New sustainability initiatives from CIE Tours include decarbonization strategy, partner pilot program and more.
MORRISTOWN, NJ – As part of CIE Tours’ continued commitment to sustainability, leading tour operator for guided vacations to Ireland and Britain has signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. Uniting travel and tourism behind a common goal, the Glasgow Declaration encourages climate action through partners’ commitment to reduce emissions by at least 50% over the next decade and to achieve net zero by 2050.
As a signatory, the company has committed to aligning its actions with the Declaration’s designated five pathways, reporting annually on progress made, as well as sharing best practices and solutions for the betterment of the industry.
CIE Tours also announced the appointment of Ken Lyons as Sustainability Manager, based in the company’s office in Dublin, Ireland. Bringing more than 15 years of tourism and hospitality experience to the organization, Lyons will lead the charge in development and oversight of all companywide sustainability strategies to ensure the program’s long-term success.
“We’re committed not only to doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint, but to be among those advancing sustainability practices within our industry,” said Stephen Cotter, managing director of CIE Tours. “Our commitment to the Glasgow Declaration and the appointment of Ken Lyons as Sustainability Manager underscores our dedication to championing the future of sustainable travel.” Cotter also noted that CIE Tours has signed the United States Tour Operator Association’s Sustainability Promise.
Lyons will focus on industry relations and forging strong partnerships with the goal of advancing CIE Tours’ sustainability agenda; implementation of initiatives that support the organization’s recently developed decarbonization strategy; and adoption of best practices that support both CIE Tours’ parent company, CIE Group, and the global community. Lyons’ recent work has included projects like Screen Ireland, which focused on better understanding the impact of carbon emissions within the Irish film and TV industry and development of a decarbonization roadmap for the organization.
To establish a baseline, in 2022 CIE Tours calculated its carbon emissions across its operations, including tours and flights taken by guests. This large-scale effort formed the foundation for the company’s carbon reduction targets with the goal of meeting the following deliverables by 2030:
- 50% reduction in corporate emissions
- 50% reduction in emissions from land arrangements
- 25% reduction in emissions from aviation
To support these goals, CIE Tours has also implemented a pilot program with select industry suppliers to gather data, identify best practices and to establish benchmarks. Initial pilot partners include Guinness Storehouse, Aer Lingus, Dalata Hotels, Hyatt Centric The Liberties, Ballygarry Estate Hotel & Spa, Croke Park Hotel and Cronin’s Coaches, who are running CIE Tours’ 2024 schedule of Irish Gold tours on biofuel (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil; HVO), which includes more than 50 departures.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
![Peter Kern [Credit Expedia Group]](https://www.traveldailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Peter-Kern-Credit-Expedia-Group-400x265.jpg)
