Earlier this year TTG gave agents an opportunity to learn how to sell responsible travel with confidence. We were looking for 20 dedicated agents to join the Class of 2025 TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors in Training, who will enjoy in-depth training and immersive fam trips that will change the way they sell travel. 

Now in its fourth year, the TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes programme will be led by our sector champions: tour operator partner easyJet holidays; accommodation partner Iberostar Hotels & Resorts; and Intrepid, our small-group adventure partner.

HOW AGENTS ENTERED

Please note that applications for this year’s programme have now closed. For a chance to join the programme, agents were asked to build a holiday package that features sustainable product from two of our TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes partners. Their suggested package could be for any destination, any duration and any price, but they were asked to explain why it’s a more sustainable choice. They didn’t need to worry about client suitability, as the goal was to research the product and be as creative as they could.

While entries are now closed, you can still get inspiration by discovering how two of last year’s Ambassadors would approach the challenge:

Gareth Harding, Travelosophers by Gareth Harding

Research your chosen destination and the properties and experiences you’d like to feature, and look into the partners’ sustainability values, charters and commitments as well.

Your trip should have a positive impact on destinations and communities, and feature ways to reduce negative effects on the environment. So consider looking for volunteering placements, ways of interacting with local people and learning about different customs and cultures – perhaps helping a charity, community initiative or an activity that benefits the environment.

Intrepid offers a huge range of fascinating and immersive tours around the world that can be taken individually or combined to make a longer tour. They also offer Urban Adventures, which are small-group day tours led by locals, which give travellers a different insight into their chosen destination, as well as being incredibly informative and fun.

You can also encourage clients to take little steps too, like using a refillable water bottle and looking for more eco-friendly sun cream and toiletries. Every positive change helps!

Jayne Lomax, Travel Counsellors

Creating a more sustainable holiday doesn’t have to be complicated, and can still be achieved even when looking for five-star luxury.

For example, filtering searches by “Certified Sustainable” on the easyJet holidays’ portal is straightforward, and gives agents the confidence that the selected hotels have some sustainable practices in place.

The Iberostar Selection Es Trenc in Majorca, opening in April, will be a great option for couples who enjoy a five-star experience but would like to try somewhere a little bit different to the norm. There are even courtesy bicycles to use, encouraging guests to get out and explore off the beaten track. While all-inclusive dining is available (but with initiatives in place in the kitchens to limit food waste), another option would be selecting this hotel on a B&B basis, allowing clients the opportunity to explore the local restaurants and support the local economy.

At all Iberostar hotels clients experience things they’ve probably never seen elsewhere (such as the range of recycling bins, water machines outside rooms and edible chocolate spoons), and the feedback is that they love it – they’re still enjoying five-star luxury, but with a sustainable twist!