Travel Industry Research Finds Sustainability Efforts Lack Commercial Integration

Research conducted by Expedia Australia and New Zealand country director Philippa Durant found that while travel businesses recognize the importance of purpose, relatively few have embedded it into the commercial mechanics of their organizations. The findings, based on 26 in-depth interviews with senior industry leaders, concluded that the industry has a process problem rather than a values problem.

Many travel companies measure environmental and social contributions through initiatives like carbon offsets and conservation projects. The report argues that these activities are rarely integrated into the financial and operational metrics used by executives and boards to evaluate business performance.