25 June 2010, London, UK
The home of the only British canal boat in North America, a more than 1,900-property strong Green Hotel Directory, an Earth Guest programme by one of the biggest hospitality chains in the world, and an initiative to reduce building on China's famous Mount Huangshan are showcased on a new website launched by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The Best Practice Gateway, which can be accessed from www.wttc.org, currently features more than 20 case studies from around the world, which together help to illustrate the Travel & Tourism industry's leading role in sustainability.
"Travel & Tourism can be an opportunity for protecting our planet and delivering tangible social and economic benefits at the local, national and international level," says Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council.
"The Travel & Tourism industry has long led the way in helping to protect the environments and communities on which it depends. Now our Best Practice Gateway will, alongside the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, become an essential resource for businesses interested in implementing sustainable tourism practices."
Destinations, accommodation, tour operators and online travel intermediaries from around the world are represented on the website, while WTTC has also partnered with the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) to facilitate access to a comprehensive collection of best practices from the aviation sector, which is hosted on www.enviro.aero . Accor, England's Jurassic Coast, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Inkaterra, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, Marriott International, Sabre Holdings Corporation/Travelocity Global, Sol Meliá, TUI AG, Whitbread PLC and Wilderness Safaris, to name a few, have contributed their experiences in sustainability to the Best Practice Gateway. Users can search for information by company, sector or particular area of interest from biodiversity to waste management.
The Best Practice Gateway exemplifies WTTC's and its Members' ongoing commitment to the advancement of sustainability within Travel & Tourism. Over time, the Gateway will grow to become the pre-eminent resource for organisations from all sectors and industries to learn a wide range of measures that can be implemented - regardless of their size or budget available. Travel & Tourism organisations can submit case studies to be considered for inclusion on the site to bestpractice@wttc.org.
For further information, please contact:
Elliott Frisby
Communications Director
44 (0) 2074818007
44 (0) 7891 937931
elliott.frisby@wttc.org
Anja Eckervogt
Communications Co-ordinator
44 (0) 2074818007
anja.eckervogt@wttc.org
Notes to Editors
- The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) was established in 1990 with Members representing the world's foremost leaders in the private sector of Travel & Tourism. It aims to promote the importance of the industry as a generator of economic growth, encourage public-private partnerships, and persuade governments to adopt policies that will allow the industry to thrive. WTTC's annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit brings together over 1,000 delegates to discuss the opportunities, challenges and issues facing the industry, while its Tourism for Tomorrow Awards recognise the industry's power to be a positive force in sustainability.
- The Travel & Tourism Economy contributes US$5,751 billion to global GDP, 9.2% of the total, in 2010. This is expected to grow to US$11,151 billion (9.6%) by 2020. The industry (directly and indirectly) supports over 235 million jobs in 2010, and the total is forecast to increase to just over 303 million by 2020. Travel & Tourism investment is estimated at US$1,241 in 2010 and should reach US$2,757 billion by 2020.
- To view photos, speeches and other material from the 2010 Global Travel & Tourism Summit, please visit www.globaltraveltourism.com.
