Don’t lose your conscience in the credit crunch

ABTA Travel Convention Comment by Sue Hurdle, chief executive, Travel Foundation

I’m hoping there will be a ray of green light at this week’s ABTA Convention. 

As the talk of economic doom gains momentum, there isn’t anyone I know who isn’t worried about what it means to them. People are worried about their businesses, their jobs, their savings and their household bills.  

But I’d urge everyone in our industry not to lose their conscience in the credit crunch. 

Concern for the environment makes business sense in a tough economic climate. Record oil prices mean energy efficiency is vital for every business. And, with rising commodity prices, smart businesses are concerned about recycling and cutting waste. 

At a time when the “thrift agenda” is dominating the news, we all need to work together to keep sustainable travel and the environment front of mind. Such positive steps have been made over the last few years so don’t let’s sit back and watch responsible travel issues slide down the news – or the boardroom – agenda.

Companies simply cannot ignore the pressure to behave in a responsible way.  Earlier this year, Primark was accused by the BBC of using child labour in factories in India. Tesco also faced accusations from War on Want that workers in Bangalore were producing clothes at half the living wage. 

Such allegations caused real damage to brand image, even among retailers aimed at the value end of the price spectrum.

Thankfully, it is also possible to find some examples of truly responsible practice. I have been on a number of travel award panels recently and there are some great examples of companies going beyond “the norm”.

Examples include tour operators assessing possible effects of proposed new tours on the local community – and choosing not to run them if impacts are considered negative – and hotels using funds saved on energy bills resulting from towel reuse programmes to plant trees.

Taking a responsible approach can bring all kinds of rewards, from increased profile to improved staff retention. People want to travel with and work for companies that care.

Holidays have become an essential part of our lifestyles and, despite the squeeze on disposable income, people will continue to travel. They might trim their budget but they’ll need an escape more than ever.

The Tourism 2023 initiative shows that, as a united industry, we can make a difference. 

But we need to keep telling the stories and keep giving real examples about how the work we do is genuinely making a difference to people and places we love to visit.