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Last night, The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands celebrated 10 years of The TreadRight Foundation – hosting an inspiring cocktail function at the Taronga Institute of Science & Learning. The not-for-profit organisation is at the heart of TTC’s commitment to making tourism a force for positive change around the world.

TTC brands such as Adventure World Travel, Trafalgar, Contiki, Insight Vacations, AAT Kings, Busabout and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises – are shaped by TreadRight’s pillars of People, Wildlife and Planet which form an integral part of its policies and decisions on who they work with, and how they operate.

Born from TTC’s Global CEO Brett Tollman’s vision to make travel matter, TreadRight has spent the last decade working to help support over 50 sustainable tourism projects worldwide, including the recently announced Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative in Jordan and Wildlife SOS in India. Prior to the event, in commitment to keeping our oceans litter free, a team of influential storytellers joined Tollman and TTC’s Australian CEO, John Veitch at Clifton Gardens for a beach clean and to learn about the damaging effects of micro-plastic.

Event guests including travel partners, tourism boards, airlines, media and influencers arrived at Taronga’s newly opened institute, to be greeted by indigenous performers Gumaroy and Murray from Tribal Warrior who shared their story and delighted the crowd with the powerful sounds of the digeridoo.

“We are not simply united as a family of brands, we are also united by our shared drive to help make the world a better place. It’s a philosophy that we’ve worked hard to ensure is woven throughout all that we do,” says Tollman. “From supporting and empowering the local communities we visit, to raising awareness around some of the world’s most at risk wildlife populations, and contributing to the overall health of the planet, TreadRight has been instrumental in powering TTC’s continuing sustainability journey.”

Among the recent social responsibility initiatives introduced by TreadRight for TTC’s brands is an e-documents program delivered in partnership with One Tree Planted, a leading not-for-profit focused on global reforestation. Through the program, for every TTC guest that opts to receive e-documents rather than printed materials, One Tree Planted will plant a tree in a destination of their choosing. To date, the initiative has seen One Tree Planted reforest over 100 acres of trees on behalf of TTC and their guests.

TreadRight has also worked with TTC in its commitment to eliminate all avoidable single-use plastics across all operations by 2022. The commitment was introduced with an immediate ban of more than 60 types of single-use plastic items such as straws, coffee stirrers, water bottles, plastic bags, and cutlery from TTC’s 30-plus offices around the world.

“We’ve learned a great deal through our first decade, with one key takeaway from 10 years of sustainability projects being the need to lead by example. TTC’s devotion to our sustainability journey has allowed us to do exactly that. We can’t do it alone, which is why we’re creating awareness,” commented John Veitch, CEO of The Travel Corporation Australia.

Neil Rodgers, Managing Director of Adventure World Travel, who is also celebrating a milestone 40-years of tailor-made luxury holidays, hosted a panel of dynamic storytellers – including Brinkley Davies, marine biologist and eco warrior for Contiki, and Sarah Jane Adams who shares a passion for sustainable travel with Adventure World Travel. The central goal of their trip was to learn more about Wildlife SOS’s work to save elephants from negligent and abusive situations and to bring attention to the dangers of animal tourism. Belinda Fairbrother, Manager of Community Conservation at Taronga Conservation Society Australia was also on stage to discuss the positive impact made by transforming its two Zoo’s into conservation hubs, telling the story of healthy ecosystems, habitats, wildlife and communities across the globe.

Ultimately, understanding how our personal impact can make a huge difference to our planet if everyone makes a few key changes. Together we can make a difference to Make. Travel. Matter.