More Biodiversity in Tourism: Futouris Launches New Project with WWF and mascontour

Shaping tourism in harmony with nature: Systematic sustainable transformation

Protecting biodiversity secures our vital resources, such as clean air, water, and fertile soils. As a travel industry, we bear a special responsibility to preserve biodiversity – not only as a basis for authentic travel experiences, but as a globally indispensable pillar for healthy living. At the same time, tourism can become a burden through resource consumption or interference with nature itself – this must be actively counteracted.

The project systematically supports tourism companies in developing and implementing individual biodiversity strategies and measures. “Biodiversity is the foundation of tourism experiences – yet few tourism companies have anchored it strategically. That is where our project comes in: We aim to support companies in analyzing their activities, identifying specific biodiversity protection measures, and implementing them throughout their supply chains,” says Swantje Lehners, Managing Director of Projects & Partnerships at Futouris e.V.

In the first project phase, running through March 2026, the WWF will develop a practical guide for biodiversity strategies and action plans. This guide will be tailored specifically to the tourism value chain. Building on this, Futouris is developing a practice-oriented toolkit with further information and best practice examples from the pilot companies. Both the WWF guideline and the Futouris toolkit will be made available to the industry.

Based on the outcomes, Futouris and its members aim to implement suitable measures to protect and promote biodiversity in tourism during the second phase of the project.

Kick-off with practical checks by Futouris pilot companies

At the project’s kick-off, the WWF presented the structure and content of the biodiversity guidelines, while mascontour introduced the pilot companies to the first practical check focused on stakeholder mapping. Using the guide and practical checks, the participating Futouris member companies Berge & Meer, Chamäleon, DERTOUR Group, Hotelplan, Reisen mit Sinnen, Schauinsland Reisen, TUI Cruises, and TUI Group, will develop company-specific biodiversity strategies and action plans. With the help of a hotspot analysis, the companies will assess the specific impacts of their operations on nature in their key destinations and identify priority areas for biodiversity protection along the tourism value chain. mascontour will provide coaching support for the practical application of the tools developed.

A strong signal for the industry

With this new project, Futouris, WWF, and mascontour are sending a clear message: Halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity is not only an ecological imperative, but also a central component of sustainable tourism.

Martina von Münchhausen, tourism expert at WWF Germany, explains: "Protecting nature and biodiversity is a high priority for tourism. The industry can become part of the solution to the biodiversity crisis – if the causes are systematically identified and gradually remedied. Biodiversity strategies are therefore a necessary step to substantially reduce ecological risks and impacts and drive change. We are pleased to support companies step by step with our guide to recognize their impacts on nature and take effective action." 

Matthias Beyer, Managing Director and Consultant at mascontour, also emphasizes the importance of the joint approach: "The collaboration with the companies shows that there is great interest and willingness to take responsibility when it comes to biodiversity. Our task is to provide the necessary know-how and the right tools – practical and effective."

The partnership pools expertise, creates practical solutions, and demonstrates how sustainable change can be achieved in the industry.