Topics will include animal welfare, human rights and modern slavery, plus managing carbon and water in supply chains. Ways in which to reduce plastic usage and sustainable practices in cruise are also on the agenda.
Rochelle Turner, WTTC research director, said the sustainability agenda had changed since the inaugural event 12 months ago.
“This is not just a green thing any more; this is real, it’s about the future resources of business and future responsibilities of business,” she said.
“It’s not just about consumer demand and how you can make small tweaks. It’s now very much about resources and tourists using too much of the destination. I think there is recognition that tourism at times in certain places can be a destructive force.”
She gave the example of the island of Boracay in the Philippines (see feature on p44), which has just been closed to visitors for six months. The Philippines government has placed it under a “state of calamity” following unchecked development and pollution.
She added that tourism had a role to play in helping sustainability in destinations and could lead the agenda on issues such as plastics.
Abta’s Delivering Sustainable Travel conference takes place on June 26 at its London headquarters. It will be a full-day event, with the afternoon including discussion groups on animal welfare and human rights plus general environmental issues. Other speakers include Anti-Slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland.
