He pointed out that customer confidence “which has taken a knock anyway over the past 18 months, is essential to our industry’s recovery and future prosperity. And part of that confidence is confidence to travel with a good conscience”.
Tanzer added that it is “not just customers who are demanding high sustainability standards, but employees, too. And residents in destinations. And, increasingly, investors. All our most important stakeholders, in fact.
“We’re on the threshold of a new era,” he added. “The future is demanding of us, but if we act now we can deliver a rewarding future for ourselves and future generations.”
It came as Tanzer reiterated the need for the sector to be represented by a dedicated minister in government, arguing that a “dedicated minister is essential to pull stakeholders together to build future resilience and protect the UK’s position as an international, connected economy.
“Our existence as travel businesses, and suppliers to travel businesses, is inextricably linked to government policy, like it or not. We are already a highly regulated industry, whether you think about financial protection – and those regulations are up for review in the light of Covid experience – or the health and safety of staff and customers.
“And the real and present challenges of climate change, and supply chain sustainability more broadly, bring us into direct contact with UK government policy and with that of destination governments.”
Tanzer also acknowleged the protest by animal rights organisation Peta outside the convention, which is calling on Abta to include dolphin and whale captivity its animal welfare guidelines.
“Those of you who are here in person today cannot have missed the demonstration outside the building, calling on Abta to discourage the promotion of marine parks,” Tanzer said.
“Abta has been active in the area of animal welfare since 2013, when we published a series of animal welfare guides, [which] set out basic welfare requirements – and unacceptable practices – where animals and tourism intersect.
“Now is not the time to go into the issue of marine parks in detail,” Tanzer added, “except to say that professional opinion is divided. Abta makes available to our members the relevant and current research, to allow them to make an informed decision as to whether to market these attractions.”
