Environment and social commitment – these are the two major supporting themes of the sustainability strategy behind the TUI Marathon Palma de Majorca. Consequently TUI, Europe’s leading leisure travel group, will operate the world’s most beautiful island marathon under the “green marathon” leitmotiv in the future. Sustainability has had a firm place in TUI’s corporate philosophy and culture since 20 years. “As the organiser and name sponsor of the Marathon we feel it is our duty to consider the aspect of sustainability in this major sporting event even more than we have been doing in the past and make it more targeted,“ said Michael Lambertz, Marketing Director and responsible for the Marathon at TUI.
“It is very important that the tour operators too promote responsibility for the environment. That’s why we congratulate TUI for their initiative in the diversification of tourism products to be permanently on the look-out for harmony with the natural environment,” said Gabriel Vincens Mir, Environment and Mobility Minister of the Balearics. And María Isabel González, Sport Councillor of Palma added: “We believe it is important and good that companies promoting sporting events highlight such initiatives for protecting the environment. The future lies in an on-going enjoyment of sporting activities, while minimising the waste caused as well as the environmental pollution.“
In the development of the so-called “Green Marathon“ concept TUI oriented itself on the guidelines for environmentally friendly major sporting events, which have been worked out jointly by the German Federal Environment Ministry and the German Olympic Sports Association. “We are well aware that major sporting events also create environmental burdens,“ said Lambertz. “For this reason,“ he continued, “we have already in the past paid considerable attention to environmental aspects associated with the TUI Marathon, but now it is time to extend these even more.“
Partners and co-sponsors of the marathon also adhere to the sustainability concept, for instance by providing running equipment from ecologically and recyclable raw materials.
TUI’s second approach in its sustainability strategy is the acceptance of social responsibility. Since 2008 TUI has been working together with UNICEF Majorca on the TUI Marathon Palma de Majorca. For every child that participates in the Kids’ Run, the running event on the day before the marathon, TUI donates five euros to the UNICEF aid project “Water for Niger – every drop counts“, which works towards improving the living conditions of children in that African region.
Another socially oriented form of cooperation involving the TUI Marathon Palma de Majorca exists with the Peter Maffay Foundation, which focuses its efforts on a therapeutic ”children’s finca“ on Majorca. This cooperation allows Tabaluga children who are looked after in the finca to take part in the Kids’ Run with their very own starter’s number. Moreover, TUI contributes to the work of the foundation by providing free flights for the youngsters.
This year the Family Holiday Association is the partner organisation on the British market. When booking a travel package, runners from the United Kingdom can give disadvantaged families the chance of a holiday.
