Why is biodiversity important? How does the loss of biodiversity impact on tourism and what can we do against it? – on 29 and 30 September 2010 some 25 international representatives from travel operators, travel agencies and conservation organisations will be dealing with these issues at Robinson Club Cala Serena. In conjunction with the Global Nature Fund (GNF) TUI AG´s Environmental Management unit has invited top ranking travel industry managers to Mallorca to discuss measures to conserve biodiversity and to develop feasible concepts for the industry. The workshop will be held within the European „Business & Biodiversity“ campaigne by GNF.
“The conservation of biodiversity represents a crucial challenge for the future. Together with our partners as well as with our competitors we wish to work towards anchoring the conservation of biodiversity in our business activities and practices. “We will only be successful if countries and companies manage to pull in the same direction and act in an overarching manner,” says Mila Dahle, head of Group Environmental Management/Sustainable Development at TUI AG, to elucidate the thrust of the event.
TUI and the GNF are counting on clarity at the conference: many examples of practice are intended to heighten awareness for the diversity of nature. Subsequently, the travel industry representatives will work on measures to conserve biodiversity along the value chain and discuss opportunities for anchoring the relevant environmental standards at the corporate level. Presentations by experts from the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), the International Union for Conservation of Nature as well as the GNF are designed to show the participants what kind of support they can count on for putting their plans into practice. In addition TUI will provide insights into its work on the Balearics: the programme includes an excursion to the TUI Forest as well as a guided tour by one of Robinson´s environmental managers around TUI Environmental Champion award winner Club Cala Serena.
