Peter Long, Chief Executive of TUI Travel and the group’s extensive sustainability programme, is under the spotlight at this year’s World Travel Market. As boss of Europe’s largest leisure travel company, Long will be put ‘on the spot’ by Stephen Sackur, presenter of BBC World’s flagship news programme HARDtalk.

Hot Seat, one of the keynote attractions at WTM’s World Responsible Tourism Day (WRTD), sponsored by BBC World, on Wednesday 11 November at London ExCeL, is an opportunity to hear one of the world’s leading senior industry figures explain why they are so committed to a green agenda.

Fiona Jeffery, chairman of World Travel Market said she was delighted that Peter Long had accepted an invitation to participate in WTM World Responsible Tourism Day. “Hot Seat is one of the undoubted highlights of WTM WRTD”, she said. “In the past, responsible tourism was confined to smaller, specialist companies but now leading mass market operators such as TUI Travel are demonstrating that sustainability and commercial success can and are going hand in hand.

“TUI Travel rightly recognise that the environment, communities and cultures in which it operates are vital to the success of the business.

“Clearly responsible leadership is one of the company’s essential values.”

“Sustainable development is central to the way we run and manage TUI Travel”, said Long. “Sustainability is one of our four key drivers for growth, and the Group Strategy team has taken into consideration sustainable development issues – with particular reference to climate change – when developing our business strategy.

“We have recently issued our first Sustainable Development report which documents the progress our businesses have made towards providing holidays that cause minimal environmental impact, respect the culture and people of destinations and offer real economic benefit to local communities.

“We are determined to not only talk about our commitment to sustainable development but to embed and action this within our businesses. Our aspirations are to lead in sustainable development within the leisure travel industry and to develop this in the wider marketplace”, added Long. "We still have a long way to go, but I believe that the steps we have taken in the last year have set us on course to make a real contribution to a more sustainable world.”

WTM World Responsible Tourism Day, in association with the UNWTO and supported by major industry associations such as WTTC and PATA, is the world’s most ambitious responsible tourism day of action, illustrating to consumers worldwide that travel and tourism is listening to their demands for a caring, more sensitive approach from the industry. The day aims to educate and inspire the industry. Last year Ed Fuller, CEO of Marriott International took the Hot Seat.

A programme of debates, presentations, seminars and workshops ends with a networking event.

WTM WRTD Hot Seat is at - 12.00 – 13.00 Platinum Suite 4, at ExCeL London on Wednesday 11 November. Log on to wtmwrtd.com for the latest WTM World Responsible Tourism programme.