• Jet2holidays has officially joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

• Jet2 launches a comprehensive sustainability strategy, covering operations on the ground, in the air, and in resorts.

• Actions and commitments include investing in new efficient aircraft, using sustainable aviation fuel by 2026, and launching one of the world’s largest airline carbon offsetting schemes.

Jet2 has published a comprehensive new sustainability strategy covering its operations on the ground, in the air, and in resort. The strategy sets out Jet2’s decarbonisation plans on route to net zero by 2050 and the company has called on the UK Government to match its ambition by doing more to support aviation, including ringfencing the millions of pounds paid in carbon taxes to invest in technology and solutions to mitigate climate change.
The strategy includes a series of actions and commitments that have meaningful positive impacts at every stage of the journey, ensuring customers can enjoy package holidays and scheduled holiday flights that are more environmentally sustainable.

Since 2011 Jet2.com has reduced its CO2 per passenger per km by more than 19%, a figure which stands to improve further following an agreement to purchase up to 60 new Airbus A321 NEO aircraft which makes travelling with Jet2 even more efficient and further reduces emissions per passenger.
Jet2holidays Hotel Sustainability

Besides aiming for carbon neutrality in its ground operations by 2023, and 80% reduction in single use plastics by 2023, Jet2holidays plans to cover sustainability issues in its hotel supply chain.

Jet2holidays is preparing a hotel sustainability labelling scheme which will empower its customers to filter their hotel selection by sustainability.

Jet2holidays will also launch a Hotel Sustainability Charter in 2023, covering hotel management as well as environmental, social and economic business impacts.

Travel as a Force for Good

Steve Heapy, Chief Executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “Economically, socially and culturally, travel is a force for good. We have already taken many steps to make Jet2.com one of the most environmentally efficient airlines in the world, and we are continuing our work to become more sustainable in the air, on the ground and in resort. We have always taken our environmental impact seriously, and today is a proud milestone that sets us on a flightpath to decarbonisation.”

Ian Doubtfire Sustainability and Business Development Director of Jet2.com & Jet2holidays said: “Jet2holidays is proud to be a member of the GSTC. We have been working with the GSTC to refine the “in Resort” part of our strategy with a view to having our Hotel Sustainability Labelling Scheme on our website in 2022, and we look forward to close collaboration with GSTC on our Hotel Sustainability Charter over the next year. By taking action on the ground, in the air and in resort, we can address sustainability at every stage of the journey and our membership of GSTC will help us in realising the meaningful positive impacts we hope to achieve.”

GSTC Welcomes Jet2holidays

Randy Durband, Chief Executive Officer of GSTC said: “Much can be done on the ground to reduce carbon emissions including hotel operations and land transport. We applaud Jet2Holidays’ plans to encourage and reward hotels that are taking measured and externally verified steps to operate more sustainably.”

About Jet2holidays

Jet2holidays is a UK leading tour operator to destinations across Mediterranean, Canary Islands and Europe, and provides great value package holidays you can trust to more than 550 resorts. Jet2holidays wraps everything up in one great package.

Jet2holidays has won a range of awards. In March 2021, the benchmark UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI), produced bi-annually by the Institute of Customer Service, named Jet2holidays 26th out of almost 250 companies for customer service. This makes Jet2holidays the only tour operator in the 50 top companies when it comes to delivering customer satisfaction. In 2018 and 2019, Jet2holidays was awarded with a Gold Trusted Provider Award by Feefo, for providing customers with an exceptional booking experience both online and through its UK call centre. In 2020, Jet2holidays went one better and was awarded with a Platinum Trusted Provider Award by Feefo and received the coveted award for the second year running in 2021.

For further information visit www.jet2holidays.com. Independent travel agents can visit the dedicated trade site trade.jet2holidays.com

About the GSTC

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) establishes and manages global sustainable standards, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources, while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation.

The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for GSTC’s role as the global Accreditation Body for Certification Programs that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services; but it accredits those that do. The GSTC is an independent and neutral USA-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including UN agencies, NGO’s, national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.

Information for media and the press: https://staging.gstcouncil.org/about/for-the-press/