Contiki, the leading social travel brand for 18-35s, has announced that its new coaches in Europe will now run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) instead of diesel, wherever possible. This shift will bring about a reduction in carbon emissions by up to 30-40%.
Young travellers have identified environmentally conscious travel as a priority when choosing a travel provider. In order to prioritise HVO fuel wherever possible, Contiki – known worldwide for taking young travellers around Europe by coach – have set up a HVO tank in their coach yard in Stellendam, Netherlands.
The HVO is a fuel that is produced without fossil resources by processing renewable waste lipids. The HVO used in Contiki coaches is made purely from food and plant waste – so nothing is purposely grown to be used as waste.
In the past year, Contiki has taken several such steps as part of their mission to reduce its carbon footprint and reach Net Zero by 2050. Recently, it announced that all of its exclusive properties in Europe now run on 100% renewable electricity.
“Reducing our footprint has long been an important focus for Contiki and our sister brands at TTC, so we’re delighted to be making this switch to HVO biofuel in Europe” says Tasha Hayes, Contiki’s Operations Director and Sustainability Officer
“Last year in our Voice of a Generation survey, we found that 70% of Gen Z travellers would choose to travel by coach, if it meant that it was better for the environment. We’re really proud to be leading the way with initiatives that enact positive change within our industry, and have a positive impact on our wonderful planet too.”
You can find out more about Contiki’s sustainability strategy here.
