Your questions answered…

Can anyone join Tourism Declares?

Any person working for a company or organisation that makes the declaration on our website or signs the Glasgow Declaration is welcome to join the Tourism Declares community.

People fly to come to my holiday. Can I still join?

Yes. In fact you’ll be in good company as many of the businesses who have declared a climate emergency rely on clients flying to go on holiday with them.

How do I set science-based carbon reduction targets?

Currently, it is difficult to work out what the science-based targets for your organisation would be without help from a carbon expert or consultant. We are gathering together a range of resources available and members can connect with others in the community to discuss challenges and share solutions.

Most of my business is online, how can I measure my emissions if they are not the obvious ones compared to the ones related to transport?

Tourism Declares is intended to be a broad church for organisations from all corners of the tourism industry - you don’t have to be a tour operator to benefit from our community’s support, including with regard to measuring emissions. There are other businesses in our community who are predominantly online. Tourism Declares offers a platform for similar businesses sharing similar challenges to come together and work through questions such as how to measure emissions.

Our company is already a sustainable one. Can I still join and what can my climate action plan entail?

Of course, everyone can join. There are many sustainable businesses who have already joined and are working together within the community to develop relevant plans. If your organisation is already sustainable then you could have a valuable role not only boosting your sustainability, but also supporting organisations who aren’t as far along in their sustainability journey to get started.

Once I publicly declare, it is possible that my customers might not agree with my declaration. What can I do about this?

All sectors of society are coming to terms with this topic and the role that each plays. Your declaration helps inform others, it is a statement of action and intent. Perhaps start by trying to understand your customers objections and explain to them your rationale for action.

Our company operates in a language other than English. How can we participate?

If your company’s main language of operation is Spanish then you can connect through the Spanish-language version - turismodeclara.com.

If you’d like to talk to us about setting up a Tourism Declares chapter in a different language, please feel free to drop us an email at info@tourismdeclares.com.

What makes Tourism Declares community different?

By joining Tourism Declares you will become part of a community who have all made shared commitments to climate action in tourism, and receive an invitation into our online platform where you can connect with other tourism organisations, all working towards a sustainable future for the tourism industry.

I would like to understand the climate issue in depth and how I can contribute more effectively. How will joining TD help me with this?

Tourism Declares is a community of hundreds of businesses working in all fields of tourism. Together we have a vast and varied wealth of knowledge and experience in most aspects of the climate emergency as it affects each sector of tourism.

Through our online forum, industry groups, case studies, education programmes etc, we are creating best practice and guiding and supporting members as we all plan our emissions reductions.

I would like to connect with other members in the community. Is there a way to do so?

We hold occasional webinars and events to connect signatories to share best practices and progress in confidential forums. We also send newsletter updates to signatories.

Once I join, what kind of communications can I carry out to spread awareness?

There are many ways to spread awareness, here are just a few suggestions: (there are more suggestions and resources within our network that you will have access to once you join)

• Social media post
• Newsletter/approach to your contacts/clients/suppliers
• Reach out directly to your peers/contacts in your sector
• Write an article for your industry specific group
• Participate in a podcast
• Mention your commitment in PR/media interviews

We haven’t addressed climate change before. Do we need to develop a plan before we join Tourism Declares?

No. When you declare you commit to develop a plan within 12 months of your declaration. Doing so can serve as useful first step to kickstart climate action planning inside an organisation, and to signal to clients the intention to take action on climate change.

I do not know where to begin. Will I receive any support in making my climate action plan? Can we collaborate/work with other companies that have signed up in TD to make our plans?

Feel free to connect to others within the Tourism Declares Community Platform to seek support as you develop and implement your plan. You can rely on, and collaborate with, hundreds of other businesses who are on a similar path to you.

We haven’t measured our carbon footprint before. Can TD help us with developing accurate measurement of our products and services?

Measurement is essential if you are to reduce your emissions with some accuracy. We are collating many measurement tools that our members have used. We can guide you and you can also tap into the knowledge and experience of fellow members.

Once I have my plan ready, in what way can TD help to execute the plan effectively?

Your plan will require you to take action. You can rely on the expertise and experience of other members who have taken similar actions to support you with ideas, questions and challenges along the way.

Is there a membership fee?

No, there are no memberships fees. Tourism Declares is - and will always be - free.

Money is tight. Are the commitments we make when joining expensive?

This very much depends on the size and type of your business and what you need to achieve in reducing your emissions. The execution of your plan can have many cost benefits and you may simply be taking action ahead of your competitors or before regulation requires you to adapt.

COVID has damaged my business. How can joining Tourism Declares support our recovery?

Covid hit just as Tourism Declares was getting started (we launched in January 2020). We have only ever really existed in the Covid-affected world and have been developed predominantly by tourism industry volunteers who have been directly affected by covid's affect on tourism. Therefore we completely understand how devastating this has been.

However, while we understand that all things Covid are at the top of our minds now, we mustn’t lose sight of the broader sustainability issues, particularly climate change. While the pandemic poses a huge threat to the viability of our industry, climate change poses an even bigger long-term threat.

I have little time for anything else. What is expected from me as part of the community and how much time will I have to dedicate?

We appreciate that time is a precious resource. There is no minimum requirement for participation in the community. Creating your Climate Action Plan and its successful implementation are the most important things. Many members find the support and guidance of the community helpful, and how you interact with the community is an entirely personal choice.

Apart from less time, I’m not comfortable speaking in front of an audience. Would I have to conduct webinars etc?

No. There is no requirement for you to participate in any public/online event. If you wish, you can observe only in any events we run. Where possible, we always aim to record group Zoom calls and webinars so that you can watch these back afterward, at your own pace.

I have joined on behalf of my company. Do I have to participate in everything or can others in my company also be a part of the community?

Any employees of any signatory organisation are welcome to join the community, and we encourage others in your company to get involved. The more participants involved, the more we all benefit from a more diverse perspective.