What is Sustainable Tourism?
Sustainable Tourism (also called Responsible Tourism) is simply about making a positive difference to the people and environment of destinations we travel to by:
- Respecting local cultures and the natural environment
- Buying local, giving fair economic returns to local families
- Recognising that water and energy are precious resources that we need to use carefully
- Helping to protect endangered wildlife
- Protecting and enhancing favourite destinations for the future enjoyment of visitors and the people who live there
- Taking responsibility for our actions while enjoying ourselves
We are inspired by these values. We believe they make a world of difference, not only to our customers but to all the people whose lives we touch. Our mission is to perfect the personal leisure travel experience whilst at the same time, managing our activities in a sustainable way.
Our programs are developed based on criteria of sustainability, using check-lists "in order to monitor the real concern of all partners and suppliers with environmental issues and thus be able to offer experiences really" eco ".
There is a strong concern about minimizing the impact of visits, fostering respect for the culture and traditions as well as enhancing positive experiences for both tourists and the inhabitants.
We created the project called "I'm eco-social" in a partnership with ecoinside, whose aim is to lower monthly costs and expenses incurred in energy by local associations of solidarity to protect the children. The ecological footprint and carbon emissions of each program are offset by energy efficiency projects carried out in solidarity childhood centers located in the regions visited.
By participating in our travels, you are contributing to the improvement of living conditions of disadvantaged children in the regions visited, as well as to decrease energy consumption. We will send you an e-mail regularly so you can verify the works done!
What Can we Do?
Although ‘offset schemes’ are one option and great in principle, it’s even better if you can consider ways to cut down your own carbon emissions and waste in the long term. For example, did you know that:
- Leaving your mobile phone charger plugged in when not in use still uses 5 watts of electricity every hour?
- Leaving your PC on standby overnight uses enough energy to microwave six dinners?
- The display clock on your microwave uses as much energy as the microwave itself?
- Turning your thermostat down by 1 degree will reduce your heating bill by up to 10%?
- Low energy light bulbs use only a quarter of the energy of normal light bulbs and last around 8 times longer?
- It is not true that turning fluorescent lights on and off uses more energy than leaving them on.
- 10% of energy use in the developed world is caused by appliances being left on standby?
- It takes 95% less energy to recycle an aluminium can than to make a new one?
- A British Standard lagging jacket on your hot water tank costs around £10 and will save you around £20 a year on your energy bill?
- Around 50 to 80% of car tyres are under inflated so that each car wastes around 5% of its fuel consumption?
