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Travelmole Question Time: Carbon offsetting is not enough, say experts
Encouraging customers to offset carbons when flying is not enough to combat the impact of travel and tourism, according to The Travel Foundation.
Chief executive Sue Hurdle said it should not be seen as a “licence to pollute”
“Carbon offsetting is not the whole answer,” she said.
“People are still going to fly, but there are ways in which the industry can help them offset the impact in other ways.”
She said travel companies should offer advice to customers about switching off their heating while away, eating locally in resort and ensuring they only buy souvenirs that are made locally.
“These are only small things, but if everybody did them, it would make a huge difference,” she said.
First Choice said it was now insisting that its overseas staff come up with sustainable excursions, designed to benefit the local communities in each resort and with the minimum environmental impact.
Head of CSR Jane Ashton claimed the operator’s carbon offset scheme was currently being taken up by 40% of customers, but a straw poll of the audience at yesterday’s Travelmole Question Time debate on CSR showed that only four out of around 40 people had offset their carbon footprint when flying in the last six months.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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