Today marks the official launch of the Responsible Travel Advisor Collective (RTAC), a new community of UK-based professionals dedicated to ensure that travel advisors are acknowledged as a vital piece of the puzzle in selling and marketing more responsible travel options.

The motivation behind RTAC stems from a frustration that although travel advisors make up around 35% of overall travel sales within the UK (based on latest ABTA figures), with sales of over £20bn, we feel that advisors have been left on the sidelines of the sustainability conversation. The collective aims to change that, giving us the platform for our perspective to be heard, with the tools, policy recommendations and transparency we need to be able to trade with full confidence.

Currently, much of the industry’s sustainability infrastructure focuses on tour operators, supply chains and reporting, and RTAC has identified a significant gap: the need to empower advisors on the front line with the knowledge, skills, and commercial tools in order for us to make a greater contribution.

As a collective we’ll have our own charter, although with the basic principles of responsible tourism:

Wildlife Protection: We believe that animals should be observed in their natural habitats and not exploited for entertainment. We’ll fully support others in trying to bring to end the sale of exploitative captive attractions, and will campaign for the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 to be implemented properly.

Supporting Communities: Tourism should be a force for good that preserves indigenous cultures and ensures local people see the direct benefits of every visitor. This means tackling overtourism in the most crowded destinations, whilst supporting destinations which are sometimes criminally under-visited.

Climate & Carbon Consciousness: Whilst travel connects us, the collective is committed to reducing its impact by championing lower-carbon alternatives like rail, electric vehicles, and hotels which have excelled in meeting environmental standards. However, some of these are not always as assessable as they should be, and we’ll work to make these a viable choice in the booking process.

“We want future generations to experience the world just as we have,” adds Ashley. “But for that to happen, we believe responsible travel must become the foundation of every holiday, not just an after thought.”

With more knowledge, comes more responsibility, and we’ll campaign for what we believe to be right. Whether that’s specific areas like trying to stop the sale of captive cetacean attractions, or more broader policy like overtourism, we want to be involved in that conversation. alongside building stronger relationships with our partners.

Advisors interested in joining the movement can find more information and our charter on the website www.rtac.co.uk