Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) play an increasingly vital role in reducing air travel’s environmental impact, and a new industry resource is designed to help tourism businesses adopt them. Created by Futouris, the Dertour Group, Chamäleon, and carriers such as Discover Airlines, Edelweiss, and Condor, the 24-page handbook presents six actionable steps for integrating SAF into travel operations.
The manual directs tour operators on how to obtain SAF through direct procurement, airline partnerships, or collective purchasing groups that aggregate demand. Legal compliance is also addressed, particularly ensuring that collaborative buying arrangements comply with competition laws. For instance, Hotelplan has already established a framework agreement with Neste to offer SAF as an optional booking add-on.
Tourism companies can incorporate SAF into their offerings in various ways, including as a separate fee, a voluntary premium, or as part of flight packages where the fuel type is pre-selected. The guide points to the Lufthansa Group’s partnerships with Dertour, Chamäleon, and Hotelplan as successful case studies.
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Current SAF production primarily uses HEFA fuels, which are produced from waste oils and animal fats, but the guide emphasizes that next-generation solutions—such as e-SAF and advanced biofuels derived from solid waste, hold greater promise for the future. Early adoption through long-term contracts, direct investments in production projects, or customer incentives could accelerate development. The Lufthansa Group and Swiss International Air Lines are already collaborating with Synhelion on synthetic fuel projects, while the cross-industry Project Skypower seeks to expand production capacity.
Effective communication with travelers is another key recommendation. The guide advises against vague claims about SAF’s climate impact and instead urges businesses to provide measurable data and scientific evidence to support their sustainability claims. Transparency in marketing is essential for maintaining customer trust.