A growing number of tour operators and travel agents are supporting Trees for Travel, allowing their customers to minimize the environmental effects of their trip. You can support our forest regeneration programs in various ways. Many agents have included information about us in their brochure or have inserted a link on their website; others send our leaflets with the customer’s travel documents. We are very grateful for this support as we understand that it requires funds: Therefore you can choose in which way you want to participate.
More than 60,000 trips offset
Fortunately, more and more people are opting for environmentally friendly travel. Since our outset in 2001, by planting trees, Trees for Travel has offset more than 60,000 trips made by individuals as well as companies and organisations.
Who is Trees for Travel?
Trees for Travel is a non-profit organisation whose aim is to achieve more forest and less greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore we work in a business-like, yet not commercial, way; working together with you to create a cost effective business profile. An important factor for your customers is that offsetting your trip with Trees for Travel, in contrast with other providers, is tax-deductible. As such, we meet the needs of your customers by assuring that as much of their money goes towards forest regeneration and protection whilst raising their environmental awareness and responsibility. As we are not allied to any organisation in the travel sector, we are totally independent meaning that your details are and remain confidential.
The principle of environmentally friendly travel
Generally, the further you travel, the more greenhouse gases are produced. However, there are other factors involved; the means of travel plays an important role. When you fly, taking off and landing produce more exhaust gases, therefore longer flights are relatively favourable. The polluting effects of car, bus and train holidays are also relatively minor and these can be calculated on request by Trees for Travel. However, you can work out an indication via our Emissions Calculator; a calculation method that we have developed, and has been tested by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.
The emissions calculator has been kept as simple as possible so that your customers can quickly work out their own greenhouse gas emissions. Our experience shows that our customers approve of our estimated amounts of CO2 emissions. To calculate flight emissions, three zones are used.
A growing forest absorbs the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. To plant forests in developing countries, Trees for Travel cooperates with different organisations that meet the criteria drawn up by the University of Wageningen, the Netherlands as well as international climate change treaties. As well as absorption of CO2, the plantation of forests aids the regeneration and protection of the natural environment in regions of the planet where this is in doubt necessary. When we travel, we are burning fossil fuels that result in the emission of greenhouse gases that promote the greenhouse effect. So, by planting forests that absorb CO2, we are completing the circle.
How to get involved
Tour operators and travel agents can both participate in the Trees for Travel program.
Briefly, these are the various possibilities:
Two further options for cooperation are:
Offset – the next step
We have display information available for use in travel agent offices. Tour operators choosing the above option need only to specify how much CO2 they need to offset. This can be calculated using a method that has been verified by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment so you can swiftly determine just how much forest is needed to offset a particular trip. By using our Emissions Calculator you can find out how much CO2 is produced. For example, for a return flight in zone 1 (within Europe) an average of 1.25 ton of CO2 per person has to be absorbed. In practice, this means that 62 trees have to grow for 1 year and we will plant an additional 7 extra trees. Every traveller choosing to offset their trip receives a personalised certificate that specifies which trip and how much CO2 has been offset.
How does it work?
For all-inclusive trips
For trips not including a CO2 offset
You can make use of the Trees for Travel leaflet that includes payment authorisation details or your own booking system. You should put your company stamp on the leaflet and send it with the travel documents. When using your own booking system, those clients wanting to take part in the Trees for Travel program are directed to our website. A certificate to offset 1.25 ton CO2 costs 17 euros. You will receive a monthly bill and after payment we will send the certificates to your clients. You will receive a discount for every application received via your booking system or through our leaflet.
Do you need more information?
Download our folder or contact us.