THE Wrap is a round-up of news in the travel and technology industries, and updates on how businesses in these sectors are resetting as they prepare for post-pandemic travel.
Accor joins global sustainability network to help address environmental challenges
Accor has joined the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, a global organisation that brings together hospitality companies to address and tackle key challenges affecting the planet and its people.
The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance “drives collaborative action and develop free practical resources and programmes to enable the wider industry with leading hospitality companies and strategic partners to operate responsibly and grow sustainably.”
Also aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the members commit to pilot continued actions on a range of social and environmental issues including human rights, youth employment, climate action and water stewardship.
The Alliance’s members make up 25% of the global hotel industry by rooms and include Hilton, Hyatt, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International and Radisson Hotel Group. They work together and use their collective power on issues like improving supply chain standards and mitigating climate change.
“Sustainability and social responsibility are essential to our business. As a global hospitality group we have a responsibility that goes far beyond our own impacts, and it’s our role to shape the future of travel and take care of our planet and the communities in which we operate,” said Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO Accor on the group’s participation in the Alliance.
“We believe working together as an industry on sustainability makes us stronger and is the most effective way in finding new ways to contributing positively to the environment and the local communities globally.”
Madhu Rajesh, CEO of Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, said Accor’s “expertise and commitment towards sustainability will make a valuable addition to the best practices of our existing members.”
In 2011, as part of its on-going CSR strategy, Accor identified 21 areas of business activity where significant improvements could be made and set policies for measurable actions and goals. These include targets around reducing energy and water consumption, a move towards carbon-neutral buildings, and promotion of healthier and sustainable food with a drastic reduction on food waste.
Emirates rolls out IATA Travel Pass across worldwide network
Emirates has signed a contract with the International Air Transport Association to implement the IATA Travel Pass across its global network.
This latest move follows the airline’s successful trials of the health travel pass in April on select routes from its Dubai hub, expanding the pilot to 12 routes in June.
Emirates said currently the pass is available to its customers travelling from 50 cities, making it the “first airline to implement the IATA solution on six continents.”
The rollout across all 120+ Emirates destinations is expected to be completed by October, it added.
Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ chief operating officer, said having worked with IATA on the health pass from early pilot trials to full implementation, it would continue to cooperate with the association on enhancements to facilitate more secure and smoother journeys for travellers.
Nick Careen, IATA senior vice president operations, safety and security, said Emirates’ implementation of the pass across its global network “cements its role as a key tool in managing the complex myriad of health credentials required for travel.”
Sabre expands partnership with Shiji Distribution Solutions
Sabre Corporation has strengthened its partnership with Shiji Distribution Solutions to give hoteliers better access to the Chinese travel market.
Announcing the enhanced cooperation in a statement, Sabre said that while the Chinese travel market is one of the biggest in the world, Chinese travellers have traditionally been hard to reach for many hoteliers.
“This expanded relationship between Sabre and Shiji will open up further access for hoteliers, through the Sabre SynXis hospitality platform, to the channels Chinese travellers typically use to search and book their trips across corporate and leisure segments.”
Sabre has previously worked with Shiji to connect hoteliers to selected channels within China including the WeChat booking engine, as well as Fliggy and Meituan travel platforms.
The renewed broader agreement enables Sabre’s hospitality partners to connect to a wider range of travel agents, online travel agencies (OTAs), travel management companies (TMCs) and wholesalers across the Chinese marketplace.
They are able connect to these channels through Sabre Channel Connect, which simplifies and automates distribution of a hotel’s offers, rates and availability and is designed to reach hotel guests where they shop.
Anson Lau, Shiji’s managing director, said the collboration would support hoteliers “to capture recovery and grow their brand by making the most of the significant opportunities presented by the Chinese marketplace.”
“The additional connections available to Sabre through Shiji will, on one hand, help Sabre’s hotel partners build brand awareness in Greater China, driving bookings from Chinese travellers and, on the other hand, help Shiji’s robust network of travel agent partners gain instant access to Sabre’s hotel customers,” he added.
• Featured image credit: RomoloTavani/Getty Images
