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The mission is clear: to significantly reduce TUI's ecological footprint and to maximize the positive socio-economic impact of tourism on the holiday destinations.

TUI Group recently presented its sustainability program with a clear commitment to achieve the objectives set out therein by 2030. The mission is clear: to significantly reduce TUI's ecological footprint and to maximize the positive socio-economic impact of tourism on the holiday destinations. The sustainable development program is based on 3 pillars: People, Planet, Progress.

“We are in a decade of sustainable transformation – for TUI and the tourism industry as a whole. We want to strengthen and further develop tourism as a global engine of prosperity and development. Sustainability is a top priority for me personally and for TUI. proven in the past that we have the expertise and the right approach to make tourism more sustainable. That's why we see sustainability not as a threat but as an opportunity. We want to be guided by the latest climate science and that's why we work together with the Science Based Targets initiative".

People 
The aim is to maximize the positive socio-economic impact of tourism for the local population at the holiday destinations. For this purpose, TUI Group will collect 2024 million euros annually in 10 through its foundation, the TUI Care Foundation. This money will be used to improve the education of young people, preserve the natural environment of the destinations and advance local communities. 

Planet
The most important pillar of the sustainability program is the reduction of emissions in all activities of the group. A plan has been drawn up for this with an ambitious target compared to the reference year 2019. TUI is committed to achieving this target by 2030 for the airlines, the TUI hotels and the TUI cruise ships. In addition, TUI aims to achieve 'Net-Zero-emission' for the entire company and for the supply chain by 2050 at the latest. The entire sustainability program has been reviewed and approved by the independent Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which monitors target compliance based on the latest climate science data.

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TUI Airline's flights are responsible for about 80% of the group's emissions. CO₂ emissions per kilometer per passenger have already been reduced by 18% in recent years. These will be further reduced by 2030% by 24. TUI has always invested in the most modern fleet and will continue to do so in the future. In addition, the goal will also be achieved through improved efficiency of flight operations, such as the optimization of flight paths. The use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will also contribute to this. Finally, TUI advocates a progressive taxation that reflects an airline's efforts: higher taxes for an older fleet and lower for more modern aircraft or for a fleet that uses sustainable fuels.

For the TUI hotels, the group is committed to the goal of reducing emissions by at least 46,2%. The goal is actually even more ambitious and aims for hotel neutrality by 2030. To achieve this, TUI is increasing the use of renewable energy sources and is committed to greater efficiency in terms of general energy consumption in its hotels. TUI wants to become a pioneer in the sector in the field of climate and further increase this lead by applying the principle of the circular economy to all fields of activity.

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TUI was the first company in the industry to apply global sustainability standards in its excursion offerings.

TUI Group is committed to eliminating all unnecessary plastic packaging and objects by 2025. In 2019, 257 million disposable plastic items were already banned from hotels, cruise ships, airplanes and offices. Another target is to reduce food waste by 2030% across all group activities by 25.

By 2030 at the latest, TUI will offer climate neutral cruises and emissions at TUI Cruises will be reduced by more than a quarter (27,5%). No other cruise line in the world currently commits to such an absolute reduction target. Incidentally, TUI Cruises is the only company to have received SBTi approval so far.

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Progress
To accelerate the transformation to sustainable tourism, TUI applies an independent label as a quality mark for hotels that meet the sustainability certification strategy. Since 2015, 54 million holidays have been spent in certified sustainable hotels.

There are also changes in the field of excursions at the destination. TUI was the first company in the industry to apply global sustainability standards in its excursion offerings. TUI Musement is also certified according to the criteria of the Global Sustainable Council. This certification process helps local suppliers improve the sustainability of their offerings and supports the transformation of the entire tourism industry.

A good example is the “Co-Lab Rhodes”, launched in 2022 by TUI and the TUI Care Foundation in collaboration with the Greek government and the government of the South Aegean. Very popular as a holiday destination, the island of Rhodes is becoming a global role model of sustainable transformation: 27 local projects have been approved and are currently being developed.

TUI's sustainability program demonstrates the group's ambition not only to shape its own transformation, but also to be a pioneer in the tourism sector and a trendsetter in all holiday destinations. One thing is clear: 2030 is an important milestone, but also only an intermediate step towards the final ambition to achieve 'Net-Zero-emission' by 2050 at the latest, according to the Travel organization.

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