Laura Winnery, personal travel consultant, Olive Lounge Travel

Taking part in TTG’s Sustainable Travel Ambassadors programme last year was a pivotal moment in Laura’s growing understanding of and passion for responsible travel. 

Having learned all about Iberostar Hotels & Resort’s focus on sustainability as part of the programme, she suggested that the agency should host its first conference at an Iberostar property in Morocco, and worked with the tourist board on excursions to visit local, independent shops and restaurants. 

Visiting South Africa with Intrepid as part of the training programme, meanwhile, gave her firsthand experience of the positive impact travel can have, when the local community is involved and empowered by it. 

Since graduating from the programme, Laura has been putting all of her learnings into practise, by highlighting her responsible travel expertise on Olive Lounge Travel’s website and sharing sustainable travel-related content across the agency’s social media channels, while Olive Lounge’s customers now receive tips on travelling more responsibly.

Judges were particularly impressed to see that Laura has organised her own sustainable travel events with local community groups, and agreed she was a shining example of how a single travel professional can have a significant impact, by influencing colleagues and customers alike.