Last year, Hotelplan UK appointed Prue Stone its new head of sustainability and tasked her with developing a comprehensive sustainability strategy across the group.
Efforts to reduce carbon emissions across the group got under way on Tuesday (1 March); Hotelplan is working with ClimateCare to offset emissions from flights and group operations, and has also begun work to support rewilding projects looking after delicate eco-systems.
The group’s strategy, which takes a holistic approach by combining biodiversity strategies with climate action, focuses on how the tour operators can work better with destination communities, staff and partners.
Stone said the group is putting "our words into action" by building "really meaningful relationships" with community-led experts.
"Now we are launching our new comprehensive carbon action plan, including carbon offsetting and rewilding, as well as taking our first steps into the circular economy by transforming how we think about uniform and clothing, away from the norm of fast fashion and waste," she said.
The group also plans to take a team, by train, to some of its core destinations to meet local communities to hear about projects that are leading the way in sustainability initiatives.
"We have a long way to go to create the perfect product, the perfect business, but these coming months and years will be fast paced and exciting," Stone continued.
Inghams will also partner with Protect Our Winters UK (POW UK), while Hotelplan UK will take the group’s pledge to highlight the sustainability milestones it has reached and the "many more" it plans to achieve over the coming years. In addition, Hotelplan UK’s partnership with the sustainable winter clothing brand, Eco Ski, will help encourage Inghams, Esprit and Santa’s Lapland customers to make more responsible choices about their ski clothing.
Joe Ponte, Hotelplan UK chief executive, said the company is committed to becoming "the most sustainable" in each of the markets its five tour operator brands operate in. "Whilst some of our brands are very well progressed towards this goal, our winter-focused brands, Esprit, Inghams and Santa’s Lapland, do not yet showcase high enough standards in sustainable travel," he said.
"However, with the definition of our Climate Action Plan and other key initiatives we are launching, we are making significant steps to our commitment to become leaders in sustainability. We have much work to do, but hope these early commitments will help highlight the importance of sustainable practices in the broader ski and winter sector and raise awareness of the necessity to act now."
