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Sustainability

Snorkellers in the water
'We need agents to call out unethical snorkelling excursions in the Maldives'

I’m treading water in the Indian Ocean surrounded by an 80-strong swarm of snorkellers. We’re in the South Ari Atoll, at the site of a manta ray “cleaning station”. Alongside me, anxious swimmers thrash about in lifejackets, as numerous boats – I count 17 – idle nearby. Feeling uneasy, I dive down briefly, just in time to watch a lone manta escape the chaos of flailing limbs and GoPros. An unruly free-for-all, it’s a far cry from the magical encounter I’d dreamed of. Resurfacing with a sinking feeling, I head back to the boat. I’ve seen enough.

TTG LGBT+ Travel Ambassadors in India
Meet the first-ever TTG LGBT+ Travel Ambassadors
The first TTG LGBT+ Travel Ambassadors training programme took place this year in partnership with Intrepid Travel and Virgin Atlantic. After attending educational workshops, completing bespoke business-building tasks and joining an inclusivity-focused fam trip to India, four travel agents have been named the 2025 TTG LGBT+ Travel Ambassadors
Those agents making sustainability claims tend to be doing so in a way that could fall foul of the watchdog's rules
Agents 'missing out' by failing to champion travel's green credentials in their advertising
Vast majority of travel agents are not capitalising on travel's sustainability efforts in their advertising, but among those that are, two-thirds are making mistakes that could incur the watchdog's wrath
Inghams and Santa's Lapland has published a new Nature and Climate action plan
Inghams details new climate ambitions and pledges 10% of profits to green initiatives
Inghams and Santa’s Lapland have produced a Nature and Climate Action Plan, including a pledge to donate 10% of profits to sustainability projects
A family explore in the summer with easyJet holidays
Simple steps to help you spread the word about sustainable travel
The final TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes workshop of 2025 focused on how agents can share their expertise around sustainable travel with customers and colleagues
A small plastic ship on the shore
Agents warned to back up green claims in supplied marketing materials – or risk regulator's wrath
When it comes to eco-friendly claims about cruise lines and air travel, agents are discovering to their cost the buck stops with them
A wheelchair user takes a picture while travelling in an Asian city
'We all have a vested interest to ensure travel is truly accessible for all'
Catering properly for people's assisted travel a duty incumbent on everyone in travel, and makes sound business sense too, writes Abta's director of industry affairs Susan Deer for TTG
The sunflower lanyard scheme has become an important initiative for travellers with accessibility needs
InteleTravel secures industry backing for accessibility push
Agency to host Inclusive Travel For All workshop on 29 November as part of a diversity initiative
TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors took a cooking class at Iberostar Selection Paraiso Maya Suites in Mexico
Turtle-y transfixed: behind the scenes on Iberostar’s fam blending nature with nurture
Iberostar whisked four TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors off to the Mexican Caribbean to show the travel agents why its all-inclusive loving clients will love the Paraiso resort’s extra special wildlife encounters, exceptional gastronomy and community-based jungle adventure
Intrepid has worked with the Da Bac community in Vietnam to create to create a number of authentic experiences for visitors to the area
Four reasons why you and your clients should prioritise positive impact travel
The fourth TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes workshop saw Intrepid extol the virtues of selling positive-impact holidays – and share how agents can benefit too.
Jake Graf in Palm Springs
'What should have been a run-of-the-mill trip became a tactical operation'
As a high-profile LGBTQ+ influencer, Jake Graf was apprehensive about travelling to the US for a travel convention – but did his fears become a reality at the border check?
Some of this year's TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors on a fam trip to Crete with easyJet holidays and the Greek National Tourism Organisation
Introducing the 2025 TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors
This year our dedicated agents have learnt how to identify, sell and celebrate sustainable travel by attending informative workshops and fun fam trips with the TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes. We’re thrilled to present this year’s cohort of TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors, and here they share the impact the programme has had on them
A group observes a dolphin from a distance
Kuoni parent Dertour to stop selling marine parks and 'experiences involving direct animal contact'
Decision follows a 'comprehensive review' of the group's animal-related products and conversations with tourism partners and animal welfare experts
Intrepid Travel in Japan
Intrepid to invest nearly £1m into emission reduction initiatives each year
The B Corp-certified operator has revamped how it assesses the carbon impact of its holidays, calculating the total impact including individual flights
Justin Francis is the co-founder and executive chair of Responsible Travel
'Now is a time of immense challenge – and opportunity – for our industry'
Writing for TTG ahead of World Tourism Day, Responsible Travel's Justin Francis OBE highlights four challenges the industry must face up to now – and four causes for optimism
A air traveller being pushed down an air bridge onto an aircraft in a wheelchair
CAA hints it could compel airlines to disclose stats on transporting mobility aids
CAA seeks industry's views on whether airlines should have to disclose details about their handling of people's mobility aids
TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes imagery
Eight ways your clients can travel more responsibly

How can you help your clients not only choose their perfect holiday, but also ensure they lessen any negative impacts from their trip? This was the focus of the third TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes workshop of the year, led by easyJet holidays’ senior ESG (environmental, social and governance) manager Scott Lawson, who discussed key areas agents can focus on to help their customers make better holiday decisions. 

Tui has inked a partnership with SENNIES
Tui inks three-year partnership to drive 'most neuro-friendly travel company' ambition
The three-year partnership will provide inclusivity training for all childcare teams and frontline staff
How to choose suppliers that help you cut the carbon footprint of a holiday
How to spot suppliers who prioritise sustainability – and the questions to ask other operators
Travel ‘neither accessible nor truly inclusive’ in its current state
'Is direct action the only way we will make progress on accessibility?'
Limitless Travel founder and CEO Angus Drummond makes the case for direct action if government isn’t going to step in and require the aviation sector to make flying more accessible
Retail legend Mary Portas’s six tips to make business more responsible – and more profitable
Addressing TTG’s Fairer Travel Event, retail guru, broadcaster and co-chair of the Better Business Act campaign Mary Portas OBE set out why kindness, not ball-breaking, should be a part of the creative brief – and why aligning purpose with profit isn’t just business ethics, it’s smart strategy
Climate_Change_Environment_Sustainability_Credit_Markus_Spis_METhumb.jpg
Travel urged to discourage 'high-emission short breaks' and set up climate justice fund
The Travel Foundation has put forward proposals to help tourism combat climate change, including compiling an official list of destinations most at risk and discouraging short breaks, with ideas to be discussed at COP 30 in November
Five pledges agents can make right now to promote better animal welfare in travel
Animondial’s Daniel Turner shares with TTG a business commitment, principle and five red lines agents and operators can embed in their operations to promote an animal-friendly, nature-positive future
How to cut your carbon footprint
Agents share 10 simple steps to start reducing your carbon footprint
The first TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes workshop of 2025 included information to help agents reduce the carbon footprint in their homes and workplaces