Travel is an incredible gift – it opens our eyes to the unique cultures and breathtaking beauty of the natural world. But with this gift comes a responsibility – to protect the world as we know it. As proud supporters and members of the TreadRight Foundation, we are committed to safeguarding the environment, communities and wildlife of the destinations we promote. 

At Thompsons, we take the care of our local communities and environment seriously; we regularly donate time and resources to helping local orphanages and care homes, and have participated in Mandela Day outreach each year. We've also partnered with Avis to support the PINK Initiative in aid of breast cancer awareness, and raised money for CHOC with our sponsored swims of the annual Midmar Mile race.

Thompsons has also reduced all single-use plastic in our offices in line with our Treadright Pledge, and in 2019, together with the rest of the Cullinan Holdings group, implemented solar panels on our office and vehicle depot roofs which has seen a dramatic reduction in our energy consumption. As of 2020, Thompsons has signed the Animal Interaction Charter, as a leading member of SATSA. We commit to abiding by the ethical approach adopted by the guidelines to animal interactions in the tourism industry.

How We Tread Right

How We Tread Right (HWTR) is The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) new five-year sustainability strategy, which sets the mandate on sustainability at Thompsons Holidays and our sister travel companies.

Our strategy is based on 11 measurable goals developed to address Thompsons’ impact on Planet, People, and Wildlife. These goals, anchored to the United Nations’ Global Goals, address:

Planet – sustainability and conservation by targeting climate change, sustainable food production and responsible consumption through carbon management, renewable energy, the food cycle, waste reduction, and the elimination of single-use plastics.

People – community support and cultural preservation by targeting overtourism through the inclusion of new Make Travel Matter experiences, the creation of a standalone strategy to encourage greater diversity and inclusion at Thompsons Holidays, and our global give-back efforts.

Wildlife – conservation and protection by targeting animal welfare and conservation, and ethical wildlife experiences through TreadRight’s Animal Welfare Policy.

Learn more about how choosing Thompsons Holidays means choosing a travel company that puts sustainability and the planet at the core of everything we do.