International cooperation is initiated as WTTC partners with the prestigious Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for a groundbreaking collaboration.
Sustainable Leadership in Travel & Tourism: A Collaborative Effort Towards a Greener Future
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have joined forces to host a two-day action leadership programme, aiming to equip industry leaders with the knowledge and skills to drive sustainable transformation in the travel and tourism sectors.
The programme, named Sustainability Leadership in Travel & Tourism, aims to empower leaders to integrate sustainability practices that reduce the environmental impact of travel and tourism, promote climate action, resilience, and responsible management within organizations and destinations, and foster a long-term strategic approach that aligns with global sustainability goals.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating that it has the potential to usher in a new era within the Travel & Tourism sector. Brett Tollman, CEO of The Travel Corporation, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the need for sustainable, purpose-driven tourism to be a shared industry goal.
Dr. Jack Spengler, Akira Yamaguchi Professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, emphasized the need for collaboration across sectors to address climate change. He stated that the programme aims to produce ground-breaking research in the form of case studies and key papers on sustainability within the Travel & Tourism sector.
The programme took place at Harvard University and was attended by CEOs and industry leaders from various Travel & Tourism companies, including Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Virtuoso, and The Travel Corporation. Speakers at the event included faculty from Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard School of Public Health, as well as Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever and current U.N.-appointed SDG Advocate.
Dr. Wendy Purcell, Director and lead faculty of the programme, stated that the collaboration has the potential to shift minds towards more sustainable Travel & Tourism practices. Sean Donohue, CEO of Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport, expressed optimism about the partnership's potential to drive continued sustainability progress and business value.
The outcomes of the programme include a concrete leadership framework that guides travel and tourism companies and destinations towards continuous sustainability development. This practical toolkit helps embed sustainability into everyday operations and strategic decisions, ensuring ongoing progress and alignment with evolving international standards.
In summary, the programme’s goal is to build transformative sustainability leadership that fosters climate-friendly, resilient, and responsibly managed travel and tourism, empowering the sector to contribute meaningfully to global environmental and social objectives.
- The Sustainability Leadership in Travel & Tourism programme encourages leaders in the industry to infuse environmental science, such as climate-change mitigation strategies, into their organizations, aiming to create a greener future for the sector.
- To foster a more responsibly managed travel and tourism sector, the ground-breaking research stemming from this programme, spanning from case studies to key papers in the field of environmental-science, will serve as a crucial guide for companies striving to live a sustainable lifestyle.
