TUI Group has joined the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, which strives to tackle plastic pollution.
The initiative is led by the United Nations Environment Programme, World Tourism Organisation, in collaboration with Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Tourism companies and destinations commit to eliminate the plastic items they don’t need; innovate so all plastics they do need are designed to be safely reused, recycled, or composted; and circulate everything they use to keep it in the economy and out of the environment.
TUI Group executive committee member Thomas Ellerbeck, who is responsible for sustainability, said: "Plastic pollution negatively impacts travel and tourism, particularly near the beaches and oceans so important to destinations.
"TUI is delighted to be a founding partner of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, recognising the industry’s role to drive change.
"The sector can make a real difference by working together and sharing best practice. The people and the environment of destinations will benefit from these efforts. TUI is well positioned to continue its leading role in sustainable tourism. We aim to make our holiday offers more sustainable along the entire travel value chain. This will also be an important component of the Group-wide sustainability strategy 2020-2030."
As part of its contribution to the global drive to reduce plastic waste, TUI aims to remove 250 million pieces of single-use plastics by the end of 2020 through concerted efforts across its hotels, cruise ships, airlines, destinations and offices.
Image by kakuko from Pixabay
