The company’s brands – Explore Worldwide, Inntravel, Inghams, Esprit and Santa’s Lapland – are offering paid travel time whenever a member of staff chooses to travel by train, public transport or under their own steam (walk, cycle etc) rather than by air or driving a petrol or diesel vehicle.
The new policy comes after recent research showed two-thirds of people (67%) would consider more sustainable travel options if they had additional days to do so.
Travelling shorter distances for leisure (between 150-450 miles each way), staff are able to claim an additional half-day travel time when using rail or coach – even if on a weekend break which doesn’t coincide with their normal working hours. For longer distances of more than 450 miles, staff can claim an additional full day.
Prue Stone, head of sustainability at Hotelplan UK, said: "We are delighted to offer all our staff in the UK this forward-thinking policy. We know our staff are committed to sustainability, but that sometimes time and financial demands can make the right decisions more different.
"We hope that by encouraging slower travel, and allowing additional time to do so, people feel supported in putting their values first."
For business travel, Hotelplan recommends all staff use video conferencing rather than in-person meetings when they can, choose locations staff can access by public transport, make the carbon footprint the "principal consideration" when deciding on meeting locations and consider trains before planes.
Elsewhere, for the regular office commute, Hotelplan offers flexible, hybrid working as standard across the business, as well as secure cycle storage and showers at the Hampshire HQ, provides season ticket loans and runs the cycle-to-work scheme.
"We want to lead by example," Stone added. "Both within the business, with senior leaders travelling more sustainably for business and pleasure, and within the industry, showing how it is possible to encourage lower-carbon choices."
