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The Interview


Melvin Mak, Tui Group


The operator’s director for sustainability and ESG


says Tui, sponsor of this Sustainability special edition, is striving to ‘ensure the destinations we visit today are still beautiful years from now’. Samantha Mayling reports


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WDFNOH LQ 0HOYLQ 0DNŧV LQ WUD\ He was appointed as Tui’s group


director for sustainability and ESG in November, with a remit to advance the group’s ‘People, Planet, Progress’ sustainability agenda. Assessing the tourism giant’s achievements as 2025 draws to a close, he says: “We are making good progress again.” In the drive to reduce carbon


emissions, he’s guided by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and roadmaps for Tui’s airline, cruise and hotel operations that are in line with Paris Agreement goals. Compared with 2019, by 2030


Tui aims to have reduced Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions from airline jet fuel by 24% and from cruise marine fuel by 27.5%, as well as Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its hotels and resorts by at least 46%.


7DNLQJ ƏOLJKW In the air, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and operational efficiencies are the “biggest levers” to cut emissions,


10 4 DECEMBER 2025


he says. The arrival of more Boeing 737 Max aircraft this financial year (the 12 months from October 1) will give Tui “a good start”, he adds, because they make short-haul flight operations more efficient. In October, Tui’s airline ran a


special flight from Gatwick to Cancun to demonstrate its sustainability efforts. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner service showcased the carrier’s commitment to fuel efficiency, cabin waste reduction and “collaborative innovation”. During November, several Tuifly


passenger flights were followed by a research aircraft from the German Aerospace Centre to investigate climate-impacting contrails. This provided real-time data about condensation trails produced by aircraft engines – and measurements can show how much new engine technologies can reduce this effect.


&UXLVH WHFKQRORJ\ Technological innovation is also key to cutting cruise emissions, he says, pointing to renewable fuels and ship-to-shore power developments. In July, Mein Schiff Relax, the


newest member of the fleet, was supplied with bio-LNG for the first


time as part of a so-called ship-to-ship bunkering operation via a barge in Barcelona. Bio-LNG is renewable fuel produced from organic waste and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70-100%. “As we learn about these types


of fuels, we can scale that in years to come,” says Mak. “Tui Cruises operates one of the youngest fleets in the world and, with that, comes efficiency. “The flexibility of the newest


technology is crucial; if we only operate ships that don’t use different or newer fuels, then emission reduction becomes more challenging. “Shore power is a big thing


– the ports are doing a good job making that available.”


+RWHO LQQRYDWLRQ Turning his attention to Tui Hotels & Resorts, Mak says: “The biggest topic within emission reduction in hotels is energy and fuel, so renewable energy is a big thing for our properties. “We’re working with hoteliers


to scale up PV [photovoltaic] technology on hotel rooftops and large-scale facilities in destinations.” He says one of the “biggest


achievements” is the development


of solar-power plants in Turkey, which supply clean electricity to eight hotels year-round. A fourth plant has just


been installed, with the fifth and sixth in development. “In my 14 years at Tui, I’ve


never seen us at the forefront of a PV development as large as this; it’s a great example of how we make big steps in renewable energy.” Technology is also helping food


management in hotels, such as AI trials to tackle wastage – and some waste that can’t be avoided can be turned into biogas or fertiliser. Connecting hotels to local


communities is another strategy, exemplified by Tui’s Field to Fork programme. It supports sustainable and regenerative practices which maintain biodiversity and produce local delicacies – and creates short supply chains. Mak highlights how the concept


is now in several destinations, from Rhodes and Cyprus to Portugal, Italy, Cape Verde, Tanzania and Colombia. Tui also has a Green & Fair


portfolio of hotels that are committed to supporting local communities and looking after the environment


travelweekly.co.uk


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