Google partners with Amtrak and Billie Eilish to make responsible travel options more accessible as Preferred Travel Group ups its environmental stewardship.
Earlier this week Amtrak and Google announced a partnership integrating Amtrak’s schedule and fare information directly into Google Search results. This new feature highlights train travel as an alternative to flights, making it easier for people to consider lower-emission options.
With this integration, Amtrak appears in search results when users are planning rail travel between two Amtrak destinations, and even when they search for flights. “One of the biggest impacts we can make towards climate change is shifting the way people get around,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “As we continue offering services that motivate people to shift out of cars and planes into trains, we are thrilled that this integration makes it even easier for users to find rail options for their travel needs while also potentially lowering their carbon emissions.”
Amtrak is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, with the goal of reducing its carbon footprint across its entire network. By promoting the use of its extensive rail infrastructure, the largest by mileage in the world, Amtrak aims to expand its role in supporting low-carbon travel while enhancing economic opportunities for communities and travelers alike.
Also partnering with Google is singer Billie Eilish. As part of her “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour,” Eilish wants to help fans make sustainable choices when traveling to her shows. Fans attending concerts in cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C., will have access to 120 plant-based dining recommendations curated by Eilish when searching the city in Google Maps. Fans can scroll to find her list of local plant-based eateries, making it easier to grab a sustainable bite before heading to the venue.
“I am so excited to see you all at my shows over the coming months, and for us to work together in reducing our collective footprint when it comes to transportation and what we eat,” Eilish said. “Every action matters, no matter how big or small, and together we can truly begin to heal our beautiful planet. Thanks to Google Maps, everyone will have easy access to resources that will help you make great sustainable choices when you come to my shows.”
Beyond food, Google Maps is helping concertgoers minimize their environmental impact by suggesting sustainable travel options like walking, cycling, or public transit. In tour cities like Berlin, Sydney, and Paris, Google Maps will automatically highlight greener travel routes, and users can look for the leaf icon in driving directions to find fuel-efficient options for lower energy consumption.
It’s not just travel options that are getting an eco upgrade. Earlier this week, preferred Travel Group is quietly shifting the landscape of luxury travel, threading sustainability into the core of its operations with an approach as deliberate as it is urgent. The company’s new Climate Action Plan (CAP), developed in partnership with the Travel Foundation, doesn’t read like a standard corporate commitment — it marks a new era of responsibility in a sector often synonymous with excess.
Under the leadership of CEO Lindsey Ueberroth, Preferred Travel Group, parent company of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Beyond Green, Historic Hotels of America, Historic Hotels Worldwide, PTG Consulting, and Beyond Green Travel, has made climate action a cornerstone of its identity, a strategy that fuses sustainability with the company’s deeply ingrained values. “At Preferred Travel Group, we are resolute in our dedication to harnessing the power of travel as a force for positive change,” Ueberroth said in a statement. “Building upon our core ‘Believe in Travel’ ideology, we are stepping up our commitment by actively investing in climate action leadership. By prioritizing climate action, Preferred Travel Group is supporting efforts to build a more sustainable and resilient industry. Our commitment contributes to protecting our planet’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations, and empowering local communities to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”
This vision is backed by action. Through a collaboration with the U.K.-based carbon consultancy ecollective, Preferred Travel Group established a detailed measurement of its companywide carbon emissions. This data is the backbone of the CAP, which outlines an ambitious goal: halving carbon emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero before 2050. The strategy is far from static, though. An executive Climate Steering Committee and a Climate Action Task Force, have been assembled to ensure the company is actively contributing to these targets. This is more than a top-down directive — it’s an organizational shift, one that includes climate action training for all employees, designed to foster literacy around best practices and facilitate systemic change.
As with any monumental shift, it’s about the details. The CAP, set to debut publicly in December, will provide a clear roadmap for Preferred Travel Group’s climate strategy, ensuring that both transparency and accountability are woven into the process. More than a corporate document, this plan represents a bold vision for the future of travel, one that includes safeguarding the planet’s cultural and environmental heritage while allowing luxury travel to evolve in a sustainable way.
Jeremy Sampson, CEO of the Travel Foundation, emphasized the significance of Preferred Travel Group’s bold approach. “We’ve seen very few organizations across all of travel and tourism make such an extensive and integrated commitment to climate action as Preferred Travel Group and want to shine a light on the example they are setting,” Sampson says. “We’re proud to be their partner in this effort and are so pleased to see the way climate action is being meaningfully resourced, as well as the way strategic discussions on climate are engaging all employees across the organization, no matter which team or level of leadership they serve on. We are excited to continue collaborating as PTG prioritizes meaningful actions and expands its sphere of influence to generate changes on the ground, in destinations, and through its growing network of high-quality boutique hotels.”
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