Expedia Group has announced the launch of two new initiatives, designed to help boost environmental sustainability in tourism.

The new programmes, Destination Climate Champions and the Destination Giveback initiative, are designed to support firms working in tourism to ensure travel is more environmentally sustainable.

Both initiatives align with the group’s Open World sustainability and impact strategy, which was created to help make destinations more environmentally-friendly.

“Responsible, sustainable travel means experiences that support local communities, while also protecting natural environments. Success requires collective effort – this is critical for the future of global travel,” Expedia Group’s vice president of global social impact and sustainability, Aditi Mohapatra, said.

“Many DMOs are eager to take proactive actions on sustainability and social impact but may need initial support to get there. Expedia Group has invested in two new programs to further our destination partners’ capabilities, to transform local travel offerings, and empower travelers to make more responsible travel choices.”

According to research by the travel group, 90% of consumers already look for sustainable options when booking travel and half have said they would be willing to pay a premium for more sustainable travel.

The travel group has partnered with the Travel Foundation to launch its educational programme, Destination Climate Champions, which provides an online training course and learning network for staff working in tourism roles.

It will help staff to ensure climate change is a priority in their day to day work, whilst communicating credibly with travellers about sustainable travel.

Meanwhile, Expedia Group has launched the Destination Giveback Initiative, which sees the group make donations to local communities that need it most whilst driving tourism growth.
“We are excited to embark on this transformative journey and support our DMO partners in this space,” said Expedia’s senior vice president of media solutions, Rob Torres.

“We understand that for many of our partners, the topic of sustainability is an urgent issue to address, but is often complex, and it can be hard to know how to put words into meaningful action. Our partnership with Travel Foundation reflects our shared vision of a travel industry that prioritizes both people and the planet. We’re providing DMOs with a step-by-step program that helps them to create a more environmentally conscious approach to driving demand to their destinations.”

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