The travel and tourism industry is the number 1 employer of people in the world, and travellers have enormous influence in the way countries and companies treat their citizens, foreign workers, indigenous people, wildlife and the environment. Over a billion people travel today and it is a booming trillion-dollar industry, but so are its negative impacts on people and planet.

The NOW priority is you – the consumer – and when we travel we have a choice to be a tourist or to be a traveller who makes a difference.

NOW aims to inform, inspire and empower the traveller to use the power of their wallet to boldly advance sustainability, social responsibility and principled business practice in the travel and hospitality industry.

The 2017 editorial calendar of itmustbeNOW Magazine to follow the traveller’s journey with topics that raise bold questions which need actionable answers on how travel impacts the environment and society. This journey starts at home to plan and prepare, to explore transportation on the move, to determine if the hotel industry care about sustainability, to open their eyes to the things they don’t want to see, to learn why wellness does not contribute to our wellbeing, to discover the impact of food & beverages, and to drive change when we return home.

NOW is not an expert in sustainability and appreciate the strategic partnership of EarthCheck which provides an accredited sustainability programme with certification known to be the most rigorous in the world.

The EarthCheck Inner Circle is held once a year and this signature forum enables industry leaders to address challenges, and gain insights into best practices to foster sustainability, to translate their knowledge and experience into actionable outcomes. It was inspiring, educational and a privilege to learn, network and bond with the passionate and wise EarthCheck founder Stewart Moore and his equally dynamic team, knowledgeable speakers and members. The hand-on-heart warmth of the professional team at Vidanta Riviera Maya and their sustainability commitment throughout the five EarthCheck certified resort hotels with 1000 acres of paradise space was impressive in its scale. We were hosted and transported back in time through the fascinating history of Mexican culture and discovered their intriguing cuisine at the EarthCheck certified Xcaret Park. The two-day forum, was most of all a louder and alarming wake-up call about the urgent need for more bold and immediate actions to build resilience for our vulnerable planet NOW.

itmustbeNOW.com is for you – the informed traveller who cares about the planet and its people, the inspired traveller who wants to make a difference, and the empowered traveller who can vote and support companies with their wallets, exercise this power to advance sustainability and drive collective change in travel and the hotel world. It must be NOW!