Iberostar Group, a global hospitality chain with 80% of its hotels on the seafront, has joined Expedia Group and UNESCO in the expansion of the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge (hereafter ‘UNESCO Pledge’).

Iberostar has a strong commitment to the oceans and the local communities where the company operates, while the UNESCO Pledge promotes responsible practices, community resilience, and heritage conservation, with the goal of changing the nature and impact of global tourism. Expedia Group’s recent Traveler Value Index research1 shows that travelers want to support sustainable practices, with nearly three in five (59%) willing to pay higher fees to make their trip more sustainable.

“Our partnership with UNESCO seeks to ensure the preservation and sustainability of communities, many of which are wholly dependent on travel,” said Katherine Cheng, Head of Global and Community Impact, Expedia Group. “Travelers are willing to do more when they have visibility into actions they can take, whether it’s paying higher fees or changing how they travel. The Pledge can help them make more informed decisions.”

Launched in 2019 UNESCO and Expedia Group signed a global agreement promoting sustainable travel and heritage conservation through the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge. Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, said, “An industry wide approach is key to ensuring a resilient recovery for tourism that contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By joining the Pledge, Iberostar Group has made a firm commitment towards supporting our efforts to achieve truly sustainable tourism.”

As tourism destinations are experiencing a double impact from climate change and a global pandemic, Iberostar is fast-tracking solutions to build a responsible tourism model supported by science and the protection of nature. The Group’s goals, outlined in its 2030 Agenda, are the cornerstone of the company’s effort to combat climate change: eliminate waste, source responsible seafood, neutralize carbon emissions and improve the health of the ecosystems surrounding its hotels, among others. Through its Protecting and Restoring the Mesoamerican Reef Project, Iberostar aims to increase the resiliency of the Mesoamerican Reef to adapt to climate change risks through the establishment of comprehensive, science-based, ecosystem propagation and restoration programs. This provides Iberostar guests with an opportunity to enjoy and connect with a more naturally functioning ecosystem.

"As tourism returns, Iberostar's commitment to leading a responsible tourism model has only grown," said Dr. Megan Morikawa, Global Sustainability Director for Iberostar Group. "The UNESCO Pledge allows us to share not only our journey in our 2030 Agenda, but to share and learn from the network of tourism providers in the community of others who have taken the Pledge. We see this as a critical way for tourism to catalyze solutions in the face of current and future crises."

In addition, Iberostar Group has also partnered with Expedia Group Media Solutions, the global travel advertising platform connecting marketers with hundreds of millions of travelers across the Expedia Group brand, on the “Discover Iberostar” campaign. As part of this campaign Iberostar Group and Expedia Group have both contributed $100,000 to the Protecting and Restoring the Mesoamerican Reef initiative.

The campaign will educate travelers about Iberostar’s Wave of Change movement, the chain’s commitment to the oceans and leading responsible tourism, to offer consumers a responsible vacation experience. Developed by Expedia Group Media Solutions’ in-house creative agency, Creative Partnerships, the interactive campaign features stunning images and thoughtfully curated information to inspire users to make more informed decisions on how they travel and to consider their impact on destinations. Through bold and direct messaging, users are encouraged to interact with the content, thereby making a positive impact and helping improve coastal health with just one click.

“Restarting tourism slowly and driving demand in a deliberate-yet-responsible way can help destinations thrive for travelers and local communities alike, and, as travelers are increasingly making more eco-conscious and sustainable travel decisions, elevating awareness of sustainability initiatives can help further differentiate travel brands,” said Jennifer Andre, Vice President, Business Development at Expedia Group Media Solutions. “This new campaign and partnership with Iberostar Group further showcases our collective commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism, illustrating how collaboration across the industry can help drive change.”

To learn more about the UNESCO Pledge, please visit our pilot microsite: https://unescosustainable.travel/. A global microsite will be announced later in 2021.

​About UNESCO
UNESCO’s mission is to contribute to the building of a culture of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. UNESCO works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values. It is through this dialogue that the world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which are at the heart of UNESCO’s mission and activities.

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group, Inc. companies power travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, we help people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections. We provide industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers. The Expedia Group family of brands includes: Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Vrbo®, Egencia®, trivago®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Hotwire®, Wotif®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, Expedia Local Expert®, CarRentals.com™, and Expedia Cruises™.

About Iberostar

Iberostar Group is a 100% family-owned Spanish multinational company that boasts over 65 years’ experience in the tourism industry and business origins dating back to 1877. Its main line of business is Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, which includes the portfolio of up to 70 hotels in 15 countries under this agreement, with a global team of more than 25,000 people of 95 nationalities. The Group has become an international benchmark by promoting a responsible tourism business model focused on caring for people and the environment. The Wave of Change movement, a pioneering and innovative initiative from Iberostar, reflects the company’s specific commitment to the environment and oceans, and its efforts to promote these concerns to society as a whole. With sustainability as the driving force and lever behind the business, the company places the circular economy at the centre of its strategy and is working on its own 2030 agenda to be waste-free by 2025, carbon-neutral by 2030, 100% responsible in its seafood supply chain by 2025, and to improve the health of the ecosystems that surround its hotels, among other goals. Iberostar was the first hotel chain to remove single-plastic use amenities in all their hotels worldwide back in 2020. The company is a leader in quality and drives differentiation in the customer experience through constant product innovation and commitment to digitalization.

Iberostar Group is advisor to UNWTO, WTTC and World Economic Bank, and has been recognized at international level supporting and participating as speaker at Harvard University, Stanford University, COP 25-26-27, OECD and FITUR amongst others. The company has received several international awards including Eco Trophea Germany (2022) and WTM Latin America Responsible Tourism Award (2022), and has been recognized by several international media amongst the Best International Resorts in Europe and The Americas.