The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) is holding its inaugural Sustainability is Responsibility (SIR) Summit this year from May 24 through May 26. In partnership with Visit Norway, the Summit will be held at Thon Hotel Nordlys in the Arctic city of Bodø, one of the country’s regions most vulnerable to climate change.    Designed to foster future collaborations, innovative approaches, and cross-sector learning, SIR will serve as a platform for USTOA to leverage the collective brain power, insights, and network of the USTOA Active and Associate Members to set the path for a more sustainable future for the travel industry.   USTOA President and CEO Terry Dale said that the Sustainability is Responsibility Summit is a major component of the association’s 50th anniversary year. “As USTOA continues to look 50 years forward throughout this anniversary year, the Summit will help unite the industry under the common goal of making a positive impact to ensure the preservation of human, natural, and cultural capital in destinations across the globe,” he continued.   "Visit Norway is really pleased to host the very first SIR Summit and is inspired to share the insight and learning from actively working with sustainable destination development for more than a decade. Sustainability is very important for Norway, through all industries and levels of society. Stakeholder engagement from locals and communities, corporations and governments, continues to be high and active. Sustainability is part of our life now, highly integrated in any innovation and product development, as well as a standard measure for success and profitability," said Hege Barnes, Regional Director Americas at Visit Norway.       Malcolm Preston, former PwC Head of Sustainability, Travel & Tourism, and SIR moderator    Highlights include panel discussions featuring USTOA Active Members facilitated and moderated by Malcolm Preston, former PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Global Head of Sustainability Services, and Greg Takehara, CEO of Tourism Cares. Thought-provoking workshops will promote discussion about areas of impact, sustainable developmental goals, climate resilience and more. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy local attractions and festivities organized for the Summit such as a day at sea aboard Brim Explorer’s electric powered ship that will serve as a floating classroom while also taking delegates out into the field to experience some of Norway’s most impressive and sustainable tourism products, such as the Arctic Hideaway. 

  The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) is making special note of World Wildlife Day on March 3, 2022, by spotlighting programs from its tour operator members that focus on wildlife education and appreciation. From observing endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda to trekking through the rainforest of Bako National Park in Malaysia, each tour program offers up-close-and-personal experiences with abundant opportunities for natural and cultural immersion in each destination.   “As USTOA turns 50 this year, our tour operator members are looking ’50 years forward’ to provide sustainable and responsible travel experiences,” said Terry Dale, president and CEO. “World Wildlife Day is an ideal way to raise awareness of the fragile flora and fauna that populates our planet, and that our members take great care to preserve and protect.”   Here’s just a sample of programs to inspire travelers in 2022:   Tauck offers a thirteen-day Kenya & Tanzania: A Classic Safari 2022 tour to those yearning for outdoor adventure. This itinerary takes a group of no more than 30 Tauck travelers to visit Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, and the Willian Holden Wildlife Education Center to observe the flora and fauna of Kenya and Tanzania.  Travelers will end their trip activities by floating in a hot air balloon over Masai Mara. Departures are available between May and December 2022 with prices starting at $10,890 for two people. www.tauck.com   Travelers will enjoy excursions to Thingvellir National Park, the mesmerizing Gullfoss Waterfall, and the Geysir geothermal area on a four-to-six-day Iceland Escape: Golden Circle and Whale Watching tour with Great Value Vacations. This itinerary includes traveling to Reykjavik, the northernmost capital of the world, to go whale watching, observe sea birds and other sea life, climb the famous Hallgrímskirkja Church, and more. Departures are available between April 2022 and December 2022 with prices starting at $1,153 per person. www.greatvaluevacations.com   Travelers will have the opportunity to explore one of the last truly wild places on the planet on a ten-day Wild Sarawak tour with Intrepid Travel. The itinerary includes exploring Southeast Asia’s labyrinthian caves in Mulu National Park, searching for monkeys through the rainforest and jungle stream of Bako National Park, trekking through the jungle of Labuan Island and more. Departures are available between April and December 2022 with prices starting at $1,620 per person. www.intrepidtravel.com   Abercrombie & Kent offers a five-day Tailor Made Uganda: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest itinerary jam-packed with mountain hikes through Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, trekking through the park’s dense vegetation to observe the endangered mountain gorilla, and more. Departures are available between March and October 2022 with prices starting at $3,995 per person. www.abercrombiekent.com   Find all itineraries offered by USTOA tour operators at https://ustoa.travelstride.com/trip-list/wildlife   When booking with a USTOA tour operator member, travelers will have peace-of-mind under the protection of the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program. All USTOA tour operators also follow the TOURCARE guidelines, which support the implementation of sanitization and operational procedures to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19.  For more information, visit www.ustoa.com.