Burnley travel agent recognised as Sustainable travel expert

Earlier this year, Simon Collinge of Designer Travel by Simon Collinge was selected by TTG Media and the TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes to be one of just 20 travel agents nationwide to take part in the TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors programme in 2024.

The six-month programme has seen participants attend a series of workshops to learn about the principles of sustainability and the choices they can encourage clients to make in order to make a difference.

Topics covered included:

• Understanding carbon and greenhouse gas emissions
• Identifying suppliers who are taking sustainability seriously
• How travellers can minimise their negative impact, including animal welfare
• How travellers can maximise their positive impact, including community tourism and community-based tourism
• How to recognise and avoid greenwashing in travel marketing
   

Students on the programme also had to complete a variety of homework tasks, and were given the opportunity to attend at least one sustainability-themed familiarisation trip in order to see sustainable travel in action.

Simon was amazed to be offered a trip to South Africa where he experienced first-hand Sustainable Tourism in action, spending time with the Black Mambas, an all female anti poaching unit, exploring Kruger National Park in search of the Big Five and also spending time in Soweto learning all about the pride and resilience of the people who lived there and, although It’s a place that has known immense hardship, why the people he met were full of optimism and hope for the future.

Earlier this week Simon successfully graduated the programme and is now equipped with a variety of experience and marketing tools to help him promote his new found expertise to his customers.

TTG Media head of partner content Madeleine Barber said: “At TTG Media our mission is to build a Smarter, Better, Fairer travel industry, and working with this passionate group of travel agents to inspire and educate them on all things responsible travel is a huge part of that.

"We’re incredibly proud to see them thrive now they have the tools, knowledge, contacts and – crucially – the confidence to sell more sustainable travel.”
 When asked about his experience on the course Simon said: “ When I first applied to join the TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes training programme, sustainability was a subject I knew little about and wasn’t confident discussing with my clients.

"Having completed the course I am a lot more confident and open to discussing and suggesting more sustainable options to my clients, however I have realised that sustainability isn’t about reaching an end date, destination or target, it’s a constantly evolving journey, and this is just the start of that journey, which will continue long after I have finished these training sessions.

"I’ve already learnt more than I expected. I am sure there will be far more to come and I am excited to see where this journey takes us.”

The TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors programme was delivered in conjunction with the TTG Sustainable Travel Heroes – four suppliers and one destination who are leading in their sectors:
AE Expeditions, part of Aurora Expeditions – expedition partner
Greece – destination partner
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts – accommodation partner
Intrepid – small group adventure partner
TTC Tour Brands, made up of Contiki, Costsaver, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold – touring partner