A charity aiming to make good health and safety practice in travel “as recognisable as an Atol stamp” to consumers has begun accrediting tour operators’ policies.
Neilson Holidays became the first company to receive validation from the Safer Tourism Foundation (STF) last week. The operator was deemed to be upholding the foundation’s six-point pledge to prevent avoidable deaths, injuries and illness of customers abroad.
STF was founded in 2016 following the deaths of Bobby and Christi Shepherd from carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Corfu a decade previously.
Companies pay to be assessed and, if successfully validated, can use the foundation’s hallmark on their websites.
Thomas Cook, Saga Holidays and British Airways Holidays are all set to be formally assessed by the foundation in the coming weeks.
STF chief executive Katherine Atkinson told TTG she hoped other supporting brands, including Jet2holidays, Intrepid Travel and Cosmos, would also achieve accreditation by the end of the year.