That was the challenge PwC partner Tom Beagant put to delegates as he opened TTG’s first ever Fairer Travel Sustainability Forum, in association with the Spanish Tourist Office.

He told delegates we are “past the scale of change that is needed” and stressed that action is needed urgently, with climate change of particular concern to the travel industry given the impact on weather, disappearance of habitats and decline of species in the natural world that traditionally attract tourists.

Beagant also referenced growing inequality around the world, highlighting that just eight individuals have as much wealth as half the global population. “This then has a knock on effect – we’re seeing the erosion of the middle class and we’re seeing greater inequality around the globe,” he pointed out.

Referencing supposed “solutions” such as sustainable aviation fuel, Beagant stressed this was not the “silver bullet” thought by some to be. “We won’t be able to produce as much sustainable aviation as is actually needed,” he stressed, arguing that other solutions are also urgently required.

Beagant also discussed the findings of the recent TTG survey carried out in partnership with PwC, which examined sustainability intentions from companies in the travel industry.

The report found 20% of firms cited environmental sustainability as their number one priority, while 73% insisted it ranked highly as a topic of concern although was not their number one priority.

And yet, only 63% of firms admitted they have a “clear action/transition plan for how their business will meet its environmental goals/targets”. Meanwhile only 30% said they have “a clear customer channel for raising environmental concerns to management”.

This matters, Beagant said, because 90% of companies said they were concerned that consumers perceive them as a company taking strides to be more sustainable.

It also matters to staff – 96% of businesses said they were concerned employees and new recruits perceive them as a company taking strides to be more sustainable. “These are quite worrying stats”, Beagant noted, if companies don’t have a clear strategy in place.

“Businesses need to see sustainability not as a risk that needs to be managed but as an opportunity for innovation and differentiation,” he added. “The ‘circular economy’ needs to move on from being a buzz phrase. 

“It takes leadership, foresight and ambition, but above all it’s about taking action.”

The Fairer Travel Sustainability Forum is part of TTG’s Fairer Travel Week, in association with the Spanish Tourist Office, featuring a host of events including Travel Pride, the Sustainable Travel Showcase and the Fairer Travel Diversity Forum. Find out more here.