Inside story

Netherlands-based adventure travel specialist Sawadee Reizen was awarded the Green Feather 2011 for most sustainable tourism initiative by TravMagazine at this year’s Dutch Tourism Expo. Sawadee earned this award with an inventive campaign promoting the use of tap water and reduction of plastic waste and now gives all travellers a free reusable plastic bottle for refill during their trip. The initiative was promoted with a fun photo competition challenging customers to show their bottle appearing in exciting and exotic destinations worldwide. Click here for more information.

Recent TV adverts from Thomson and First Choice have led to the busiest ever web booking days for both brands. Thomson’s ‘quality time’ ad features the track, Where is My Mind? by Sunday Girl and has been released as a single by popular demand. The Thomson website saw a 14% increase in hits and was the most visited travel agency site in the UK. The First Choice ‘all inclusive’ ad features the Number 1 single Good Feeling by Flo Rida. Following the launch, there was a 43% increase in hits with over 1m visits between 2 - 8 January.

Take a look behind the scenes of the Thomson and First Choice adverts.

Thomson Airways became the first UK airline to operate commercial flights on sustainable biofuel when TOM 7446 took off from Birmingham Airport to Arrecife in Lanzarote on 6 July 2011. Carrying 232 passengers on a Boeing 757-200, the landmark flight, which was given full backing by Aviation Minister Theresa Villiers, confirmed Thomson Airways’ position at the forefront of sustainable aviation.

The flight generated a considerable amount of press coverage and has paved the way for daily flights to commence from early 2012.

TUI Travel conducted extensive consumer research in 2010 in partnership with the Global Nature Fund, with nearly 4,000 people interviewed online from 8 key source markets. The purpose was for TUI Travel to better understand people’s motivations and concerns in order to respond and engage in the right ways. The survey gave positive signs that more sustainable holidays are desirable: 1 in 2 would be willing to book a more sustainable holiday if available. 2 in 3 would change their behaviour on holiday to help the environment. 2 in 3 want their holiday company to be clear about how they make their holidays more sustainable.

TUI Travel launched ‘Guidelines for Environmental Sustainability in Hotels’ at a conference which brought together hotel general managers, industry associations, academics and key colleagues from across the group to share best practice. The guidelines illustrate how hotels can reduce their negative impact on the environment and support the local community, while making financial savings. Having implemented these practices, Thomson’s Sensatori Resort in Crete achieved financial savings in excess of €100,000 in one year through energy and water efficiency measures and improvements.

This innovative leadership programme is being run in a Thai community & the aim is for our leaders to gain insight into their leadership styles & build contacts whilst making a contribution to a local community. Activities have included the building of a new playground & the creation of a large, irrigated vegetable garden. We have also helped the community with ideas on how they can improve their businesses. The residents have some simple ideas generated by us that they can implement to enhance the sustainability of their commercial activities in the production of banana snacks, a ‘homestay’ business and a Thai cookery school.

In 2010 Le Passage to India launched the Shaping Lives foundation. This initiative supports animal and child welfare projects across India and aims to create a model foundation for the Indian Tourism Industry to emulate.

Le Passage to India supports 16 projects including an initiative to educate underprivileged children in Delhi and donates a fixed percentage of its earnings to the upkeep and rehabilitation of bears at the Agra Bear Rescue Centre.

During the political upheaval in Tunisia and Egypt in Summer 2011, TUI UK & Ireland worked hand in hand with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), to ensure customers were kept totally up-to-date on changes to their travelling advice.

In Tunisia, as soon as the FCO advised against all but essential travel, TUI worked quickly to repatriate more than 1,400 customers as soon as possible. When the FCO advised against all but essential travel to Egypt, except for the Red Sea holiday resorts, TUI strongly backed their position. 

In August 2011, Hurricane Irene hit the US killing 45 people and causing billions of dollars of damage. During this period, Intercruises was providing cruise handling services across four different ports in the US. The logistical challenges were immense in this situation.

Intercruises had over 600 staff in the Baltimore and New York area working endlessly to get passengers and crews on and off the ships and organising their hotels and transfers. The commitment shown by the Intercruises team throughout this period meant that no operations were understaffed and that all ships sailed at the times needed by the cruise lines.

In June 2011 Intercruises, a global provider of ground handling and port agency services to the ocean and river cruise industry, extended its coverage of the North Amercian region through the acquisition of TMS Gateway.

Intercruises now provides ground handling and port agency services at all major ports in North America, including the west coast destinations of San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver.