The Travel Corporation (TTC) is embracing Earth Day 2022's theme of “Invest in Our Planet” with a formal commitment reaching its sustainability targets.
The company’s Scope 1, 2 and 3 targets will tackle business and trip greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by its family of brands.
The Scope 1 + 2 target will tackle the emissions from owned vehicles, 13 owned Uniworld ships, 18 Red Carnation Hotels, 30+ offices, five owned accommodations and one winery.
The Scope 3 target will address the TTC's indirect emissions including trip emissions. To adhere to carbon accounting standards, TTC has developed an internal carbon calculator which was developed by an independent third party to account for trip emissions from included transport, meals and accommodations, and has made its methodology publicly available on its web site.
“This Earth Day, as a global travel provider operating in 70 countries, we are taking action towards our net zero commitment by setting our carbon reduction targets in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi),” says Shannon Guihan, TTC’s Chief Sustainability Officer.
“Implementing science-based targets is an ambitious and critical step not only towards achieving net zero, but also towards a more resilient future for our planet, wildlife, the local communities we visit and for our sector as a whole.”
Investing in Carbon Removal Solutions
TTC's not-for-profit TreadRight Foundation has made three investments in support of its Climate Action Plan. In 2021, TreadRight invested in GreenWave and Project Vesta, two nature-based carbon removal solutions which are showing "very promising results" in their pilot stages.
Creating the First Net-Zero Destination: Scotland
In addition, TTC and TreadRight have joined forces with VisitScotland and The Travel Foundation in a new project that aims to shape Scotland as the world’s first net zero destination. In alignment with TTC’s commitment to net zero, this pilot project will develop a structured process to better understand, avoid, and otherwise reduce in-destination travel emissions through a joint effort between the tour operator and destination.
This project will help to shape a Destination Climate Action Blueprint, being developed as a Glasgow Declaration tourism initiative, of which TTC and its brands are founding signatories. TTC will provide operational support through its owned assets and brands operating in Scotland. This includes Radical Travel Group’s HAGGiS Adventures and Highland Explorer Tours, Contiki, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Trafalgar and Brendan Vacations, and four owned hotels including Skye Inn, Morag’s Lodge, Laggan Hotel and its Red Carnation Hotel’s 5-star Princes Street in Edinburgh, opening later in 2022.
According to TTC, it has made progress against its tangible goals and will be sharing the success resulting from concerted efforts since its strategy launched with the release of its first official Impact Report, set to be published next month.
For more information, visit The Travel Corporation's web site.
