Global travel management company, Diversity Travel, has announced a series of major updates to its online booking tool that make it easier for clients to reduce their environmental impact when booking a trip.
The latest developments include air-to-rail switching functionality, carbon offsetting capabilities, and sustainable hotel filtering.
Diversity Travel claims that these new features have already been in use by clients with a combined annual travel spend of more than £10m, with usage growing month-on-month.
The improvements to the booking tool is one of several investments being made to Diversity’s technology solutions, having recently hired a new chief technical officer, Joanne Bowden, who oversaw these developments.
More upgrades to the booking tool are scheduled for later this year.
It comes after 50 countries endorsed a landmark proposal for Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism at COP29 in November 2024, further highlighting the need for the travel and tourism sector to further reduce its environmental impact.
According to Diversity Travel’s head of Environmental Action, Alastair Dickenson, these changes will better equip and encourage travellers to make more sustainable choices by having more options and visibility on the impact of their choices.
The company has been carbon-neutral since 2011 and has reduced its carbon emissions by 83.9% million pound turnover.
On the announcement, Joanne Bowden said: “Our aim is simple, make sustainable travel the default and technology will play a huge role in this. The updates reflect our long-term commitment to helping our clients reduce the carbon footprint of their trips and to be empowered to make more informed travel decisions.
“We’re pleased to be able to make this announcement, which reaffirms our commitment to sustainability, on World Environment Day but the team will continue to develop the booking tool and our other tech products all year round.”
