The self-styled activist operator on Tuesday (24 September) published its 2024 impact report, charting the progress it has made since its first impact report last year.
The first edition saw Responsible Travel adopt 16 goals which included reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, placing carbon labels on more trips and offering more holidays that benefit indigenous communities.
"It made sense [for us] to involve everyone – our goals and values are indivisible and touch every corner of the business,” said Responsible Travel executive chair Justin Francis, who co-founded the business.
"Staff volunteered to lead actions and goals, and I think that collective ownership and responsibility has added value to the process.”
Over the past year, Responsible Travel has achieved a per passenger per day reduction in CO2 of 3.2%. It has also increased the number of trips it offers with carbon labels to 886.
Other developments include expanding its range of trips benefiting indigenous people from 58 in 2023 to 187 in 2024, strengthening its offering for vegan and vegetarian travellers, and adding more rail options.
"Responsible tourism generates conservation funding, jobs and income for the least advantaged communities,” Francis continued. “Its potential for creating positive change – supporting a fairer transition to a nature positive, low carbon future – is enormous."
Francis said Responsible Travel’s clients could contribute to this programme with 14 of the companies goals doubling as holiday "collections", which are labelled as such on the operator’s website and are searchable.
“It means our travellers can book these trips and, in doing so, contribute to the progress of the goals,” he explained.
However, Responsible Travel admits it continues to face a number of challenges, most notably reducing its carbon footprint. "We don’t book flights, and we don’t offset," said Francis.
“We’ve long advised travellers to fly less and instead to stay longer in their destination and keep short break flight-free. But only global system change on aviation can get us close to our carbon goals.”
"We’re working hard with our supply chain to identify and support emission reductions in other areas, including through renewable powered stays and lower carbon food options."
Earlier this year, Responsible Travel cut its ties with Barclays Bank owing to its investments in fossil fuels. It has switched to Unity Trust Bank for its ethical investment portfolio, becoming its first travel client.
