TUI has understood the importance of biodiversity for the tourism industry at an early stage. Within the scope of the "Tour Operators' Initiative (TOI) for Sustainable Tourism Development", TUI has therefore taken on a voluntary commitment to sustainable tourism development, which expressly includes the conservation of biological diversity.
The major international conventions and treaties such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and the Flora-Fauna-Habitat directive of the EU (FFH), are given the highest priority by TUI AG Environmental Management and establish the environmental-policy framework for the activities of the whole Group.
Milestones:
- 1997: Collaboration at the "Berlin Declaration" on sustainable tourism and biological diversity
- 1998: Participation at a conference organised together with the German Environment Ministry during the COP4 summit of CBD in Bratislava
- 2001: COP6 collaboration strategy paper "Biological Diversity and Tourism" (experts session CBD, Dominican Republic)
- 2006: Publication of a case study "Wildlife Watching and Tourism" together with CMS (Convention on Migratory Species) at COP8 Curitiba, Brazil
- 2008: Invitation to join the Business & Biodiversity Initiative of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (implemented by GIZ, German Society for International Cooperation). The goal pursued by the companies involved is to strengthen the relationship between economic activity and the preservation of biodiversity.
- 2010: Cooperation with the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation within the International Year of Biodiversity 2010 working on an awareness campaign targeting the illegal trading of souvenirs