Travel Counsellors launched an online sustainable tourism training programme to its 1,500 homeworkers this week.
The ‘Go Greener’ programme, created in partnership with industry charity The Travel Foundation, outlines the business case for sustainable tourism, spotlights suppliers’ responsible holidays, gives guidelines on reducing water, waste and energy while working from home and offers branded destination and shopping guides for customers.
Travel Counsellors chief executive Steve Byrne hailed the training as “a significant step”, saying: “Sustainable tourism is something the company is investing in emotionally and financially, and we’re glad to have the experts at The Travel Foundation to guide us. We’re serious about having a positive impact on the communities we interact with.”
Travel Foundation head of sustainable practice Julie Middleton said: “We developed this course with the aim of helping franchisees improve their product knowledge, communicate and promote sustainability to customers and get started on reducing their own environmental footprints.”
Travel Counsellor Jenny Woods was among the first to take the course. She said: “The training gives real insight into what is meant by sustainable and what we can do to educate ourselves and our customers. Putting sustainability at the heart of my business ensures I can be confident selling and advising on ethical products.”
She added: “Knowing money is helping local communities, protecting wildlife and conserving natural resources is important to me and to my clients.”
The training is part of a series of sustainability initiatives Travel Counsellors has developed with The Travel Foundation. These include long-term projects to develop hotel-sustainability criteria and offer sustainable excursions in Travel Counsellors’ top-50 destinations.