The Bristol-based firm, which operates InsideJapan Tours and InsideAsia Tours, this month published its first full climate action plan. It has also become Travelife partner certified and signed up to the Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency movement.
The progress follows the group’s decision in 2019 to appoint a full-time sustainability manager, Sophie Walker. Now, in the lead up to Cop26, Inside Travel Group will become launch signatories of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, spearheaded by The Travel Foundation. This commits the group to specific targets as part of a wider effort to halve global emissions by 2030.
"Inside Travel Group has always been about putting our people, places and the environment above short-term profit, and we recognise the industry needs firms like Inside Travel Group to stand up and be counted, pushing the agenda for business done the right way," said co-founder and co-director Alastair Donnelly.
Donnelly said the pandemic had afforded time for the group to put more resources into its carbon measurement and reduction plans in its branch offices and in the destinations it operates.
The group has enacted its "every trip off-set" policy, with the proceeds going towards supporting a renewable energy scheme in Vietnam, and it is currently working to achieve the necessary goals to become an accredited B Corporation.
"These are not empty promises but clear goals and drivers enabling us to be the best at what we do at home and in our specialist destinations," Donnelly added.
Inside Travel Group published its full climate action plan earlier this month; co-director Simon King said it demonstrated the group’s commitment to playing "a leading role" in helping guide the group and the industry towards a more sustainable future, ensuring destinations are better places to live – and visit.
The action comes as the group’s InsideAsia brand prepares to expand its offering across south-east and east Asia to Malaysia, Borneo, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea.
"We always strive to be a leader, and the more [in which] destinations we can offer the Inside Travel Group service and experience, the wider our positive influence in the industry will become," said Donnelly.
King added: "Our trips aim to ’get beneath the surface’ to work in harmony with our destinations, to benefit the communities that live there and inspire the customers that travel, but we recognise travel is also a part of the climate crisis.”
