CONFERENCE The Travel Convention 2024: Industry leaders discuss eco taxes,
Green taxes ‘must show link to sustainability initiatives’
D
estinations have been urged to show a direct link to sustainability projects if they
introduce green taxes, which can add “hundreds of pounds” to the cost of family holidays. EasyJet holidays boss Garry
Wilson also warned the imposition of taxes to raise funds did not always “build confidence in demand” for the countries that introduce them. He said: “Destinations are
all jumping on green taxes. There has to be real thought into the impact they will have. It is putting hundreds of pounds on the cost of family holidays.” Wilson suggested customers
would better understand and accept a tax if destinations explained which sustainable projects it supported, rather than it just going into a “big pot”. He added: “We have got a
problem with that. There has to be a long-term strategy so people can prepare for that [the extra cost].
If governments
introduce a green tax that just goes into a general ‘pot’, we would not support that
“The way it is being done by a
lot of destinations is not necessarily building confidence in demand. “If governments introduce a green
tax that is fully committed to the environment, we fully support it. If it just goes into a general pot, we’d not support that.” In response, Eleni Skarveli, UK
and Ireland director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, defended the destination’s move to increase its tourism levy. Greece’s climate resilience fee on
hotels and other accommodation is increasing, and it is introducing a levy for cruise passengers, to address sustainability issues.
Skarveli did not believe the rise
would cause a problem for tourists, saying: “I don’t think this is an issue.” Responding to comments made
by easyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren, who suggested an extra £6 per person on airfares would be enough to dent demand, she said: “I would be happy to pay £6 more to have a sustainable conscience, if it was going to a good cause.” Skarveli added: “I do
understand frustration from the market and the commercial side. But it’s a tax [resulting] from the climate crisis. It will go back into sustainability [projects].” She revealed Greece is developing
a sustainability certification scheme for its hotels. “It’s important to create new investments under sustainable criteria,” she said, describing sustainability as a “necessity”. Plans to roll out the sustainable
hotel rating system across all three to five-star hotels were in the pipeline, Skarveli told delegates.
Time to dispel the ‘four myths of workplace leadership’
Too many business leaders operate according to “four myths of workplace leadership”, delegates heard. Business consultant and author Blaire Palmer told the convention the industry must “destroy the Victorian ideas that underpin a lot of what we do” so that “people can thrive”. She suggested myth one is that
“you’re a leader because of your job title”, arguing: “Authority to manage might come with a title, but not authority to lead. To lead, people need to trust you.”
10 17 OCTOBER 2024
where information is pushed up. We need to push information down – to share information to help people make good decisions.” A third myth is “the myth of
Blaire Palmer Palmer said it’s “a myth that
most people are trying to get away with something”. She identified a second myth
“around seniority and hierarchy”, saying: “We operate in organisations
teams”, argued Palmer: “Teams create silos, create walls around information and stifle creativity.” The fourth she described as “the
myth that as a leader you have the right answers”. “There are no right answers,” she said. “You need to swallow your ego and go back to the ancient Chinese proverb, ‘To lead people, walk beside them’.”
Lundgren recalls genesis
There was no blueprint for easyJet holidays when Johan Lundgren took over as easyJet chief executive in December 2017, Abta’s Travel Convention heard. Lundgren, who was deputy chief
executive of Tui Group from 2011-15 and before that managing director of Tui UK & Ireland, said: “EasyJet holidays wasn’t planned when I started. It was not in a pitch to the board.” The decision to set up easyJet holidays
followed a management meeting in January 2018 that “went through the strength of demand and extent of the
Johan Lundgren
Delegates take part in a beach clean, supported by easyJet holidays
travelweekly.co.uk
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