The conference attracted leaders from across the sector, including cruise outfits such as Carnival UK and adventure touring specialists like Exodus Travels.

Topics spanned everything from psychologically "deactivated" consumers to the crucial relationship between operators and suppliers.

TTG was on the ground to capture the key trade-focused highlights, learnings and takeaways from the event.

Sustainability 'by stealth' is the way forward

Collaboration remains central to driving meaningful progress in sustainability, according to Exodus Travels' head of sustainability Kasia Morgan. "The challenges the industry is facing, whether that's overtourism or climate change, demand honesty, collaboration and a willingness to rethink how we work."

To this end, she highlighted the potential of "sustainability by stealth", whereby suppliers embed sustainable choices into products and itineraries to nudge supplier and consumer behaviour.

Morgan pointed to practical, near-term "wins" operators can achieve through supply chain engagement. Asking partners to provide electric vehicle transport options or phase out single-use plastics, she said, signals demand for change and encourages wider adoption across the industry.

Greenwashing will cost your business – a lot

New enforcement powers and steep fines for misleading environmental claims are adding a layer of complexity to trade operations, said Dominic Watkins, global head of the consumer sector at DWF. "The challenge is not just new laws, but an empowered, excitable regulator," Watkins said. "Businesses want clarity, but the rules are evolving and sometimes unclear."

He outlined the EU’s recent trajectory, describing a "tsunami" of sustainability legislation during the last parliament, but added the UK has taken a narrower approach that focuses on guidance and financial penalties.

The Competition and Markets Authority has the power to levy fines of up to 10% of global turnover for breaches of consumer law – including environmental claims – without court intervention, Watkins explained, which means companies must "tread carefully".

"It's a wake-up call," Watkins said. "We want to encourage people to act and communicate responsibly, but recognise the risks – and the eye-watering penalties – if you get it wrong".

The perfect green consumer 'doesn't exist'

Dr Matteo Montecchi, senior marketing lecturer at King’s College London, outlined a gap between consumer intention and behaviour at this year's conference.

Citing a science journal Nature study which surveyed 130,000 people across 125 countries, he explained that while the majority agrees governments should act on climate change, individuals consistently underestimate their peers’ willingness to contribute. "This creates a phenomenon known as pluralistic ignorance, which deactivates people," he said. "They think, 'if they're not going to do anything about it, why should I?'"

Montecchi also warned the sector about the so-called "dragons of inaction" – psychological and social barriers that sabotage sustainable choices. From moral licensing, where one good deed excuses another less responsible action, to social comparison, travellers often rationalise behaviours that conflict with their stated values.

Therefore, the onus is on businesses to model sustainable behaviour, with Montecchi advising companies to embed sustainability across all possible departments, from executive pay to community projects and recyclable products.

Industry must embrace shared learnings

Sophie Portlock, vice-president of sustainability and strategic projects at Carnival UK, said there were things the wider travel industry could learn from certain sustainability practices being deployed in the cruise sector.

"We also belong to the maritime industry, which is heavily regulated – some of our operations are advanced compared with land-based tourism," she explained, noting the company's concerted efforts to conserve water across its fleet.

"We use almost 40% less water per person than the average daily use on land, which is done through performance-flow taps and laundry systems which reuse water, among other things," she explained.

However, Portlock acknowledged these operational tweaks "weren't the end of the story". "We are exploring long-term change, including alternative fuels and energy solutions in partnership with the wider maritime industry," she explained. "But decarbonisation depends on fuels that just aren't available at scale yet. That's our biggest challenge right now."

'The experiences you're selling could disappear'

Abi Duff-Walker, head of sustainability at DWF, urged businesses to consider sustainability as central to their "long-term viability".

"It’s not just about regulatory compliance anymore," she said. "If destinations and communities aren’t supported, the very experiences your customers are buying could disappear."

For businesses seeking a benchmark of success, Duff-Walker suggests looking inward first. "Good sustainability looks like embedding it across the business so seamlessly that my role becomes almost redundant," she said.

"Leadership buy-in and clear values are key, alongside using reporting frameworks, not as a burden, but as a way to demonstrate effective governance."