About

Many sustainable tourism consultants have more academic or theoretical backgrounds, whereas I come from the commercial side, with over a decade of practical industry experience.

My background...

I previously headed up product and sustainability at travel-tech platform TravelLocal during a period of rapid growth from early start-up to £50m in annual bookings. I was the decision-maker for all new DMC partnerships, owned the onboarding and new destination launch processes, and oversaw a product portfolio spanning around 250 DMCs in over 100 countries across UK, US and German markets. I led sustainability initiatives both internally and with DMC partners with a practical, proactive and pragmatic approach, embedding sustainability into real business decisions with real P&L consequences.

I also played a key role in achieving Travelife Partner status and B Corp certification for TravelLocal - giving me first-hand experience of what both processes really involve. Nowadays, I am the UK's main Travelife coach and auditor, working with everyone from one-person DMCs to brands like Travel Counsellors and easyJet Holidays to ensure compliance with GSTC-aligned standards.

Today...

Since late 2024 I've been working independently as a consultant, supporting DMCs and tourism SMEs with European market readiness and sustainability - both directly and via organisations like Import Promotion Desk. For tour operators needing focused support on sustainability strategy, product development or scaling up, I can slot in as an extension of the team - colleagues and clients frequently comment on my ability to hit the ground running.

Across all of this work, my experience gives me a strong vantage point: I know what European buyers look for, I understand how DMCs operate, and I know what it takes to turn great on-the-ground experiences into products that drive both positive impact and long-term commercial success. My practical experience is backed up with my Professional Certificate in Responsible Tourism from ICRT Global and undergraduate degree from the University of Cambridge.

Beyond client work, a particular area of interest is sustainable tourism development in emerging destinations - I was lucky enough to promote Angola to the UK travel trade before the tourist board launched their exciting new campaign. I'm passionate about fair trade in tourism, decolonising the industry, empowering supply-side SMEs, and strengthening value chains to maximise local economic benefit. I'm also fascinated by the potential of behavioural economics to make sustainability the default and remove friction in order to bridge the say-do gap. And I believe we should all be addressing the elephant in the room: the carbon footprint of flying, however sustainable a tour may be on the ground - which is why I volunteer as Head of Travel Industry Strategy with Bumprints, a charity working to empower passengers to reduce their flight emissions.

Please take a look at my specific areas of expertise and the types of services I offer

I'd love to hear from you on hello@emilydownes.travel to discuss how I can add value to your business.