UNWTO is guided by the belief that tourism can make a meaningful contribution to people’s lives and our planet. This conviction is at the very heart of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, a roadmap for tourism development. I call on all to read, circulate and adopt the Code for the benefit of tourists, tour operators, host communities and their environments worldwide.
We consider the impact on the world around us as we provide new experiences for our guests. To make a positive impact, we have developed this responsible tourism policy so we can do business and conduct our tours in a responsible manner. Our philosophy, business model and tour content is driven by global principles for responsible tourism. These include the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) global code for ethics and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Although these goals and code of ethics are aimed at a global level, we feel we can implement our tours in a manner that is complimentary to these ambitions.
We believe that by acting with honesty and integrity and keeping in mind our social, environmental and economic sustainability beliefs we can deliver a responsible tourism product for our guests to enjoy. To learn more about the work of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s responsible tourism goals please browse the links at the end of our policy.
Economic Sustainability
We believe that responsible tourism means giving back to the communities we visit and that responsible tourism should have a positive effect on these communities. We believe that tourism should create local jobs so that communities can benefit economically from tourism. To support this belief, we partner with, include and promote local operators in each destination we visit. We support local businesses both small and large so they can experience benefits from allowing our guests to experience their destination. We believe that using local operators gives our guests unique and authentic local experiences in each destination we visit.
Environmental Sustainability
We believe that destinations we visit now should still be available for our grandchildren and their grandchildren to visit in the future. The travellers saying “Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints” reflects our position on ensuring the environment is maintained in the destinations we visit. Our group sizes are small to ensure that the footprint we leave is also small. We embrace the natural environment in which we visit and learn from local residents of the importance of their local ecosystems. We believe that educating our guests on these ecosystems helps support their sustainable use.
Social Responsibility
One of the most exciting aspects of travel is to experience another culture and we encourage our guests to experience other cultures with respect. We support the reduction of inequality within and between communities and promotion of the ethical values common to humanity, with an attitude of tolerance and respect for the diversity of religious, philosophical and moral beliefs. Our tours respect the equality of all, promote human rights and the individual rights of the most vulnerable groups. We provide an environment where guests can learn about different cultures, beliefs and histories to experience the diversity of different communities.
United Nations World Tourism Organisation – Global Code of Ethics for Responsible Tourism
