Melvin Mak is spearheading Tui Group’s efforts to


improve sustainability across all elements of its business


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PICTURES: Tui; Sven Erberich Meerlicht Photography; Olivier Depaep


– and are certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Guests’ travel to and from


hotels is another part of the sustainability strategy, with targets such as e-charging stations at 1,000 hotel locations by 2030. By the same year, Tui aims for


about 90% of employee service vehicles, 90% of vehicles used in operations and 80%–90% of all guest transfers to be electric.


7DFNOLQJ SODVWLFV “Since 2022, Tui has reduced the amount of single-use plastic in our hotels by about 19% per guest night,” says Mak. “We focus on avoiding, reusing or replacing plastics wherever we can.” He highlights the balancing act of


cutting out plastics, such as stirrers and straws, which doesn’t generate negative guest feedback, with removing items that holidaymakers do expect, such as containers for sauces at buffets, in which case, another option is sought. “If we explain it well…guests


appreciate changes,” he adds. Other initiatives have seen the installation of water refill


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stations, to reduce the need for plastic bottles, plus plastic-free amenities in bathrooms. “We’re making good progress.


It does not cause any negative influence on guest experience; it is a win-win situation.” Some hotels are also installing


microfibre filters in their laundries, following their introduction on cruise ships, to tackle microplastic pollution. In partnership with the


Cleaner Seas Group, the aim is to prevent microplastics released during laundering from entering the sea and threatening marine biodiversity and human health. “The filter system can capture up


to 99% of microfibres,” says Mak. “We have currently installed their


technology at the two Robinson clubs in the Maldives and are in talks about which hotels should be next.”


&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Asked how agents can help Tui’s sustainability drive, Mak recalls how he started in the sector as an agent. “We need to understand better


how we get the message across,” he says. “There’s a responsibility on our side to ensure hotel operations and


our supply chains are managed well. “People don’t deliberately book a


specific holiday because a hotel has plastic-free amenities. Customers expect us to deliver on these areas, and be a responsible business. “Cases where people deliberately


ask for a sustainable holiday are fairly limited. Even if customers don’t explicitly ask for a more sustainable holiday, that doesn’t mean that we don’t have the responsibility to deliver it – we still have a corporate responsibility to ensure that we reduce our emissions in aviation, run our hotels on renewable energy, and reduce plastics.” He says “loads of stories” resonate


well with holidaymakers, adding: “We need to really understand the key elements that we can give to travel agents [and] to customers.” Mak notes how customer ratings


on Tui Musement’s range of more than 40 National Geographic day tours are higher than the group’s average. “There’s a huge focus on


experiencing things in a more responsible way – on exploring local culture and foods,” he says. “We need to explore how we can upscale that to ensure guests really


experience the local destination, nature, cultures – and we respect the destination and communities.” Tui’s agents can learn about


sustainability via webinars and the group’s Sustainability Academy, which includes an extensive climate module. Mak also urged agents in the


UK to take a Tui flight, and stay in a Tui hotel or cruise, to see its sustainability credentials themselves. “We don’t see sustainability


as having a final destination somewhere in the future; for us, it’s a journey that we have embarked on and we have commitments for continuous development,” he adds. “We want to showcase


leadership in the tourism industry. There’s a lot on our desk, as there is for any travel company. “There are new technologies


and initiatives that we jump on, to continue making that journey successful, and there should be lots of collaboration, so businesses don’t reinvent the wheel all the time. “How do we ensure – as an


industry, not just Tui – that the destinations that we visit today are still beautiful years from now?”


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