WORLDWIDE: Travalyst, the not-for-profit global coalition of some of the biggest brands in travel and technology, has released its Five Year Milestone report today, which includes the launch of a new Data Hub.
Travalyst’s partners include giants of the industry such as Booking.com, Expedia Group, Google, Trip.com Group, Tripadvisor, Amadeus and Visa, and the 43-page Five Year Milestone Report offers industry insight from these partners, the Travalyst team and its Independent Advisory Group.
On page 26 of the report Travalyst announces it will be launching a Data Hub for the accommodation sector to help both travellers and the corporate sector choose the most sustainable options and align with new legislation coming in across the globe.
The Data Hub will:
- Consolidate accommodation sustainability data: Working with its partners to develop an aligned way to collect and display environmental footprint information consistently, building and iterating on the approach Travalyst has already developed;
- Make that data accessible: Similar to the Travel Impact Model (TIM) for aviation, Travalyst will ensure the data is easily accessible to partners across the industry and can be integrated directly into the booking platforms used by both corporate and leisure travellers;
- Ensure compliance and credibility: Travalyst will ensure that the metrics used align with emerging global regulations, supporting companies using the Data Hub to remain compliant amidst an evolving landscape.
Sustainable Hotel News also asked about the verification of the data uploaded to the Data Hub and Travalyst responded: “Verification of data is an important objective of the Data Hub. It will not, however, be addressed in the MVP version of the accommodation data, but in subsequent versions, in line with regulatory requirements.”
The Five Year Milestone Report also has a call to action to the industry. The travel industry produces 8.8 per cent of global GHG emissions and Travalyst asks industry leaders to consider three core actions to help achieve its ambitions for the next five years.
The call to action asks the industry to:
- Reduce its carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2030.
- Focus on nature – protecting and restoring at least 30 per cent of the planet, land, and sea by 2030.
- Look after communities by promoting sustainable tourism that enables “inclusive economic benefits, reduced inequality, and which preserves local culture and fragile ecosystems.”
Founded in 2019, Travalyst aims to be a source of trusted information “at scale” to empower better decision making and accelerate impact-led change across the travel industry.
Sally Davey, CEO, Travalyst, said: “Since our founding, we have brought together some of the world’s biggest travel and technology companies to deliver consistent, credible, and compliant sustainability information at scale. Over the next five years, we will expand and future-proof our existing efforts, roll out new and impactful initiatives, and support the industry to align with incoming regulations. This report outlines our plans – and the impact we aim to achieve.”
In the foreword by founder Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, he noted travellers “must be empowered with the information they need to make those trips count, ensuring that their travel plans – and spending – contribute to creating thriving ecosystems and prospering communities.”
Last year it disrupted the certification landscape by launching an initiative to try and offer a more standardised and transparent look at certifications for hotels.
The move came a month before Booking.com, a partner of Travalyst, dropped its Travel Sustainable programme, which was launched in 2021. The digital travel platform said it would introduce new labelling for properties, which have attained third-party sustainability certification.
We spoke to Travalyst’s data strategy lead, Aromica Bhattacharya a few days ago to talk about what makes certifications for accommodation such a complex and important subject for the future of sustainable travel.
Interview: Aromica Bhattacharya, data strategy lead, Travalyst
Photo by Darren Lee on Unsplash