ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the different business models for tour operators in depth to provide insight into how the restructuring of the market may affect future environmental impacts of the industry. Europe follows a more consolidated model of ownership, while North American tour operators seek to own as few assets as possible. The US tour operator business model is very distinct from Europe, so much so that it can be difficult to compare these two marketplaces. Tour operators like Wilderness Safaris offer a model that is in direct contrast to the trends within the industry, which are increasingly driven by online marketing dollars. With young, sustainability-minded Millennials joining hybrid travel companies worldwide, tour operators have an outstanding opportunity to use their energy and interest to institute sustainability measures and policies. The travel industry was one of the first industries to show solid growth in online purchasing in the late 1990s.
