New Futouris project creates tools and know-how for more climate-friendly product design
The Futouris project "Climate-friendly product design for tour operators", funded as part of the BMWK LIFT Transformation program, has started with a successful kick-off workshop. Together with partners from science and business, practical tools and training programs are being developed in a co-creation process to integrate the reduction of climate-damaging emissions into the product development of tour operators.
Launch of the joint project “Climate-friendly product design for tour operators”
The pioneering project “Climate-friendly product design for tour operators”, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) as part of the LIFT Transformation Program, aims to enable a significant reduction in CO2e emissions in the product portfolios of tour operators. The aim is to create transparency about the emissions of the product portfolio and generate practical tools for reducing the climate impact of the trips offered. In a co-creation process with the scientific partner NIT – Institut für Tourismus- und Bäderforschung in Nordeuropa GmbH – and member companies of Futouris e.V. and forum anders reisen e.V., key performance indicators (KPIs), analysis tools and training programs will be developed for this purpose, which will enable the climate footprint of travel to be taken into account in product design. Furthermore, by sensitizing management and employees to the climate impact of their offers and identifying opportunities for action, sustainable changes in the product portfolios are to be driven forward. The DERTOUR Group, Hotelplan Group, FTI Group, Gebeco, Chamäleon, Reisen mit Sinnen, NEUE WEGE Reisen and drp Kulturtours are involved in the project as pilot companies and thus represent a good cross-section of the industry, from large tourism groups to small specialist tour operators.
Kick-off workshop for developing instruments and measures
In April 2024, a pioneering workshop was held at Frankfurt’s Biohotel Villa Orange, where representatives from eight pilot companies worked with the project team to develop initial approaches for strategies to reduce CO2e emissions in the product portfolio. The focus was on the development of tools and key figures for the analysis of product portfolios and the discussion of possible measures to reduce emissions, such as the increased use of climate-friendly means of transport and the offer of climate-friendly excursions.
The workshop also identified the framework conditions for a training program to impart knowledge to managers and employees. The program is intended to raise awareness of the climate impact of products among employees involved in the production process and provide practical know-how for implementing the measures developed.
“It is well known that emissions in the tourism sector must be drastically reduced in order to achieve the climate targets. In practice, however, there is often a lack of clear ideas and concrete measures for implementing this reduction. With our project, we are starting directly with product management, developing practical tools and promoting awareness of possible courses of action,” says Swantje Lehners, Futouris Managing Director for Projects & Cooperation.
Petra Thomas, Managing Director of forum anders reisen, adds: “The joint project underlines the importance of industry-wide cooperation in order to create more climate-friendly travel options. Clear key figures and easy-to-use analysis methods support providers of all sizes in the decarbonization of product portfolios. The diversity of the participating pilot companies enables an active exchange and learning process among them.”
In the next phase of the project, the approaches developed will be tested and optimized in practice. Product portfolio analyses, the identification of emission drivers and the development of specific reduction paths should enable measurable improvements. The results and solutions developed will then be published and made available to the entire industry in order to promote broad application.
