Intrepid is calling on the travel industry to rebuild itself in a sustainable manner.

To help other brands get started, the tour operator has shared insights and secrets of its journey to decarbonising its business.

The 10-Step Quick Guide to Decarbonising your Travel Business was released on Intrepid’s website today.

“The COVID-19 crisis has brought our sector and the global economy to a halt this year and we would be remiss to not let it be for something good,” Intrepid Travel CEO James Thornton said.

“We shouldn’t be aspiring for things to go back to normal, but rather redefine what normal means and use this period of travel stagnation to focus on rebuilding our businesses more ethically and sustainably, so that our earth is preserved for future generations to explore.”

This action plan on reduction and offsetting for tourism businesses is part of the travel company’s #RebuildResponsibly advocacy work it has focused on while international travel is halted.

The Quick Start Guide provides a low barrier way for other travel companies to get started on their carbon journey by offering straightforward steps – from understanding how climate change is impacting your business to developing a carbon management strategy – and using real-world examples from Intrepid to show how others can implement similar strategies within their own organization.

The resource was written by Intrepid’s own environmental impact specialist, Dr Susanne Etti, who has over 15 years of experience in sustainability and is responsible for measuring and driving environmental performance, as well as developing and implementing a culture of sustainability leadership within Intrepid Travel.

Aiming for net-zero emissions by 2030 is one of the key areas that Intrepid has identified as critical to a responsible rebuild of the travel industry, along with ending exploitative wildlife tourism, establishing stronger governance and compliance, and empowering communities and supply chains.

In the weeks and months ahead, the company will continue to roll out several other initiatives and partnerships to support these areas.

Featured image source: iStock/amriphoto