Every year on September 27, World Tourism Day recognizes the important role that travel and tourism play in fostering international relationships and global harmony. This year’s theme, determined by the World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE) is ‘Tourism and Peace’ – something that we can definitely get behind.
In fact, we can do more than that. To show our support of World Tourism Day we are – for a limited time only – offering to make a donation on behalf of every Trafalgar guest who books a tour with us. Between 27 September and 4 October inclusive, for every booking we’ll be donating to two of our most valued sustainability partners: GreenWave and Rainforest Rescue.
Who are GreenWave?
Project GreenWave is a global network of farmers, entrepreneurs, and researchers, all driven by the same goal of building community-based climate solutions out at sea. GreenWave’s 10-year goal is to provide training, tools, and support to a baseline of 10,000 farmers to catalyze the planting of regenerative ocean crops and yield meaningful economic and climate impacts.


Who are Rainforest Rescue?
Rainforest Rescue’s mission is to give the rainforest a voice and preserve it in all its splendor. Rainforests are a haven of biodiversity, a bulwark against the climate crisis and the home of millions of people. Yet they are in great danger and are being destroyed at a frightening pace. Rainforest Rescue takes action together with committed and courageous environmentalists around the globe.


Other ways we’re making tourism a force for good
In addition to our limited-time donation offer, there are numerous other ongoing initiatives that we’re incredible proud of. From our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences, now available on 96% of our itineraries, to our industry-leading Carbon Fund, we’re using our power as one of the world’s leading travel companies for the good of the planet.
To share more on this, we asked 4 of our in-house sustainability experts to share their favorite sustainability initiatives – and tell us how they’re contributing to a more progressive future.
Expert: Shannon Guihan, Chief Sustainability Officer
Favorite project: Carbon Fund


“At The Travel Corporation (TTC), being a large group of travel brands providing tours around the world, we have a lot of emissions to reduce!
“Our goal is to reach net zero GMG emissions by 2050, as part of our 5-year sustainability strategy that launched in 2020. It’s ambitious, but we recognized that our biggest impact potential was to prioritize decarbonization and invest in our business to reduce our emissions as much as possible, to mitigate climate change.
“In 2022, we became the first tour operator group to have our near-term, long-term, and net zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. Instead of purchasing carbon offsets, we have developed an industry-first Carbon Fund.
“It’s simple – we’ve developed a financial tool to invest ONLY in our rapid decarbonization. The fund is generated by brand contributions based on whether they are a low, medium or high emitter, and dedicated to investments selected for their ability to decarbonize our travel brands.
“We have committed to publicly report on these investments, the first set detailed in our recent 2023 Impact report available at https://impact.ttc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/TTC-Impact-Report-2023-.pdf
“With the installation of a new HVO fuel bunker at our Atlas Reizen depot in 2024, funded by the Carbon Fund, Contiki and Trafalgar coaches can now refill at the depot with HVO fuel. HVO biofuel is 100% produced from certified feedstock that is labelled as waste or residue.”
Expert: Nadine Pinto, Global Sustainability Manager, TreadRight
Favorite project: Nature-Based Solutions


“To support our net zero journey and TTC’s Climate Action Plan, in 2022 we shifted the focus priority of our TreadRight Foundation to nature-based solutions that draw carbon from the atmosphere and restore our planet while protecting biodiversity and uplifting communities, which are all intrinsically linked
“Our not-for-profit TreadRight was created in 2008 as a joint initiative between TTC’s brands, which they fund exclusively, with the goal to have a positive impact on the planet, the communities we visit, and the wildlife we find there. The initiative has funded over 65 sustainable tourism projects to date
“Nature-based solutions work for and with nature, to address climate change, and benefit people and wildlife. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), nature-based solutions leverage nature and the power of healthy ecosystems to protect people, optimize infrastructure and safeguard a stable and biodiverse future.
“TreadRight currently supports 5 nature-based solution partners:
- Trees For Life: dedicated to rewilding the Scottish Highlands and restoring Scotland’s Caledonian forest through large-scale nature restoration programmes such as the Wild Pine Project. Rewilding is an effective means to support and benefit people, nature and climate.
- GreenWave: GreenWave advances the regenerative ocean farming movement in North America through programs like the Kelp Climate Fund, which provides subsidies to ocean farmers to reward them for the climate benefits of their work. In return they provide key harvest data that tracks climate impacts such as carbon and nitrogen removed.
- Rainforest Rescue: Rescuing and restoring unprotected Daintree Rainforest – the oldest rainforest in the world – to mitigate climate change and habitat loss. To do that, the organization buys back vulnerable rainforest sites that are not already part of the protected Daintree National Park. Once purchased, those sites that require rehabilitation undergo significant restoration to transform degraded properties back into lush rainforest habitats.
- Vesta: this solution accelerates the natural weathering process of our shorelines that results in the storage of carbon in rock. They do this by taking olivine, a readily available green volcanic mineral and placing it on beaches and coastal areas. There, wave action speeds up the carbon dioxide capture process and stores carbon as rock on the sea floor.
- Barena Association: Their SOS Barena project, dedicated to protecting and restoring sections of the intertidal Northern Venetian Lagoon salt marshes known locally as “Barene”. The unique habitats of the Lagoon are rapidly disappearing through erosion, primarily as a result of human impact. At the core of the SOS Barena project is the involvement of the local fishermen and other community members to design and implement conservation actions.
“It’s important to support these projects that work to remove and store excess carbon from our atmosphere to mitigate climate change, and we are committed to assisting these science-based solutions to accelerate and scale as quickly as possible.”
Post not found.Expert: Parisa Pouram
Favorite project: Partner Sustainability Hub


“TTC and our family of brands are on the journey to net zero, and having a positive impact on our planet, its people and wildlife, is part of our ethos. We’re committed to addressing the impact of our operations and trips, and recognize that we must work with the industry on this collective mission.
“As we move towards achieving our sustainability goals, we wouldn’t be able to progress without our destination and operational partners, who are critical in supporting our journey and enabling us to provide the incredible travel opportunities that we do.
“We want to be able to mutually support each other’s sustainability journey and have created this Partner Sustainability Hub for this very reason, to share the resources we’ve created that can support our partners and the wider industry
“This includes our ways our partners can address their carbon footprint, create more impactful travel experiences, enforce diversity, equity, and inclusion, and protect wildlife
“It outlines what we’re doing, providing our policies and guidelines as a reference, while also providing guidance on what businesses can do within their own operations to become more sustainable.
“As TTC focuses increasingly on our Scope 3 – or trip – emissions, empowering our suppliers on the ground to address their impact helps us all to provide exceptional experiences in destination with a smaller footprint.”
Post not found.Expert: Gemma Myhill
Favorite project: MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences


“Our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences are truly where our guests get to experience our mission to make travel a force for good.
“Not only are they unique experiences that stay with guests long after they have returned home, they are also conscious travel experiences that advance 11 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“They’re specially chosen to advance the 3 pillars of sustainability – economic, social and environmental – within the local communities we visit.
“Whether it’s understanding the importance of protecting local bee populations in Switzerland, trying organic and biodynamic Portuguese wines at a family-run farm and vineyard or learning the importance of preserve language, traditional storytelling and spirituality among youth in on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota – each of our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences give the guests a different understanding of the destinations they’re visiting.”
Do you like to do your part to make the world a better place when you travel? Tell us how in the comments below.