Speaking at the Global Travel Group conference in Dubai, she told delegates that there was a gap in the market for more eco-friendly breaks.

“We actually worked with a travel agency in Bristol in our early days [of setting up the business], which did holidays to a cocoa village in Belize so see how the cocoa beans were grown,” she revealed.

“Today, there are more and more people that want to do that. I think when people go to places they don’t want to feel that they have exploited the resources and people there.

“I’m surprised there are not more holidays like that, because I would definitely be the first to sign up.”

Later Fairley told TTG that companies should tap into this niche, but also ensure that they provide a great experience for clients too.

“I definitely think there is an appetite for it - everywhere else industries are looking at the impact they make locally,” she said. “But it would need to be a quality experience as well.

“With Green & Blacks, we had a quality product, and we were then able to use that to put the [fair trade] message across. You could start with just a hotel paying fair wages – it doesn’t have to be a whole resort.

“Perfect is often the enemy of the good,” Fairley added. “People think they have to be perfect before they start trumpeting something, but it’s all a process that takes time. Just put one foot in front of the other, or you’ll never achieve anything.”

Elsewhere Fairley was keen to stress that she always uses a travel agent for her own holidays.

“I use a couple,” she told delegates. “We tend to go to Dubai on holidays, and I like having an agent to take care of things.

“It’s not for the expertise, because I read lots of travel magazines and I have that knowledge. But I want someone to take care of me getting there - when I go on holiday I want someone else to take that off my shoulders.”