Tobacco giant Philip Morris International has urged the travel industry to help it establish a smoke-free world.
Promoting its campaign at World Travel Market this week, the company said the industry was well placed to accelerate its efforts to replace cigarettes with better alternatives for those who can’t kick the habit.
"Our aim is to further encourage a growing number of men and women who would otherwise continue to smoke to switch to smoke-free alternatives,’ said Thomas Mc Grath, global head of business incubation at PMI.
"Hotels, restaurants and others in the travel industry accommodate smokers and nonsmokers every day and can play a key role in accelerating the achievement of a world without cigarettes."
PMI has invested over US $4.5 billion on research, development, and production facilities to provide adult smokers with less harmful options.
"We can’t achieve this alone. The travel industry can play a key role in advancing the vision of a smoke-free future for the benefit of people who smoke, public health and society at large," it said.
Recently, the Greek island of Astypalea announced its ambition to become the first smoke-free island in the world.
It is encouraging adult smokers to quit and those who would otherwise continue smoking to switch to smoke-free alternatives.
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 hotels now welcome the use of one of PMI’s smoke-free alternatives, IQOS, which heats tobacco instead of burning it.
These include the Trois Couronnes Hotel in Switzerland, the Grand Hotel Majestic Gia Baglioni in Italy, the Radisson Royal Hotel Saint Petersburg and the Akasaka Urban Hotel in Japan.
They offer IQOS-friendly rooms, and in some cases, allow the use of smoke-free products in common areas.
Many hotels have converted smoking lounges and rooms into areas for smoke-free alternatives, and provide a trial kit to smoker guests who want to switch during their stay.
