Responsible Travel
Travel can, and should, be a positive thing for both the traveller and the local people of the country being visited. It can bring in vital money, improve the quality of life, and increase understanding across borders. It can also do exactly the opposite if not done in a responsible manner.
At Nomadic Travel, we firmly believe that tourism should be both sustainable and beneficial to all concerned. We are pleased that our chosen preferred tour companies have in many instances taken appropriate steps to ensure that their impact on the culture and environment of a country is minimal, while maximising the benefit to the local people.
Typically these steps include using locally run hotels rather than big international chains, making use of local transport and guides where possible, and travelling in small groups. Many operators also run a 'local payment' scheme, whereby a proportion of the holiday cost is paid on arrival in the country concerned. This helps make sure the money goes directly to those who are providing the services.
At Nomadic Travel we encourage our clients to book with tour operators who undertake to adhere to responsible tourism directives. We also support the work of the following organisations:
Tourism Concern
Tourism Concern has a wide range of innovative projects. They work with communities in destination countries to reduce social and environmental problems connected with tourism and also with the out-going tourism industry in the UK to find ways of improving tourism to increase local benefits. Nomadic Travel clients are provided with Tourism Concern literature highlighting key things that can easily be done to make tourism sustainable and responsible.
Tourism Concern have successfully campaigned for tour operator porter protection policies. We are pleased to say that the trekking companies we consistently promote have in place a series of policies to provide essential protection, fair pay and humane working conditions for their porters.
For more information on Tourism Concern's work please visit: www.tourismconcern.org.uk
Survival International
We are pleased to support the work of Survival International, a charity that campaigns for the rights of tribal cultures around the world. It stands for their right to decide their own future and helps them protect their lives, lands and human rights.
For more information please visit their website at www.survival-international.org
Climate Care
International flights are a major cause of CO2 emissions that contribute to global warming. 'Climate Care' have developed wide ranging projects such as rainforest restoration in Uganda and are developing community-based micro-hydro electricity in Bulgaria that enable emissions to be 'offset' through making direct payments to support such initiatives.
Climate Care advise that air passengers should contribute an amount that is directly related to the emissions produced from their flight. For example a return flight to South America emits 2.6 tonnes of CO2 per passenger. The offset price for this works out to be approximately 3% of a typical air fare.
Further details can be found at www.climatecare.org
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