Thomson, the UK's leading tour operator, has announced 20 sustainable travel commitments for 2011 at The Economist's Sustainable Business Summit.

The commitments, set to be achieved by 2014, represent the next stage in TUI's (Thomson and First Choice) Holidays Forever strategy, which focuses on its environmental and socio-economic policies in tourism.

TUI is committed to raising awareness and converting that into actions, by making it easy for our customers to make sustainable choices when holidaying abroad, Christian Cull, Director of Communications, said at the Economist Sustainable Business Summit.

The first 20 commitments were introduced last year and the ambitious three year commitments reinforce the company's position at the forefront of sustainable tourism objectives.

The commitments include major steps towards the continuing reduction of TUI's carbon footprint in the air and on the ground, both in its UK operations and holiday destinations worldwide, as well as its drive to make its hotels more sustainable by making at least 90 percent of the hotels take care of the environment, employees and local communities, the company said.

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