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Explore unveils carbon trip ratings to encourage travel industry transparency

Explore has unveiled carbon ratings on all its trips in the largest carbon measurement project of its kind in the travel industry to date and now challenges the rest of the industry to do the same; to encourage carbon reduction.

Explore has unveiled carbon ratings on all its trips in the largest carbon measurement project of its kind in the travel industry to date and now challenges the rest of the industry to do the same; to encourage carbon reduction.

Explore has worked with ecollective to measure carbon emissions on every one of its 515 tours.

The company says emissions were calculated on 24 types of transport, 2000 accommodation types, activities, and leaders – as well as all operational activities involved in running the businesses in the UK and globally.

“I’m so proud of our team, who have worked tirelessly for months to get accurate, scientific measurements for carbon across our entire global programme. And this is just the start,” said Michael Edwards, Managing Director of Explore.

“Now, with a clear understanding of how our trips impact the planet, the hard work continues as we work alongside our partners and suppliers to start bringing these totals down.”

Jordan Wadi Rum Desert Rock Arch
Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan

Recent research by Explore Worldwide showed that 76% of people would like greater transparency when it comes to their environmental impact.

Carbon Measurement is one part of Explore’s three-step Climate Action Plan to Measure, Reduce and Mitigate carbon across its operations.

With clear calculations now in place, the company is on a mission to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% before 2030. 

Explore

Explore’s Carbon Measurement project – in numbers:

9,773                   lines of data entered by hand, by the Explore Product Team
1,853                   accommodation providers worked with
24                        transport types
163                      ferry journeys
860                     city tours
26                        cable car rides
198                      staff flights calculated
27,056                 staff commutes (Over 800,000km by train, car, bike and foot)
254,974              working from home hours
261,667              printed marketing materials measured (brochures, DMs, etc)

Meanwhile, Explore continues to mitigate residual carbon, offsetting all its trips with ClimateCare, and working with Rewilding Britain, Cool Earth and ecologi to protect and restore our environment.

The company has also recently launched a Clear on Carbon campaign, educating the public on the carbon measurement of holidays and urging other tourism businesses to follow suit.

karryon sustainable travel heart hands

“We really need this to be an industry-wide initiative,” said Edwards. 

“Working together as an industry, we’re stronger and more able to bring about change. We know the methodology is there, so really there’s no excuse now not to be completely transparent with our customers.”

Explore Worldwide’s average trip carbon footprint is 632kg. Its lowest-footprint trip, Walk the South Downs, has 59kg per person, while the lowest 7-night trips are Cycle Canal de Midi and Active Turkey at 79kg per person. 

For more information visit www.explore.co.uk/carbon