Qantas 'committed to sustainable tourism'

Qantas has claimed that it will show its commitment to sustainable travel at the National Australian Tourism Awards.

The airline will sponsor an award recognising excellence in the sustainable travel sector in 2009.

Qantas spokesman Rob Gurney said that the accolade was being offered to encourage tourism operators based in Australia to minimise their impact on the environment.

He added: "Qantas will again offer a $25,000 cash prize to the winner of the sustainable tourism category at the National Australian Tourism Awards.

"The Qantas Group has a carefully coordinated approach to managing the environmental impacts of its operations in place. As a result we established this award last year to reward tourism operators who have demonstrated a real commitment to their environmental sustainability."

From its Australian hubs of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Qantas operates an international network that includes flights to London, Los Angeles, Auckland and Singapore.

Earlier this month, the airline announced that it was introducing an online check-in facility for its international services.

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