is relevant for all types of agents including online travel agents, those with high street stores or individuals working from home. It can be found on the ABTA MemberZone. It also includes links to ABTA’s other resources on sustainability including tips on how to sell sustainability. Susan Deer, Director of Industry Relations at ABTA


– The Travel Association said:


“Sustainability is rising up the agenda on all fronts – from customers to politicians, but it can be hard for travel agents to know where to start when it comes to adopting a sustainable approach as well as finding the time and resource to do this.


“We know agents have a lot on their plate in terms of rebuilding from the pandemic, so we want to make it as easy as possible for them to look at how they can incorporate sustainability into their businesses. “Through our guidance we hope to help agents see how they can approach sustainability, recognising that even small steps can make a big difference, and that activities could help to save money on overheads and support sales conversations with customers. “Even if customers aren’t raising sustainability with


agents directly – it doesn’t mean that it isn’t on their mind. By being proactive and easing it into sales conversations, agents could help people feel more confident to book, particularly as 41% say they are more likely to book with a travel company with a better sustainability record.” ABTA has a range of resources available for Members to support them on sustainability which can be found on the MemberZone.


Eva Air Shows


Commitment to Fighting Climate Change


EVA Air has targeted reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050, demonstrating its commitment to seriously considering the impacts of climate change. The Taiwan- based airline made its case for sustainability at the 65th annual conference of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), held online and cohosted by EVA Air. Clay Sun, the airline’s president, also encouraged his industry colleagues to fully commit to reopening travel and gradually reinvigorating the airline industry. More about EVA and its commitment to sustainability is available at www.evacsr.com while bookings can be make and travel information found at www.evaair.com. EVA Air was the first Taiwan-based airline to


promote the “Green Travel” Carbon Offset Programme in 2017. As soon as a passenger buys a ticket on the EVA website, they can go to a dedicated website at https:// evaair.co2analytics.com/home and calculate their carbon emissions based on seating class, flight distance and number of passengers in their party. Passengers can also choose to donate equal or optional amounts to support ClimateCare’s international carbon reduction project for “zero-carbon travel.”


“The airline industry contributes 3.5 trillion US dollars to the global economy, generates 88 million jobs and, at the same time, pursues reduced carbon emissions and advances toward sustainability,” said EVA President Clay Sun. “We ask governments worldwide to approve use of sustainable aviation fuels and support alternative energy research and production facilities. We also strongly appeal to all airlines to comply with standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)


Responsable Tourism Across the Globe JAPAN


Kamikatsu shikoku


zero-waste village, Japanese town Kamikatsu is located


in Tokushima prefecture in the Setouchi Region. In 2003 the town took to a Zero Waste Policy, the first in Japan to do so, and aimed to eliminate the use of incinerators or landfills.


Travelling by train around Japan Japan is renowned for its excellent train transportation being exceptionally clean, quick and easy to use. Cut down on carbon footprint and take an unforgettable trip around Japan.


THE ISLANDS OF TAHITI Stay with locals - The Islands of Tahiti


Tahitian guesthouses, also referred to locally as pensions (pronounced pone- see-owns),


are typically family-operated


lodgings. These hidden gems provide a unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in local cultures, and some owners sit down to meals or even escort guests on excursions.


USA Giant Sequoia Saplings - Yosemite


Tuolumne County, California Visit Tuolumne County partnered with Pinecrest Expedition Academy,


whose


students planted a new grove of Giant Sequoias at the iconic Kennedy Meadows Resort & Packstation nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.


Alterra Mountain Company The Climate Collaborative Charter, launched in June 2021, is the ski industry’s first unified effort to combat climate change with shared commitments around sustainability and advocacy. It is a joint effort between Alterra Mountain Company, Boyne Resorts, POWDR and Vail Resorts and has been two years in the making. All four ski industry leaders have agreed to operate their respective resorts with sustainability at the forefront .


UK & EUROPE


Rewilding in Porthkerry Country Park - Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales


Rewilding of Old Golf Course - a new project to rewild the old golf course has recently been undertaken at Porthkerry Country Park in Barry. This project will create a mosaic of habitats, including hedgerows, ponds, wildflower meadows and salt marsh for the benefit of wildlife, alongside improved access and picnic facilities for visitors.


and its Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Together, our industry can help reduce global warming.” EVA Air uses the more eco-friendly Boeing 777-


300ERs and 787s as the backbone of its operations. It uses Electronic Flight Bags (EFB) fleetwide to replace paper manuals. It saves water and onboard service supplies by being flexible and making adjustments based on flight distance and numbers of passengers. It uses light-weight Unit Load Device (ULD) to increase loading weight substantially. And it has introduced its next generation of flight planning systems, enabling it to simply access the EVA data base to optimise flight routes and fuel requirements. EVA Air has also further improved its aircraft engine performance and fuel- efficiency by cleaning equipment. In 2020, EVA saved a total of 13,218 tons of fuel, reducing emissions by 41,636 tons of CO2e.


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