Toronto-based H.I.S.-Red Label Vacations is expanding to the US with a new sustainable online travel agency that promises to allow clients to offset their carbon emissions while booking. Copolo, the name inspired by Marco Polo, is designed to be simple one-stop site for travellers to plan and book their trip, including airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, and more.
And in an effort to counterbalance the environmental impact of travel, travellers who book with Copolo will have the option to offset the carbon emissions produced from their trip by partnering with CHOOOSE, a leading climate-focused technology company in Oslo, Norway.
“The Copolo brand is the first step in our global expansion, and we are excited about this breakthrough venture,” said Hideo Hatano, executive officer of H.I.S. Co., Ltd., owners of RLV, adding that the company’s aim is to provide a competitive booking platform while offering more sustainable travel solutions.
Red Label Vacations’ travel technology solutions and executive team were instrumental in the development and launch of Cobolo, Hatano said.
“As the first Japanese-owned travel company to incorporate a climate solution as an integrated part of its platform, we’re able to help travellers access the best travel options worldwide. We will continue investing in the most sophisticated systems to maintain our pursuit of excellence and building a better tomorrow,” he added.
H.I.S-Red Label Vacations Inc. CEO Frank DeMarinis said, “There is a rising demand for more sustainability programs, and as leaders in travel, we want to accelerate this concept within our industry by utilizing the best technologies to create massive momentum.”
He said that by working with CHOOOSE, “we can implement immediate action to minimize the carbon footprint created by travel while adhering to stringent international standards. We aim to provide travellers with great options in a way that contributes to positive steps in the right direction for our planet.”
With the technology used on Copolo’s booking platform, travellers who offset their journey will receive a certificate recognizing that their travel footprint has been climate compensated. Copolo will also provide a post-purchase experience to empower its travellers to claim, track, and engage with the impact they create, allowing for complete transparency.
In future phases of Copolo, more travel styles will be available for booking and continued innovations will be developed toward providing the most holistic OTA experience on the market, says RLV.