TICOS Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Service (TICOS)?

A.TICOS is a tourism industry-wide service formed to address the industry's need to respond to the growing threat of climate change from carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions.  It delivers and funds projects that have carbon reduction and wider sustainable development benefits. It is available to any UK based travel and tourism business. Businesses that use our service are known as 'Service Users' and are matched to our projects for funding.

Q.  What is carbon reduction and carbon offset?

A.   Carbon (dioxide) (or CO2) is the main gas produced in the burning of fossil fuels. This, and other gasses known as greenhouse gasses, are important factors in climate change.  Carbon reduction is finding ways to reduce energy consumption and or the amount of gasses released. Carbon offsets are financial instruments that give a value to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Offsets are typically generated from emissions-reducing projects, such as renewable energy. TICOS operates within the Voluntary Emissions Reduction (VER) market.

Q.    Why do we need an industry-wide service?

A.   We recognise that there are a growing number of voluntary carbon offset schemes operated by companies but none of these are specific to travel and tourism.   Because there is no single regulatory framework for voluntary schemes they vary considerably in the standards to which they operate and in their calculation of carbon benefits. Some of these schemes vary by as much as three hundred percent in calculating the carbon cost of a flight. There are three key reasons why we have developed an industry-wide service .

1. By working collectively at an industry level, to a common standard, we can establish a consistent process that is understood by all. We can also establish collective targets to meet international and national objectives. For example, we can publish the total percentage numbers of flights offset using the TICOS service and compare this with other programmes in other industry sectors. We have also introduced our own operational procedure and validation standard.
2. We provide a complimentary range of services to the industry to allow all our Service Users to better understand and deal with carbon reduction. For example, all operators and agents raising income above a certain sum will be eligible for a free energy audit. All businesses using the TICOS service will also have access to technical assistance and expertise from TICOS Staff.
3. Our Service will allow a better understanding of the issues by customers and suppliers of the industry. All funds raised will be administered to a strict operational procedure of due diligence and all Service Users will have a certainty that money raised will be allocated to projects of their choice.

Q. How will money be raised?

A. All customers buying travel and tourism products from a TICOS Service User will be invited to make a contribution to offset the carbon cost of their product. This will usually be through an opt-out item added to invoices. Contributions will be entirely voluntary.  

Q. Will the service be mandatory for members of participating trade associations?  

A. No. The use of TICOS will be voluntary but we hope that every travel and tourism business will support it so that the industry can be seen as working collectively in a self-regulatory manner.

Q. What will happen to the money raised?

A. All money raised will be administered by TICOS to fund projects selected by the Service User. All project proposals will be evaluated for their carbon and wider sustainable development benefits such as providing social, economic or wildlife improvements in tourism destinations.

Costs in establishing and administering the service will be carefully controlled to ensure value for money and to release the maximum amount possible to projects. Over a five year period establishment and operational costs should be no more than 20%, plus VAT where applicable; this compares very favourably with existing offset schemes where costs are typically around 40%.

Q. What sort of projects will TICOS support?

A. Projects are sourced worldwide and must demonstrate that they can:

• Reduce or offset carbon emissions in real terms. Only projects where there is a real additional and measurable carbon saving will qualify for funding.
• Have wider sustainable development benefits which favour the environment, wildlife, pro poor policies and community improvements. TICOS has a unique agreement with UNESCO and IUCN World Commission for Protected Areas to develop projects in World Heritage sites.
• Have a significant tourism element.

Q. How will projects be identified?

A. There will be two main ways of identifying projects. Members of the supporting associations have staff, suppliers and customers in almost all tourism destinations. Many of these have an intimate knowledge of the environmental issues they face and what solutions are needed. We will invite those working in the industry and customers to submit their ideas for us to work up into projects that meet our criteria.

Secondly, we will work closely with UNESCO and IUCN World Commission for Protected Areas to identify projects in World Heritage sites.   

Q. How will I know that TICOS is successful?

A. Each project will have its own dedicated page on the project section of this website, which will be regularly updated to show progress. TICOS will publish an annual report giving details of all aspects of its work.   It will contain statistics such as the amount of carbon offset and reduced, the equivalent number of travel journeys (flights, cruises, rail, etc.) offset and details of carbon savings made by the projects. Each Service User will be given an annual certificate of achievement showing its offset and reduction totals.    TICOS will continue to be at the forefront of new industry research and best practice in attempting to deal with the threat of climate change.