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AIDA Cruises hosts Futouris strategy conference
Cruise line meets with members of thesustainability initiative to discuss new strategies in tourism
From October 8-9, 2015, AIDA Cruiseshosted the Futouris e.V. strategy conference. The sustainability initiative issponsored by the German Travel Association (DRV). Germany’s leading cruise line,AIDA Cruises, joined Futouris e.V. in 2012 with the aim of promotingsustainable development of tourism destinations in the areas of ecology, biodiversity,and sociocultural responsibility.
A focal subject at the Futouris strategy conference was exchange on organizingand promoting sustainable excursions. A trailblazer in this respect, AIDACruises shared its experiences with conference members and presented theresults of the project “sustainable land excursions,” which was successfullycompleted in 2015.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
In 2014, AIDA Cruises developed a standardizedcatalog of criteria for sustainable land excursions in partnership withFutouris e.V., the State Chancellery Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and theLeuphana University in Lüneburg. Whether a city stroll through Barcelona, hikingin Norway, or a bike tour through Athens – all AIDA excursions that fulfill thesocial, ecological, and cultural criteria are marked with a tree symbol. On MyAIDA,guests can inform themselves and book these excursions. AIDA Cruises currentlyoffers 138 sustainable land excursions along with 230 bike and pedelec trips at160 destinations. These excursions were assessed and developed based on thecatalog of criteria. Starting now, the catalog of criteria is available to allFutouris members.
“Our goal was to create a transparentbasis of comparison for the sustainability of the individual excursion offersand to base the evaluation on measurable and scientific criteria. Marking oursustainable excursions helps guests make eco-friendly choices,” says MonikaGriefahn, Chief Sustainability Officer at AIDA Cruises.
“AIDA and Futouris have successfullydemonstrated how sustainable land excursions can be organized and implemented.Other members and destinations can benefit from this expertise as well,” saysHasso von Düring, chairman of Futouris e.V.
Further topics at the strategy conference included the exchange of bestpractices for saving water on cruise ships and at hotels, measuring andreducing the tourism industry’s contribution to climate change, and marking andpromoting sustainable products. The Futouris members also discussed challengesand opportunities for sustainable nutrition and responsible management of foodin tourism.
About AIDA Cruises
AIDA Cruises is one of Germany’s fastest growing and most financiallysuccessful tourism businesses and currently employs around 7,000 people from 40countries. Of these employees, 6,000 work on board and 1,000 work at thecompany headquarters in Rostock and Hamburg. With its 10 cruise ships, AIDAoperates and markets one of the most state-of-the-art fleets in the world. Theships are operated in compliance with the highest international quality,environmental, and safety standards. By 2020, the AIDA fleet will expand to 14ships.
www.aida.de
About Futouris e.V.
Futouris was founded in 2009. The shared objective of its board and members,who work on a voluntary basis, is long-term, sustainable development of touristdestinations with targeted support of projects in the areas of ecology,biodiversity, and sociocultural responsibility. To ensure the highest standardsfor qualification of worldwide projects, Futouris is backed by aninternational, seven-member scientific advisory committee that providesadvisory support for project development and is responsible for projectaccreditation.
In 2014, Futouris was awarded the “Green Palm” by GEO SAISON. The German TravelAssociation (DRV) and the Austrian Travel Association (ÖRV) support theobjectives of Futouris and are actively involved in its work as patrons.
www.futouris.org
Rostock, October 9, 2015
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