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sustainable-first

Addressing Plastic Pollution in Tourism Through Sustainable Procurement

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Addressing Plastic Pollution in Tourism Through Sustainable Procurement - TRAVELINDEXParis, France, December 20, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / This guidance, developed within the framework of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, focuses on the procurement of plastic items and packaging (and its alternatives) in the tourism sector and aims to provide practical support for procurement practitioners within the range and global reach of tourism businesses that need to address the impact of single-use plastics and packaging within broader sustainable procurement practice.

This tool draws from existing sustainable procurement good practices that, when implemented systematically throughout the whole procurement cycle, will help increase the circularity in the use of plastics. It provides practical support in identifying the potential for eliminating plastic packaging and plastic items where possible (as well as introducing reuse models as alternatives to single-use items and packaging), in addition to reducing the consumption of plastics where avoidance is not possible (including measures for purchasing recyclable and compostable plastics and plastics with recycled content).

This guidance follows the procurement stages from pre-tender actions around planning procurement approaches including the consideration of elimination, reduction in consumption and adoption of reuse models within the operation of the tourism business. The guidance includes practical examples for tendering, including actions relating to supplier engagement and setting tender specifications. It recognizes that procurement is a continuous cycle of action and therefore also covers contract management and performance improvement within the tourism businesses and their supply chains. A key aspect of the guidance is providing practical tools for procurers in tourism businesses. These include model wording for tender criteria; a hierarchical decision tree for informing actions to eliminate and reduce the dependency on plastics within tenders; and a summary of procurement tools such as life-cycle costing and using standards and labels to help verify claims.

This guidance is also relevant to policymakers, as it recognizes that procurement actions play an important role in providing evidence for how to improve the implementation of plastic reduction strategies. Recommendations are therefore provided for key decision-makers in the tourism business to ensure that sustainable and circular procurement fulfils its potential to support the fourth UN Environment Assembly Resolution 6 on Marine litter and microplastics and deliver the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative vision.

The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative launches Plastic Measurement Methodology tools for Accommodation Providers

The GTPI launched two tools for Plastics Measurement Methodology for Accommodation Providers, these are two Excel Tools which can be used at either individual property or whole portfolio level to facilitate the plastic calculation process, and a Reporting Template for GTPI signatories to submit their performance to GTPI for each reporting cycle.
The Tools help to generate the following GTPI performance metrics: (i) annual total weight of plastics (metric tonnes), (ii) weight of plastics (kg) per guest night, and (iii) percentage of plastics which are compostable (%). The tools are the following ones:

• The Property Tool is used by the property to identify plastic items used and consolidate relevant data (e.g. quantity, weight and compostability) to output its GTPI performance metrics.
• The Portfolio Tool consolidates the data inputted within the Property Tools by its properties to output GTPI performance metrics for the entire portfolio. Step-by-step instructions can be found in the respective tools.

You can download calculation tools below:
– https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/knowledge-centre/resources/addressing-plastic-pollution-tourism-through-sustainable-procurement
– https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/knowledge-centre/resources/gtpi-plastic-measurement-methodology-tools-accommodation-providers

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Mindful Chef Celebrates B Corp Certification with Increase in Environment Section

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Mindful Chef Celebrates B Corp Certification with Increase in Environment Section - SUSTAINABLEFIRST.com - TRAVELINDEXLondon, United Kingdom, August 16, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Healthy food brand Mindful Chef is proud to announce that it has boosted its B Corp score by a third, including an impressive 249% increase in the ‘environment’ section of the assessment.

The new ‘outstanding’ score secures Mindful Chef’s spot as one of the highest-rated food & beverage B Corps in the UK, as well as placing the brand in the top 3% of global B Corp food companies. Mindful Chef has been certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, for a second time, having met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit.

The steep increase in Mindful Chef’s B Corp score reaffirms the carbon-neutral brand’s commitment to pursuing purpose, and not just profit, across a number of categories considering environmental, social and economic issues. The B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’s operations and covers five key impact areas including an ‘environment’ section, which Mindful Chef has particularly excelled in through an array of initiatives including, but not limited to [see ‘Notes to Editors’ for further information]:

– Carbon management plans, conducting three annual carbon footprint assessments since 2019 and striving for Net Zero by 2030
– Quality and regenerative farming, focusing on free-range and sustainably-sourced produce, mostly sourced from UK soil that is accredited by stamps including LEAF marque, Red Tractor, MSC & ASC fish and RSPCA
– Low carbon recipes that are in line with the WWF’s target of reducing food-related emissions

Mindful Chef has also seen an increase in its ‘Workers’ impact score, which relates to the way it treats its team. Key developments in this area include improving the employee benefits most important to the team, from enhanced maternity and paternity leave to healthcare and mental health resources. With the ambition of Mindful Chef being ‘more than just a job’, the brand has introduced initiatives such as extending holiday leave, launching an Unafraid in Action sabbatical program and offering 4 giving back days per team member each year.

As a business grows, and the assessment evolves, B Corp (re)certification gets harder. In order to maintain B Corp certification, a company must update its assessment every three years, ensuring that certified B Corporations continue to engage in a high level of impact, even as the business grows or changes. As such, Mindful Chef is already looking ahead to what more can be done to support the brand’s mission to be healthy for both people and the planet.

Mindful Chef is working with its suppliers to drive down the impact of its supply chain – where most of its carbon emissions come from – with an exciting announcement scheduled for Q4 2022, just after the company launches its fourth annual nationwide clean-up operation following a record 2021 event that registered as the UK’s biggest clean-up event to date. Mindful Chef is also pleased to announce that it has just extended its Low Carbon Range across its full menu and hit the amazing milestone of donataing 14 million meals to children living in poverty via it One Feeds Two program.

Myles Hopper, Mindful Chef Co-founder, comments: “We are so proud to not only have secured B Corp recertification but to have vastly improved our score thanks to so much hard work and dedication from the whole Mindful Chef team, alongside the continued support of our community of customers, over the last three years.

The B Corp movement was started based on the foundational belief that business can be a force for good and used to tackle the challenges we humans face, which resonates deeply with the core values and morals we have always placed importance on here at Mindful Chef.

The hard work of being a B Corp never stops – we’re always figuring out new and exciting ways to use our business as a force for good and we’re really excited about what’s coming up, including a ground-breaking biodiversity and soil health project in Q4 2022 to further drive down our impact from farm to fork”.

About B Lab UK
B Lab UK is transforming the economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, and tools for business, and we certify companies—known as B Corps—who are leading the way. To date, our global community includes over 4000 B Corps in 77 countries and 153 industries, and over 100,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Bogotá Joins UNWTO Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories

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Bogotá Joins UNWTO Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories - VISITCOLOMBIA.org - TRAVELINDEXBogota, Colombia, June 14, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO has welcomed Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory into its International Network of Sustainable Observatories (INSTO).

Bogota’s Tourism Observatory has longstanding and extensive monitoring experience and has been further strengthened by the City Council as an instrument of public management and mechanism to consolidate, systematize, analyze and research information of the tourism sector. Becoming a member of INSTO will help Bogotá in managing tourism development in a responsible and sustainable manner and allow it to better deal with post-pandemic recovery.

We are very pleased to welcome Bogotá into the Network as the latest member

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The INSTO network is a platform where we welcome Observatories that are committed to basing the sustainable development of tourism on evidence, participatory approaches and transparency. We are very pleased to welcome Bogotá into the Network as the latest member.”

Inclusive future for Bogotá´s tourism

Bogotá is home to a wide variety of tourist resources and attractions and has an infrastructure that allows for the development of different high-quality tourism products. As the most popular Colombian destination in terms of tourist numbers, arrivals in 2021 reached almost 6 million, with growth of 49.8% in relation to 2020, contributing US$5.795 billion corresponding to 2.4% of the total GDP of the city, which meant an annual increase of 38.2% between 2020 and 2021. Within the Sustainable Tourism Policy of Colombia 2022, the vision of strengthening the reputation and recognition of Colombia as a sustainable tourism destination is clearly outlined.

The Vice Minister of Tourism Ricardo Galindo Bueno assured that “for the Vice Ministry of Tourism it is great news that the Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory is part of the UNWTO INSTO network, because a tool of these characteristics and qualities, allows public policies of the sector in the district to continue to be nourished by objective measurements that improve decision making”.

Director of the District Institute of Tourism (IDT), Karol Fajardo Mariño explained: “The adhesion of the Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory to the UNWTO INSTO Network will allow us to share with other tourist destinations experiences and development and measurement strategies based on exemplary sustainability, in an effort to respond to the needs of quality tourism information demanded by the sector.”

The Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory will monitor 11 key areas for tourism sustainability: tourism seasonality, employment, economic benefits of the destination, energy management, water management, wastewater management, solid waste management, climate action, accessibility, local satisfaction and governance, which will facilitate decision-making and the processes of formulating public policies and strengthening the sustainable development of our city.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Targeted Financing Crucial for Ocean Health and Achieving SDGs

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WEF - Targeted Financing Crucial for Ocean Health and Achieving SDGs - TRAVELINDEXGeneva, Switzerland, June 10, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / A new white paper, published on World Ocean Day by the World Economic Forum, outlines critical steps to channel funding to support the health of the ocean and those who depend on it.

SDG14 Financing Landscape Scan: Tracking funds to realize sustainable outcomes for the ocean highlights the fragmented nature of current data on ocean financing and points to the need for innovative tools to track commitments towards and investment in the Sustainable Development Goal for the ocean, SDG14, with better traceability and granularity of information on financial commitments for the ocean.

SDG14 remains the least funded of all 17 global goals, yet achieving it will have significant exponential benefits for people and the planet. Key targets in SDG14 include ending overfishing and harmful fisheries subsidies, tackling marine pollution and minimizing ocean acidification, protecting and restoring ocean ecosystems, and supporting artisanal fishers and Small Island Developing States.

“When accomplished, SDG14 will have impacts that extend far beyond the ocean itself, by boosting food and job security, bolstering our ability to tackle the climate crisis, strengthening coastal defences, and enhancing health and wellbeing for people everywhere,” said Kristian Teleki, Director of Friends of Ocean Action at the World Economic Forum. “We cannot afford to waste precious time or money, and need to direct financing to the areas that need it most. This landscape report is intended to help us do just this.”

Emerging from this new landscape scan is the need to improve the resolution and integration of current data systems and in parallel move towards outcome-based financing. Doing so will require a substantial shift across multiple institutions that track and report on funding. It is also essential to improve SDG14 data capacity at the national and trans-national level. Existing funding streams for SDG14 must be optimized, and critical resources for ocean health must be directed to promote gender equity, target least developed areas, and efficiently leverage funding across sectors to support a sustainable blue economy.

“Our research shows that we must shift to tracking output rather than boosting input in order to overcome the challenges of transparency, traceability, optimization and personalization of financing data,” said Jillian Conrad, Lead Author of the report and Student Fellow at the Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center at UW EarthLab. “The ocean needs ambitious funding and results if we are to promote equitable development of marine systems to benefit coastal communities and stop the decline in ocean health, which has knock-on detrimental effects on us all.

“With a dynamic tool tracking how financing ties to impact, the global community can better direct SDG14 funding with greatest possible positive impact for people and the ocean alike,” she added.

A Friends of Ocean Action statement released earlier this year – No Healthy Planet without a Healthy Ocean – also calls for global action around critical opportunities in 2022 to advance progress for a thriving ocean and stop the decline in its health.

The global community is convening for the UN Ocean Conference from 27 June to 1 July 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal, co-hosted by the governments of Portugal and Kenya. This is a critical opportunity to advance ocean financing and progress towards achieving SDG14.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

More Industrial Hubs to Accelerate Net-Zero Transition

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More Industrial Hubs to Accelerate Net-Zero Transition - NETZERO.tax - TRAVELINDEXDavos, Switzerland, May 30, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Four leading industrial clusters in the Netherlands, Belgium and the US today announced that they are working together with the World Economic Forum to reduce their carbon emissions faster through the Transitioning Industrial Clusters towards Net Zero initiative.

• Sustainable Solutions for Net Zero in Energy, Innovation, Sustainability, Transport and Tourism with NetZero.tax Initiative.

Launched at COP26 in November 2021, the initiative aims to accelerate the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industrial sectors, while maximizing job creation and economic competitiveness. The approach focuses on building cross-industry and cross-cluster partnerships to better implement low-carbon technologies – as in the case of the regionally developed Basque Hydrogen Corridor – and on accessing public funding and blended-finance options for clusters’ decarbonization projects.

Under this initiative, the World Economic Forum, working closely with Accenture and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) as knowledge partners, connects private and public stakeholders to assess how to meet individual and collective decarbonization goals, fosters new enabling policies and provides guidance and support for local community engagement.

Industrial clusters are geographic regions where industrial companies are concentrated, making them an attractive target for impactful emissions reduction strategies. Since industrial assets are located in close proximity of each other, sharing of infrastructure (such as CO2 and hydrogen pipelines or renewable energy assets), financial and operational risks, and natural and human resources becomes possible. This also provides opportunities to deploy and scale new green technologies, such as hydrogen and the capture, utilization and storage of carbon for industrial applications, enabling a systemic approach to emissions reduction.

The clusters joining the initiative are:

– Brightlands Circular Space, together with Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Chemelot, and the Chemelot Circular Hub in Geleen, Netherlands. It will help accelerate the energy transition and circular economy.
– H2Houston Hub, formed through the Center for Houston’s Future and encompassing more than 100 organizations and companies. It will leverage the Houston area’s position as the US’s largest hydrogen producer and consumer, and use innovation and scale to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen and emissions.
– Ohio Clean Hydrogen Hub Alliance, with approximately 100 corporate, governmental and community organization members. It will lead the region’s campaign to establish a clean hydrogen hub in the state of Ohio, US.
– Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Europe’s second-largest port. It will drive the circular economy and energy transition.

These four large industrial emissions centres, involving oil and gas extraction and processing, shipping, heavy-duty transportation, chemicals and other sectors, currently account for CO2 emissions of 296 million metric tonnes per year – greater than the annual emissions of Poland. They employ more than 470,000 people and represent an annual gross domestic product (GDP) of $135 billion.

“Supporting industrial clusters and corporate partners in the development and implementation of their net-zero strategies is at the heart of what we do,” said Roberto Bocca, Head of Energy, Materials and Infrastructure Platform, World Economic Forum. “We are proud to leverage our collaborative platform and expertise in partnership building to grow the clusters initiative as well as other decarbonization efforts we support, such as the First Movers Coalition, Mission Possible Partnership and Clean Hydrogen Initiative.”

The four new clusters join four others in the UK (Zero Carbon Humber and Hynet North West), Australia (Kwinana Industries Council) and Spain (Basque Net-Zero Industrial Supercluster), which were part of the initial launch of the initiative. Based on metrics provided by each cluster, all eight clusters could potentially save more than 334 million tonnes of CO2 – more than the equivalent annual emissions output of France. They could also create and protect 1.1 million jobs and contribute $182 billion to regional GDP.

“The Ohio Clean Hydrogen Hub Alliance seeks to locate a clean hydrogen hub in the state of Ohio, leading to the eventual decarbonization of much of the transportation, electricity, industrial and heating sectors,” said Kirt Conrad, Co-Founder, Ohio Clean Hydrogen Alliance and Chief Executive Officer, Stark Area Regional Transit Authority. “Investment into a clean hydrogen hub in Ohio will help create massive economic, environmental and health benefits for the state and its citizens.”

“With our focus on becoming the premier circular ecosystem in Europe, it is of upmost importance that we foster competitive collaboration between the companies in our cluster as well as with other global clusters,” said Lia Voermans, Director Brightlands Circular Space, “We believe that this initiative provides a gateway to access the best practices and processes supporting industrial decarbonization.”

The new clusters are already actively advancing their decarbonization journey. For instance, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is starting to convert hydrogen into sustainable raw materials and fuel for the port’s chemicals sector, whereas the Ohio Clean Hydrogen Hub Alliance has developed hydrogen fuel cell buses which tour around the US, educating transit authorities on the potential and viability of clean transportation. However, to achieve net-zero emissions, these efforts must be scaled up. Often, financial mechanisms, rather than technology, are the main roadblock, and policy frameworks to support valuable future technologies are lacking. As value chains are transformed, the creation of new partnerships will be key.

“The Houston region has the talent, expertise and infrastructure needed to lead the global energy transition to a low carbon world,” said Brett Perlman, CEO of the Center for Houston’s Future. “Clean hydrogen, alongside carbon capture, use and storage are among the key technology areas where Houston is set to succeed and can be an example to other leading energy economies around the world.”

“The Port of Antwerp-Bruges hosts Europe’s largest chemical cluster and supports the European Green Deal to become climate neutral by 2050,” said Jacques Vandermeiren, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Antwerp. “To reach this goal we will all have to work together with respect for individual company needs, industry characteristics and timing. The Transitioning Industrial Clusters towards Net-Zero initiative is a means to inspire and incentivize companies to share best practices in our common pursuit of staying well below 2°C.”

In addition to the eight clusters currently involved in the initiative, more than a dozen in the US, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region are also in the process of joining. The aim is to build a community of 100 global industrial clusters to accelerate industrial decarbonization.

• Sustainable Solutions for Net Zero in Energy, Innovation, Sustainability, Transport and Tourism with NetZero.tax Initiative.

About the Annual Meeting 2022
For over 50 years, the World Economic Forum has been the international organization for public-private cooperation. The Annual Meeting is the focal point for leaders to accelerate the partnerships needed to tackle global challenges and shape a more sustainable and inclusive future. Convening under the theme History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies, the Annual Meeting 2022 and its 200 sessions bring together global leaders from business, government and civil society. Learn more about the programme and view sessions.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

WTTC Launches Hotel Sustainability Initiative Global In Manila

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WTTC Launches Hotel Sustainability Initiative Global In Manila - TRAVELINDEX - SUSTAINABLEFIRST.comManila, Philippines, April 22, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched its ‘Hotel Sustainability Basics’, a globally recognised and coordinated set of criteria that all hotels should implement as a minimum to drive responsible Travel & Tourism.

The initiative was launched today at its prestigious Global Summit being held in Manila this week, and will help every hotel address and improve their environmental impact.

Developed by the industry for the industry, it highlights 12 actions which are fundamental to hotel sustainability and will help raise the base level of sustainability across the entire hospitality industry by providing every hotel a starting point on their sustainability journey.

The initiative has already gained support from major global groups such as Jin Jiang International (Holdings) Co., Ltd. including their affiliates Jin Jiang Hotels, Louvre Hotels Group and Radisson Hotel Group, Accor, Barceló Hotel Group, Meliá Hotels International, Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), as well as key hotel associations around the world like the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), the Hotel Association of India (HAI) and many more. Collectively this represents more than 50,000 hotels around the world.

WTTC’s ‘Hotel Sustainability Basics’ provides the global hospitality sector with a baseline of positive actions to be taken to ensure they meet at least the minimum sustainability requirements.

However, this is just the beginning of their journey, and WTTC urges the sector to seek constant improvements beyond the 12 basic criteria so that every hotel, whether an individual business or part of a larger group, moves on to more advanced frameworks and greater sustainability.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “We are launching the Hotel Sustainability Basics to ensure no hotel, however small, is left behind in the drive to introduce a basis sustainability measures within a minimum level the next three years.

“Sustainability is non-negotiable but not every small hotel has access to the science on how to make a difference. This gives everyone access to a global standard and provides consumers to travel with conference.

“WTTC wants the hospitality industry to lead by example so that sustainability becomes the basic requirement used to drive change forward for this generation and the next.”

The criteria, developed by WTTC in close collaboration with leading global brands and industry associations, focus on actions which are fundamental to hotel sustainability and address tourism’s impact on the planet across a spectrum of critical issues.

These criteria include actions to measure and reduce energy use, measure and reduce water use, identify and reduce waste, and measure and reduce carbon emissions.

It also includes a linen reuse program, use of green cleaning products, the elimination of plastic straws, stirrers, and single-use plastic water bottles, the implementation of bulk amenity dispensers, as well as measures to benefit local communities.

WTTC is now calling upon hotel operators, owners, associations, and investors around the world to officially support the initiative and work across their networks to implement the criteria over the coming three years.

Wolfgang M. Neumann, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance Chair, said: “Every industry must do its part to ensure the future of our planet and its people.

While many companies are taking great strides and leading the way, others are only now taking their first steps.

“By offering an understanding of the simplest steps hotels can take to become more sustainable, the Hotel Sustainability Basics will help to raise the base level of sustainability across the entire hospitality industry.

“This initiative acts as a steppingstone to the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance’s Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality which will enable every hotel to take a strategic and progressive approach to achieving a positive environmental impact, whatever their starting point.”

Randy Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, said: “These Hotel Sustainability Basics are an excellent way for hotels to take the first step on their journey to sustainability.

“The GSTC Industry Criteria for Hotels serve as the global standard for sustainable hospitality and the Basics map to eight of those that have been frequently mentioned by our global partners as essential first steps. As such, GSTC supports the application of this program and we encourage users that do not comply to them currently take steps to move quickly to do so.”

On stage at its Global Summit in Manila, Julia Simpson told delegates that hotel groups, brands, and operators, in addition to owners which represent a number of hotels, can become WTTC recognised supporters by endorsing the initiative and completing the Green Lodging Trends Survey (GLTS) to benchmark their performance and keep track of progress.

Initially eight of the 12 criteria are mandatory, whilst others can be committed to and covered within the first three years.

This provides a clear starting point for all stakeholders and will ensure the minimum level of sustainability is achieved across the global hotel industry.

The criteria have been developed under the leadership of WTTC and through a working group of 11 hotel companies, with the support of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. They have been reviewed, debated, and reworked following several rounds of industry consultation so that they truly represent the common denominator and most transversal sustainability actions across the industry. The working group members include Accor, Barcelo Hotel Group, Huazhu Group Limited including their affiliate Deutsche Hospitality, Indian Hotels Company Limited, Jin Jiang Hotels, Louvre Hotels Group, Meliá Hotels International, Minor International, NH Hotel Group, and Radisson Hotel Group.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

New Gulfstream G700: 83% of Testing Done on Sustainable Aviation Fuel

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New Gulfstream G700: 83% of Testing Done on Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Savannah, Georgia, United States, January 9, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced the all-new Gulfstream G700 has made great strides in its flight-test program and is capping 2021 with additional accomplishments, including the use of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend on 83% of G700 flights launched from the Savannah-based Gulfstream Flight Test Center. Gulfstream anticipates G700 customer deliveries beginning in the fourth quarter of 2022.

“Getting this amazing aircraft in front of customers has been one of the highlights of 2021,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “We are also further demonstrating our commitment to SAF by using the fuel blend as much as possible on G700 test flights — five out of six test aircraft have used the fuel blend on every flight. We look forward to building on these successes in 2022 and accomplishing even more program milestones as we move closer to customer deliveries.”

The G700 has set city-pair records on all its major international trips for customer viewings. In September, the fully outfitted production-test aircraft set speed records from Savannah to Doha, Qatar; from Doha to Paris; and from Paris back to Savannah. The G700 then made record-setting flights from Houston, Texas, to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and returned in record time from Riyadh to Savannah. The city-pair flights were made using a combination of SAF and carbon offsets to minimize environmental impacts.

In addition to maintaining an industry-leading role in using and promoting the safety, ease and performance capabilities of SAF, Gulfstream also supports the industry’s overall efforts to decrease carbon emissions by providing SAF to customers and being the first business-aviation manufacturer to sign the World Economic Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow 2030 Ambition Statement. To date, Gulfstream has purchased more than 1.6 million gallons of the SAF blend for company and customer use.

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.
Inspired by the belief that aviation could fuel business growth, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. invented the first purpose-built business aircraft, the Gulfstream I, which first flew in 1958. Today, more than 2,900 aircraft are in service around the world. Together with parent company General Dynamics, Gulfstream consistently invests in the future, dedicating resources to researching and developing innovative new aircraft, technologies and services. With a fleet that includes the super-midsize Gulfstream G280, the high-performing Gulfstream G650 and Gulfstream G650ER, and a next-generation family of aircraft including the all-new Gulfstream G400, the award-winning Gulfstream G500 and Gulfstream G600, the flagship Gulfstream G700 and the ultralong-range Gulfstream G800, Gulfstream offers an aircraft for every mission. All are backed by Gulfstream’s Customer Support network and its worldwide team.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Sustainable Tourism Can Offer Mountain Communities Path to Prosperity

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Sustainable Tourism Can Offer Mountain Communities Path to Prosperity

Rome, Italy, December 15, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / FAO and UNWTO launch new publication at high-level event to celebrate International Mountain Day 2021. Sustainable tourism plays a key role in boosting livelihoods, poverty alleviation, and environmental conservation in mountainous areas, according to a new report launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and UNWTO at an International Mountain Day 2021 celebration event.

Mountain tourism – Towards a more sustainable path, jointly developed by FAO, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), highlights the role of tourism in the sustainable development of mountain regions. The publication features examples of innovation, best practices and initiatives from all over the world, as well as practical guidelines and recommendations in the context of building back better for sustainable mountain tourism.

Sustainable tourism can serve as an important driver of socio-economic development in mountain areas

“For many mountain communities, tourism is their livelihood,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu stressed at the event. “Promoting sustainable eco-tourism, agri-tourism and wellness tourism can help generate new jobs, diversify income, build robust micro-economies and revitalize products and services,” he added, encouraging everyone to work together to protect fragile mountain ecosystems and “rethink and reshape mountain tourism for the benefit of mountain communities, global wellbeing and the planet’s health.”

“Sustainable tourism can serve as an important driver of socio-economic development in mountain areas. Well managed, community-based tourism increases and diversifies household incomes, enhances job and livelihood opportunities, supports traditional systems, builds resilience and helps to conserve and promote natural and cultural heritage across landscapes,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili.

The theme of International Mountain Day 2021

The United Nations has designated 11 December as International Mountain Day, with FAO as the lead agency for its coordination. Celebrated every year, it creates awareness about the importance of mountains to life, highlighting the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and building alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.

With mountain destinations attracting around 15-20 percent of global tourism, International Mountain Day 2021’s theme of sustainable mountain tourism recognizes the sector’s role in valuing the natural and cultural heritage of mountains and mountain peoples, promoting sustainable food systems, and protecting mountain ecosystems and their biodiversity.

The Year’s theme also draws attention to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it can be an opportunity to rebuild mountain tourism in a greener and more sustainable and inclusive way. This means ensuring community empowerment, effective measurement of the impact of tourism in mountains, the effective management of resources and waste, and the definition of carrying capacity for destinations.

A joint effort

Today’s high-level International Mountain Day event was opened by the FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. Other participants included Maria Ubach, Andorra’s Minister of Foreign Affairs , Christine Bulliard-Marbach Swiss Parliamentarian, Member of the National Council and President of the Swiss Association for Mountain Regions, Roberto Natali, Plenipotentiary Minister and Directorate General for Development Cooperation for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones, Chief Operating Officer of the Philippines Tourism Promotions Board and mountaineer Reinhold Messner. FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo gave the concluding remarks. Stella Jean – an Italian-Haitian fashion designer was appointed Mountain Partnership Goodwill Ambassador in recognition of her work with mountain women artisans from Kyrgyzstan. Dilshodbegim Khusravova, a Tajik young activist, was named Youth Mountain Partnership Goodwill Ambassador for her work in early warning disaster prevention systems in the mountains of Tajikistan.

The event highlighted the need to promote dialogue and cooperation to tap mountain tourism’s full potential to contribute to sustainable development. It highlighted the work that many Mountain Partnership members and UNWTO member states are doing to ensure that mountain communities are not left behind in the spirit of the UN 2030 Agenda.
Sustainable best practices

According to the study, sustainable mountain tourism products and services should shift from high-impact tourism to low-impact, climate-sensitive ones, and create new opportunities, bringing tangible benefits to local communities, while helping to enhance the conservation of the unique mountain heritage. They should also be inclusive, providing a good quality of employment and decent work. The publication highlights projects from across the world that are doing just that, including in the Cordillera region of the Philippines, where the country’s Department of Tourism, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and Slow Food are connecting tourism service providers to small-scale producers so visitors can discover high-quality mountain products, and ‘astrostays’ in the Himalayas, which are homestays provided by local communities that include stargazing activities.

FAO and UNWTO have a long history of working together, boosted by a recent Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties. This establishes further commitment to nurture innovation and entrepreneurship, drive sustainable development, and strengthen livelihoods through rural tourism, agritourism, nature tourism, outdoor activities and other forms of landscape-based tourism. It envisages, among others, collaborative activities within the framework of FAO’s Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), the Coalition of Fragile Ecosystems and the Green Cities Initiative.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

GreenClub and GEO Foundation Collaboration to Drive Golf Sustainability

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GreenClub and GEO Foundation Collaboration to Drive Golf Sustainability - TRAVELINDEXDublin, Ireland, November 11, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Renewable energy specialists GreenClub has taken its long-term commitment to improving sustainability in the golf industry to new heights by forming a new partnership with GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf.

The exciting development will see the two organisations collaborate closely to promote sustainability across a range of different platforms and markets, commencing in the UK.

As well as driving increased awareness for sustainability through newsletters and print, digital and social media, the new collaboration will see GreenClub align their advisory services with the online OnCourse® programme for sustainable club and course management, as well as the recognition GEO provides for sustainable golf – spanning nature, resources, communities and climate action. They will also work together at a variety of events including webinars and conferences.

An international non-profit organisation, GEO Foundation is dedicated to helping accelerate sustainability and climate action in and through golf around the world, working collaboratively to help the sport embrace environmental and social issues and become widely acclaimed for its role.

Jonathan Smith, founder and executive director of GEO Foundation, said: “It is imperative that the golf industry works collaboratively to deliver innovative solutions for climate action. We are excited about GreenClub joining the growing number of partners who provide innovation and services for sustainable golf and, in particular, helping more clubs and facilities on their sustainability journey.”

Launched last autumn, GreenClub works with the golf and leisure sector to help venues to realise their sustainable goals.

London Golf Club – host of this summer’s Cazoo Classic on the European Tour – and Roganstown Hotel & Country Club in Ireland just two of the clubs to have benefitted from the consultants’ expertise, and GreenClub chief executive Liam Greasley believes the new GEO agreement will be instrumental in helping to create a number of new opportunities for the company.

He said: “Golf clubs can gain a huge amount by focusing their attention on energy – where it comes from; what they can generate themselves; how they can future proof their facility; and how they can reduce consumption, costs and emissions.

“We’d encourage clubs to embrace the specialist advisory support that we can provide and the custom-built programmes available which, together, can accelerate their progress as efficient and sustainable businesses.

“We are delighted to be working closely with GEO Foundation as a sustainable golf innovator and solution provider dovetailing services with their programmes and connecting our clients with the growing sustainable golf community.”

A principal partner of the PGA, GreenClub is committed to promoting long-term sustainability and carbon neutrality, and their objective continues to gather pace on several fronts.

As well as their consultation services to assess current and future needs of any business as they seek to reduce their carbon emissions, venues can also become generators of their own green renewable energy by utilising renewable energy options. In some cases, any surplus energy can then be sold to the local market, rather than back to the grid.

In addition, GreenClub unveiled a 10-point plan earlier this month which it is urging golf clubs and venues to adopt so that they can start their journey towards ultimately becoming ‘net zero.’ The eco-checklist covers all parts of everyday life and features a number of simple measures that not only promote a greener future but can also benefit venues financially.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Tourism Unites Behind Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action at COP26

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Tourism Unites Behind Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action at COP26 - TRAVELINDEXGlasgow, Scotland, UK, November 6, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism was launched today at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26. Some of tourism’s biggest businesses have joined governments and destinations in committing to cut emissions in half by 2030 and achieve Net Zero by 2050 at the latest.

The Glasgow Declaration recognizes the urgent need for a globally consistent plan for climate action in tourism. Signatories commit to measure, decarbonize, regenerate and unlock finance. Additionally, each signatory commits to deliver a concrete climate action plan, or updated plan, within 12 months of signing.

Speaking at COP26, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stressed that “while many private businesses have led the way in advancing climate action, a more ambitious sector-wide approach is needed to ensure tourism accelerates climate action in a meaningful way”. He added that “the Glasgow Declaration is a tool to help bridge the gap between good intentions and meaningful climate action”.

Already, more than 300 tourism stakeholders have signed up to the Declaration, including leading industry players to destinations, countries and other tourism stakeholders ranging from large to small. The Glasgow Declaration was developed through the collaboration of UNWTO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Visit Scotland, the Travel Foundation and Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, within the framework of the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme committed to accelerate sustainable consumption and production patterns.

The Glasgow Declaration is a tool to help bridge the gap between good intentions and meaningful climate action

“WTTC is delighted to be a supporter and launch partner to the Glasgow Declaration and thereby add our voice, the voice of the global private sector, to this important collective call for heightened ambition in the travel and tourism sector. The Glasgow Declaration is a real opportunity for travel and tourism to unite and show true leadership as we strive towards Net Zero”, said Julia Simpson, President and CEO, WTTC.

“Through the Glasgow Declaration, the One Planet Network‘s Sustainable Tourism Programme offers a common platform to catalyze climate action in tourism. This Initiative is fundamental to create the right momentum to accelerate climate action in tourism through sustainable consumption and production”, said Mr  Jorge  Laguna-Celis, Head of the One Planet Network Secretariat, Economy Division, UNEP.

“As UN High-Level Climate Action Champions, we warmly welcome the Glasgow Declaration and recognise the efforts of the over 300 Launch Partners. This is a pivotal step, aligning the tourism sector on our Race to Zero campaign’s goal of halving emissions by 2030 and achieving Net Zero by 2050 at the latest”, said Gonzalo Muñoz, High-Level Climate Champion.

The launch event at COP26 featured a panel discussion underscoring the importance of increased climate action and ambition in the tourism sector, with contributions from David W. Panuelo, President of the Federated States of Micronesia alongside Iván Eskildsen, Minister of Tourism for Panama; Jan Christian Vestre, Minister of Trade and Industry for Norway; Patrick Child, Deputy Director General for the Environment at the European Commission; Julia Simpson, CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council; Catherine Dolton, Trustee and Treasurer of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance; Darrell Wade, Co-founder and Chairman, Intrepid Group; and Jeremy Smith, Co-founder of Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency.

The more than 300 signatories include businesses, countries, tourism stakeholders and destinations, among them:

  • Accor
  • AITO – The Specialist Travel Association
  • ANVR – Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators
  • Asian Ecotourism Network
  • Panama
  • Barbados
  • Bilbao Convention Bureau
  • Bucuti & Tara
  • Cairngorns National Park Authority
  • Dallas Fort Worth Airport
  • ETOA – European Tourism Association
  • Forum Anders Reisen
  • Future of Tourism Coalition
  • GSTC – Global Sustainable Tourism Council
  • Iberostar Group
  • Innovation Norway
  • Intrepid Travel
  • Legacy Vacation Resorts
  • Much Better Adventures
  • Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions
  • NECSTouR – Network of European Regions for Sustainable and Competitive Tourism
  • Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
  • Pacific Tourism Organization
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Skyscanner
  • Sustainable First
  • Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
  • The Long Run
  • Tourism Authority of Kiribati
  • Travalyst Limited
  • Travelindex Group
  • VisitScotland
  • World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News