Most suppliers in Travel Connect's network are locally owned, with tourism revenue staying close to home and in the hands of people who genuinely care about their communities. Our data shows strong commitment across all three pillars of sustainable tourism, with plenty of room still to grow.
What Our Suppliers Told Us January 2026
As part of our Travelife certification process, we recently surveyed most of our supplier network to better understand where each business stands on its sustainability journey. This year, we heard back from roughly 37% of our surveyed suppliers. We believe this is a solid start, and a dataset we're looking forward to growing. Each year, we'll check in with our suppliers, track progress, and use what we learn to offer more targeted support where possible.
We see sustainability as a journey and this data helps us evaluate where we’re at. Sustainable tourism rests on three interconnected pillars: environmental responsibility, social responsibility, and economic responsibility. We asked our suppliers about all three.
A Network Built on Local Roots
Something that came through clearly in our data: the vast majority, over 70% of those who completed the survey, are locally owned and operated businesses, run by people who live and work in the communities they welcome visitors into. That's not a given in the travel industry, and it matters.
Local ownership means tourism revenue stays close to home. It means the people guiding your guests through a lava tunnel or serving them lunch in a turf-roofed farmhouse have a genuine stake in looking after the place they're showing off. It's a solid foundation to build sustainable tourism on, and it's already in place across most of our network.
Environmental Responsibility
Our suppliers are making practical progress on the fundamentals. Recycling programmes are near-universal, LED lighting is widely adopted, and reducing single-use plastic is a shared priority across supplier types. Sustainable purchasing policies are well established, and a growing number of businesses have moved towards digital-first operations.
Fleet electrification is underway among several transport providers, and linen and towel reuse is standard practice across accommodation.
Where there's more road ahead is in formally measuring greenhouse gas emissions, setting reduction targets, and running carbon offset programmes. These tend to come later in the journey, and Travel Connect is looking at how we can encourage suppliers in getting there.
A good portion of our network holds formal sustainability certifications including: Vakinn, Eco-Lighthouse, Green Key, Green Tourism, Travelife, ISO 14001, B Corp, EarthCheck, Blue Flag, and Nordic Swan. Several more are working towards certification, with a number naming it as a priority for 2026. While more than 50% of respondents have a sustainability policy in place, a fifth of suppliers plan to develop a formal sustainability policy within the next 12 months which is a practical step in the right direction.
Social Responsibility
This is an area where our supplier network is already strong. Most suppliers confirm they follow all applicable labour laws, provide safe working conditions, and have clear policies against discrimination and harassment. Equal opportunity in employment is widely in place.
Local hiring is a core value across the network, and cultural engagement is particularly evident in Iceland, where several suppliers play an active role in heritage preservation.
One area to develop further is sustainability training for staff, making sure the knowledge and motivation to act sustainably runs through teams at every level.
Economic Responsibility
Almost every supplier of our respondents, over 94%, reports local sourcing, by actively purchasing from local providers, partnering with local businesses, and supporting local community organisations. A meaningful number contribute financially to conservation and restoration projects.
These results are extremely pleasing as Travel Connect places special emphasis on strengthening communities, regional economies, and helping ensure that the places visitors come to see remain viable and well looked after for the long term.
In Their Own Words
We asked suppliers about their top sustainability priorities for the year ahead. Here's a sample of what they told us:
"Ensure tourism does not degrade the tunnel over time. Keep on turning our customers into cave protectors, not just visitors." - Lava Tunnel, Iceland
"Minimize negative impacts on local nature and culture, support the local economy, provide visitors with a deep understanding of the culture and nature." - Nutti Sámi Siida, Sweden
"Show respect for the environment, participate in sorting waste, ensure continued respect for the life that exists in our nature." - Hótel Framtíð, Iceland
Suppliers Worth a Mention
Several suppliers across the network are well advanced in their sustainability work, and worth highlighting as examples of what's possible at different stages.
Blue Lagoon (Iceland) holds B Corp, ISO 14001, Blue Flag, and Vakinn certifications, and is currently aligning with ESRS sustainability reporting standards.
Íslandshótel (Iceland) holds Green Key certification across 17 properties and is publishing its first sustainability report aligned with both VSME and ESRS standards in March 2026.
North Sailing (Iceland) Holds multiple global and local sustainability and innovation awards. Certified Responsible Whale Watching Operator by the World Cetacean Alliance.
Nutti Sámi Siida (Sweden/Norway) holds multiple certifications including Nature's Best Sweden, with indigenous cultural sustainability and community benefit central to their operations.
Mercat Tours (UK) holds both B Corp and Green Tourism certification, with a focus on ethical, local sourcing throughout their supply chain.
These are just a few of the businesses across our network doing thoughtful, committed work — and we'll be sharing more of these stories as we go.
Next steps
This survey has given us a useful starting point: a snapshot of where our supplier network stands on sustainability in 2026. The picture it shows is one of genuine commitment, with plenty of room to grow.
Next year, we'll run the survey again. We'll look at how things have changed, recognise progress, and use the data to develop guidance and resources that are useful to suppliers at different stages.
We're grateful to everyone who took part this year, and we're looking forward to building on this together.
Travel Connect is Travelife certified and is working towards a renewal of our certification as part of its commitment to responsible tourism. Travelife is a leading sustainability certification system for tour operators and travel agents.
For more information about Travel Connect's sustainability work, contact us at kristin@travelconnect.com