Flagship hotel savings (TUI UK & Ireland)
As part of First Choice’s commitment to supporting suppliers, an environmental expert visited seven Holiday Village properties in 2007/08 to conduct in-depth environmental audits. The audits identified that improved environmental management – particularly of water and energy – could potentially deliver cost savings in excess of £1 million per year.

Blue Train holiday experience (TUI Nordic)
TUI Nordic has developed a train charter holiday package which is less carbon intensive than flying, reducing the environmental impact of customers’ travel to their holiday destination. The ‘Blue Train’ experience takes customers on an overnight train from Malmo in Sweden to many resorts across Europe.

First Choice Canada Cares Day (TUI Canada)
Departments were involved in sustainable development workshops where they created posters showcasing sustainability ideas. The posters were created using recycled materials and detailed the average amount of resources used and ways
this could be reduced.

TUI Deutschland’s environmental certification (TUI Central Europe)
For the past 20 years, TUI Deutschland has been committed to protecting the environment. In 2003, the TUI Deutschland environmental management system was certified according to the international standard ISO14001.

Fair trade chocolate excursion (TUI Western Europe)
In 2009, TUI Nederland began to sell a fair trade chocolate excursion in the Dominican Republic, developed in partnership with the Dutch development organisations Cordaid and PASEO to generate additional income for the local cacao farmers. Ten farmers and more than thirty women have been trained as guides on the tour.

Piedibus (Specialist & Emerging Markets Sector)
In 2007/08, I Viaggi del Turchese promoted a ‘walk to school’ scheme, reducing the need for vehicle use, strengthening its ties with the local community and educating future customers on environmental issues. In the 2008 school year, 156 children used the service, saving a total of 423 kg of carbon.

Reducing carbon from water transport (Activity Sector)
Quark Expeditions has a comprehensive programme to reduce carbon emissions, including adopting new and cleaner technologies as they become available, upgrading equipment and strengthening their standard operating procedures to mitigate the impact of their expeditions.

Bedsonline sponsors 1,500 trees (Accommodation & Destinations Sector)
Colleges, schools and local people will plant 1,500 trees in the Malaga National Park thanks to Bedsonline’s electronic invoicing project in Spain, in partnership with the Almijara Environmental Group. Over 20 years, the trees are expected to take in 30 to 50 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

To read more about our Sustainable Development initiatives, please visit our Sustainable Development Report 2008.