USTOA to Hold Inaugural Sustainability Is Responsibility Summit in Bodø, Norway

The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) will hold its inaugural Sustainability is Responsibility (SIR) Summit in the Arctic city of Bodø, Norway.

The event will take place from May 24-26 in partnership with Visit Norway and will be held at the Thon Hotel Nordlys.

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The event has been designed to foster future collaborations, innovative approaches, and cross-sector learning.

SIR will serve as a platform for USTOA to leverage the collective brainpower, insights and network of the USTOA Active and Associate Members to set the path for a more sustainable future for the travel industry.

The event is also a major part of USTOA's 50th anniversary year.

“As USTOA continues to look 50 years forward throughout this anniversary year, the Summit will help unite the industry under the common goal of making a positive impact to ensure the preservation of human, natural, and cultural capital in destinations across the globe,” said USTOA President and CEO Terry Dale.

Visit Norway is also looking forward to this event.

"Visit Norway is really pleased to host the very first SIR Summit and is inspired to share the insight and learning from actively working with sustainable destination development for more than a decade. Sustainability is very important for Norway, through all industries and levels of society. Stakeholder engagement from locals and communities, corporations and governments, continues to be high and active. Sustainability is part of our life now, highly integrated in any innovation and product development, as well as a standard measure for success and profitability," said Hege Barnes, regional director Americas at Visit Norway.

The event will include panel discussions featuring USTOA Active Members facilitated and moderated by Malcolm Preston, former PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Global Head of Sustainability Services, and Greg Takehara, CEO of Tourism Cares. In addition, workshops will promote discussion about areas of impact, sustainable developmental goals, climate resilience and more. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy local attractions and festivities organized for the Summit such as a day at sea aboard Brim Explorer’s electric-powered ship that will serve as a floating classroom.

Attendees will also see some of Norway’s most impressive and sustainable tourism products, such as the Arctic Hideaway.