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Wandern mit Kindern

FAQ KlimaLink

Below you’ll find answers to the most common questions you may have on KlimaLink. If you still can’t find the answer you’re looking for, just contact us!

KlimaLink emerged from the industry project "Climate-conscious travel" by Futouris (sustainability initiative of the travel industry). The aim is the transparent presentation of the carbon footprint of travel at points of sale (online and offline points of sale) on the basis of a uniform calculation standard. To this end, a central IT platform must be made available in the long term and control structures established in order to keep the uniform standard up to date. KlimaLink is the supporting organisation for the fulfilment of these tasks.

The purpose of the KlimaLink association is the development of CO2e calculation standards in the tourism industry and the digital provision of emissions data. The aim is to enable the climate footprint of different trips and travel components to be displayed directly in the booking systems.

In addition to Futouris e.V., members of the association are the associations Deutscher Reiseverband (DRV), Österreichischer ReiseVerband (ÖRV), Schweizer Reise-Verband (SRV), Verband Internet Reisevertrieb (VIR), Allianz selbständiger Reiseunternehmen (asr), as well as Bundesverband Deutscher Omnibusunternehmen (BDO), Internationaler Bustouristik Verband (rda), the companies AERTicket, AER Kooperation, Amadeus, CHAMÄLEON, DB Fernverkehr AG, DER Touristik, DREAMTIME Travel, FTI Group, Gebeco, Green Sign Institut, Hotelplan Group, Karawane Reisen, Lufthansa City Center, MIDOCO, ÖBB Railtours, OLIMAR Reisen, PRIMA Reisen, QTA Quality Travel Alliance, schauinsland reisen, Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, Studiosus, Take It Travel, TFC Airlebnis, TourCert, as well as the climate protection organisations atmosfair and myclimate. According to the statutes, "associations, companies and organisations in the tourism industry as well as persons interested in the purpose of the statutes can become members."

In principle, many of these other companies are indirectly involved in the project via the travel associations or through membership of the Futouris sustainability initiative. It is gratifying that so many large travel companies have been directly involved as founding members right from the start. Other players in the industry are very welcome. The more companies and organisations that participate, the greater the reach of the standards developed will be.

The association and its activities are financed by membership fees. These are staggered according to the number of employees in the companies as follows:

  • Companies / associations (up to 5 full-time positions): 500 euros
  • Small companies / associations (up to 25 full-time employees): 1,500 euros
  • Medium-sized companies (26 to 249 full-time positions): 3,000 euros
  • Large companies (250 or more full-time employees): 6,000 euros

Members support the goals of the association and actively participate in the organisation of the association's activities, e.g. by attending general meetings and/or participating in working groups. 

The statutes and other information material can be found here (PDF)

The aim is to create transparency regarding the climate impact of travel - for travellers, but also for companies in the travel industry. The industry standard enables the uniform presentation and comparability of CO2e emissions across all tourism services of a trip. In this way, the climate impact can be shown in all components upon offering or informing about travel. The travel industry does not yet have a corresponding uniform and reliable standard.

In the Futouris project "Climate-conscious travel", a first version of the common calculation basis for travel emissions was developed with the help of experts from science and practice. This is currently being further developed, supplemented and subsequently published by KlimaLink.

In a feasibility study preceding the "Climate-conscious travel" project, the Centre for Sustainable Tourism (ZENAT) analysed existing climate accounting systems on behalf of Futouris and DER Touristik and evaluated the various standards. There are already good calculation bases for emissions from air travel and methods that also determine the climate impact of other travel components. However, a climate accounting standard that covers all elements of the tourism value chain and is also accepted as an industry standard by a majority of stakeholders is still lacking.

To this end, the following objective was enshrined in KlimaLink's statutes "Standard development and adaptation: The association coordinates an ongoing harmonisation process within the travel industry. Standards for the most important travel components (flight, train, bus, cruise, hire car and hotel) are continuously reviewed. The aim is to create a common basis for calculation that is recognised throughout the industry and updated regularly."

Atmosfair and myclimate are climate protection organisations with a focus on travel. They operate climate protection measures, e.g. offsetting greenhouse gases. To this end, the organisations calculate the carbon footprint of certain tourism services on the basis of their own calculation standards. A common standard does not yet exist. Atmosfair and myclimate are founding members of KlimaLink in order to work with other industry players towards precisely this goal.

Only what is measured can be changed. The aim is therefore to create transparency. Travel offers should be comparable in terms of their climate impact and potential travellers should be given the opportunity to opt for a more climate-friendly trip. Otherwise, the tried and tested principle applies: avoid, reduce, offset - in that order.

The information on the carbon footprint of trips and travel components will be automatically fed into the booking systems in a similar way to the price or flight duration. The IT required for this has already been implemented and will be able to provide all relevant data by the end of 2024.

Both companies and end customers should be able to use the platform to obtain emissions data for the selected trips and travel components.

The added value lies in the availability of all relevant emissions calculations in a single data source (one-stop platform). From here, the emissions data is transferred via interfaces to the common information and booking systems in the travel industry. Tour operators can use the emissions data to put together more climate-friendly holidays and sales staff can provide targeted advice on more climate-friendly options.

Sustainable travel offers are not yet visible enough and there is a need for targeted sensitisation and advice. That's why our declared aim at Futouris and KlimaLink is to make sales staff and travellers aware of more climate-friendly options directly during the booking process by displaying the carbon footprint. We need to make it as easy as possible for travellers to choose the more sustainable option.

This has been researched in a project by Futouris, the German Travel Association (DRV), the Centre for Sustainable Tourism (ZENAT) at HNE Eberswalde and the Institute for Tourism and Spa Research in Northern Europe (NIT). The partners received public funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) as part of the funding programme to improve performance and promote innovation in tourism (LIFT Climate). The aim of the project was to develop a presentation of the climate footprints in the systems that is easy to understand and attractive - for travel agency employees and for travellers. Based on a survey of customers and sales staff, various forms of presentation were developed and tested. In addition, an accompanying awareness campaign is being developed for sales staff and customers.