A journey with TUI
From Travel Advisor to Director of Sustainability: Melvin Mak’s Journey at TUI
The doorbell rings. A customer steps inside. Behind the desk sits Melvin Mak, a young travel advisor, ready to turn holiday dreams into reality—and feeling very, very nervous.
“I was nervous at first,” he admits. “You don’t want to mess up someone’s once-a-year vacation.”
Those early years in retail taught him the art of listening, problem-solving, and creating experiences that truly mattered. “I loved designing complex itineraries—like a South Africa road trip—long before online tools made it easier.” Every journey was a puzzle, and Melvin thrived on finding the perfect fit. Today, that same skill helps him tackle complex sustainability challenges.
“What’s the impact of travel on destinations, on nature, on culture? Climate change and the impact of tourism were increasingly on my mind. I wanted to make sure these beautiful places would still be there for future generations.”
That decision changed everything. When a sustainability role opened at TUI Netherlands, he applied—and didn’t get it. A year later, the position came up again. He chose persistence. The CEO noticed: “You’re not someone who gives up easily.” That conversation marked the start of a new chapter.
- TUI Group received an “A” rating in the global CDP Climate Ranking in 2025 for verifiable climate management and transparent reporting.
- Around 60% rise in port calls with onshore power for Mein Schiff and Hapag-Lloyd compared to the previous year (115 connections in FY 2025 vs. 72 in FY 2024).
- 2,677 hotels with independent sustainability certification in FY 2025, up from 2,051 in FY 2024.
- 11,262 tons of voluntary Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) used in FY 2025, replacing conventional kerosene—almost 11 times more than in FY 2024. SAF can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 80–85%*.
- 2,490 experiences, tours, and activities verified against international sustainability criteria, compared to 1,881 in 2024.
“Sustainability is more than thinking about the environment—it’s thinking about people, the economy, and finding win-win scenarios. Replacing diesel buses and taxis with electric fleets means lower emissions, but also cleaner air for local communities. Building hotels creates jobs, infrastructure, and opportunities. Producing our own renewable energy can lower energy costs for hotels. That’s real impact. These aren’t just environmental wins—they touch health, livelihoods, and the future of tourism.”
His focus now? Scaling solutions. “Pilot projects are nice. I like us to pioneer, test and learn, succeed and fail. Making them big enough to matter—that’s the challenge.”
Another project close to his heart: tackling microplastic pollution. “We started with one Marella cruise ship and equipped the crew laundry machine with a microplastic filter from the Cleaner Seas Group. It can remove up to 99% of microfibers from laundry wastewater. Now it’s being rolled out across the entire Marella fleet, several TUI Cruises ships, and 12 hotels—including Robinson Clubs in the Maldives.”
And in his mind, his job is still connected to how he started: “We’re working so that in 20 years, you can still book that dream holiday.”
“We won’t save the world alone. But if we scale what works—solar, e-mobility, improving food systems and tackling waste—we can make travel part of the solution.”
