TUI Travel calls for open carbon reporting

Abta, Barcelona: Thomson and First Choice have called for the travel industry to adopt full and transparent carbon reporting immediately.

Thomson

The parent company of the tour operating brands TUI Travel says that the group has committed to a carbon reduction target of 6% by 2013/14.

It has just been included in the top 10% of the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index of FTSE350 companies for the second year running.

Managing director of First Choice and Thomson Dermot Blastland says: “It is rare within our industry to set carbon targets that stretch a business and which they have to report against clearly, in order for stakeholders and customers to understand.”

He challenged all travel companies, particularly airlines, to develop and publish carbon efficiency targets that illustrate their carbon footprint and carbon emissions per passenger.

However, while the environment is thought to be high on the agenda for consumers, a GFK-Ascent-MI/TTG report suggests “it has yet to significantly influence their behavior”.

More than 54% of those in a poll said that they considered the issue when booking, but only 27% said that they ever offset their carbon emissions. Only 4% said that they always offset.