The Travel Corporation’s global CEO Brett Tollman has highlighted the need for senior industry executives to “roll up our sleeves as CEOs and industry leaders” in order to understand the key role tourism plays in developing communities around the world.
Speaking to travelBulletin in his hometown of Los Angeles, California last month, Tollman said a recent trip to Jordan as part of a Tourism Cares delegation had provided key insights, leading to a new project under the auspices of the TreadRight Foundation, a charitable organisation established by the Tollman family which is funded by contributions from the various Travel Corporation brands.
Tollman, alongside other senior industry executives, participated in volunteer projects highlighting some of the remarkable social enterprises emerging in Jordan, with TreadRight aiming to provide economic empowerment to local women and helping them build a sustainable future. The virtuous circle of support for the Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative outside of Amman will help upgrade facilities — in turn providing a better experience for customers on Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection holidays, who will visit the project as part of their trips and hence provide ongoing support for the community.
That’s just one of many initiatives being undertaken by TreadRight, with Tollman serious about the long-term impact The Travel Corporation is having on the world. The company has significantly reduced its use of natural resources in the last 12 months, with electricity usage down a hefty 31% along with major savings of water by the introduction of waterless urinals. The company is phasing out all “single-use” plastics on its tours, and working with the huge network of hotels it uses across the globe to also assist them in reducing their environmental footprint. Plastic document wallets, plastic straws and even single use water bottles are on their way out, and TTC also encourages its staff to make a difference individually by providing two paid days of leave per year to undertake volunteer work — either individually or through activities coordinated by the company’s HR teams.
