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As a first time visitor to Australia, Shannon Guihan, Chief TreadRight and Sustainability Officer for TTC, is here to celebrate International Women’s Day at the Force for Good event this Friday, but also to talk about TreadRight and offer updates on the Foundation.

Operating now for 12 years, TreadRight is a not for profit foundation, a vehicle for TTC and its family of brands to support destinations worldwide through their profits. Now, in 2020 its projects number in excess of 55, worldwide.

In light of the deforestation caused by the recent bushfires, Guihan announced that in partnership with One Tree Planted and its eDoc initiative to minimize the use of paper, TreadRight and TTC have committed its 2020 funds to helping Australia bounce back – by planting a tree for every guest that chooses eDocs.

Acknowledging that as an industry we’re facing particularly challenging times, Guihan reminds us that, “Travel and tourism is an incredibly resilient space, we bounce back. Destinations require us to bounce back, we’ve become a critical vehicle for economies worldwide. More than that – we are just too curious to stop travelling, to stop exploring,”

Although the doom and gloom has captured recent headlines, Guihan continues, “We can’t lose sight of the fact that change is afoot – on the fact that our business and industry are taking action – and that we all, as individuals, can ALL participate.”

The gravity of the issues being addressed is that the time has arrived where our space is beginning to set competition aside, and to acknowledge the fact that the challenges we all face, including climate change, xenophobia, diversity and inclusion – are all interconnected. And at this stage – attempts at addressing them transcend beyond becoming just another Unique Selling Proposition. Otherwise our natural spaces, our oceans, and communities will continue to suffer as the result of poor leadership and decisions.

Believing in the power of commerce, Alison O’Loughlin from Adventure World Travel, Dan Christian representing Contiki Cares, and Matthew Cameron-Smith from AAT Kings and Inspiring Journeys – joined her on a panel to discuss how TreadRight effects their roles to make travel matter for guests. And how working with sustainable partners and suppliers help the people in the places TTC guests visit, protecting the wildlife and preserving our planet.

Guihan concluded the informative and inspiring event with the Make Travel Matter pledge, encouraging its responsible travelers to solidify their commitment to helping protect the destinations we work with, its communities and local wildlife.