Toronto, ON (Friday, October 29, 2021) - The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) is set to start this Sunday, October 31, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland, and VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, is taking the opportunity to promote sustainable tourism in Britain.
VisitBritain’s latest international consumer research showed that more than two-thirds of travellers surveyed across 13 countries are thinking more about sustainability and the environmental impact when planning holidays.
In the run-up to COP26 VisitBritain has launched a global sustainable tourism content ‘hub’ for visitors with itineraries, activities and experiences to enjoy a sustainable stay in Britain.
VisitBritain Executive Vice President Americas Gavin Landry said:
“The COP26 Summit and the accompanying media exposure gives us a timely and valuable opportunity to highlight how visitors can enjoy a sustainable and responsible stay in Britain, from eco-friendly accommodation to dark sky reserves, from sustainable fashion and locally sourced food and drink to epic train journeys and cycling routes.
“Many businesses and organisations in our sector are already putting sustainability at the heart of what they do and we want to support visitors and our global travel trade partners to find products and experiences that will enrich their stay. And we hope people will then stay longer, travel more widely using low-carbon transport and to explore out of season.”
Follow these links for terrific ideas on exploring Britain sustainably:
COP26 Host City Glasgow, Scotland: discover an urban sanctuary connected with nature
Electric car driving routes in Britain’s Countryside: England’s The Lake District and Northumberland regions and the Scottish Highlands
Discover some of Britain’s most sustainable accommodation options: A selection of Green Tourism accredited properties across England, Scotland and Wales
The Caledonian Sleeper night train: access Scotland’s sustainable travel experiences by rail from London
Explore Britain’s cities on two-wheels: Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London and Manchester
Discover sustainable fashion in Britain: eco-friendly shopping through ethical clothing brands, vintage apparel and recycled goods
Coastal Cornwall, England’s sustainable traditions: a bio-diversity and ecological research hub
VisitBritain has set out its priorities to aid the recovery of both domestic and international tourism, including rebuilding a more resilient, sustainable and accessible industry supporting the UK Government’s ambitions set out in the Tourism Recovery Plan. Its recently published Sustainable Tourism discussion paper sets out its approach, from championing regional dispersal and low carbon transport, sharing resources and best practice with businesses to working with the trade on itineraries that support sustainable and responsible tourism.
COP26 is the next in a series of major events to be held in Britain. Next year, significant global tourism draws will include HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and ‘UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK’ 2022 - to promote the UK's creativity and innovation to the world.
Tourism is a critical industry for the UK, usually worth £127 billion a year to the economy and VisitBritain continues to also work with the industry to spread the economic and social benefits of tourism more widely, driving visits right across the year and across the nations and regions, supporting local economies.