GILES Hawke, Global Sustainability Lead and CEO UK for Cosmos Tours and Avalon Waterways has urged the Australian travel industry to take action to work towards sustainability.
Providing a European perspective on sustainability at the inaugural TD Sustainability Summit held in Sydney today, Giles told attendees “in the travel industry, we should aim to leave this place in a better place than when we found it”.
“If we don’t take sustainability seriously customers won’t be interested in travelling with us.”
Hawke said some European cities which suffer from over tourism are becoming “mini theme parks”.
“The authenticity that made them must-see destinations has started to disappear,” he said.
Hawke emphasised overtourism as a significant problem, suggesting operators urge travellers to explore alternative destinations, such as Luxembourg instead of Amsterdam.
“When we go to these new places, we need to make sure we work with the locals,” he said.
He also urged the industry to take the opportunity to work with authorities and locals, develop technology in partnership and using what exists, regulate new entrants for safety and over tourism and travelling “out of season”.
More from today’s Sustainability Summit on page two & page four.
Source: traveldaily