The Phocuswright Conference 2021 - five questions for sustainability executives

The Phocuswright Conference is coming up November 15 to 17, with its usual wide array of speakers, events and networking.

Ahead of some of the key sessions on Center Stage, PhocusWire is outlining some of the main areas for discussion for the program's executives and panels.

A panel this year, focusing on sustainability and the efforts (or not) of brands in travel, tourism and hospitality, features the following guests:

• Megan Morikawa, global sustainability director at Iberostar Group
• Aaron Gowell, CEO at SilverRail Technologies
• Jeremy Sampson, CEO at The Travel Foundation

Five questions for the activity executives:

1. Is the industry reading the room when it comes to acknowledgement of major challenges it faces around sustainability?
2. Beyond the lip service paid in the corporate social responsibility section of a brand's strategy, what first steps should companies take to address their impact on climate change?
3. Rail may be the answer in some countries, but elsewhere it is far more difficult to achieve more sustainable options around transportation - so what then?
4. Outline some of the important changes that destinations can do to address overtourism and the problems associated with pressure on a location's resources?
5. How should accommodation providers shift to more sustainable products and services without having to raise rates to guests? Or is that going to be the trade-off that is required?