How are we working currently on responsible tourism guidelines?
Being an adventure tour operator, we clearly understand the importance of environment, its usefulness and ill-effects of treating it deficiently. Environment does not only mean Land, Air or Water to us. It means anything and everything that surrounds us on our trips. Be it the people and their culture, or animals, trees or anything for that matter. Here are few of the points of how we have tried to make a difference.
Environment Policies:
- We do not leave anything back from our outings.Every dirt is brought back with us, even in the Himalayan trips.
- Wherever possible we try to replicate diesel/electric engines by local made products. E.g. In one of our outing we use Bamboo Rafts to cross the river than motor boats.
- We avoid using disposable plates and glasses rather we use plates & glasses made from dry leaves or bamboo.
- We use & encourage natural spring water wherever possible during our trips. Else, we buy it from local vendors.
- Waste from kitchen is composted.
Economic Policies:
- We get the benefits of tourism to the local area and use their services and produce that in-turn supports local business. Not only it generates employment but it also contributes to the overall development of the region. E.g. We take help of local porters, use local made coracles etc.
- We hire local people for cooking, cleaning & Transport.
- Use of local farm houses & Eco lodges during our trips than resorts that have higher carbon emission rates. E.g. Farm houses use solar water heater as compared to the resorts that use electric geysers.
- Our meals are made from the nick with ingredients purchased from local market/sources, thus avoiding packaging wherever possible.
Social Policies:
- We encourage clients to react positively to the local culture and traditions. Proper guidelines are given by our facilitators to the clients before the commencement of the trip regarding safety and local traditions.
- Clients are instructed for the importance of ecosystem and are advised not to leave litter or damage or wander away from the trails.
- We use mobiles and emails more to communicate with clients than paper.
What are our Ongoing Projects?
Social Policies:
- Tie-ups with few of the environment conservation societies/NGOs who work specifically for the environment up-gradation and maintaining the ecological balance. It would also include wildlife conservation societies.
- We are bringing out few schemes like "Special discounts to people who choose to arrive by Bus/Train or who opt for local transportation amid our trips.
- We can send pre-departure information to clients which should include details about the destination in terms of attractions, crafts and local lifestyles, and encourage customers to find out more about the area.
Environment Policies:
- Segregation of recyclable and non-recyclable material/waste from our outings and recycle/dispose them accordingly. Promote more use of recyclable/reusable products.
- Initiatives like afforestation, Cleaning of Nandi Hills, putting up the boards to keep the environment clean etc.
- We are trying to optimize our trips in such a way that we take less usage of vehicles between our trips or maybe we use cycles/mountain bikes for the same purpose.
- We are planning generate funds from clients for the particular place by keeping donation boxes on our trips which will further be used to upgrade the environment of that place.
Economic Policies:
- Promote more trips in future to places which are developed from the view point of eco-tourism/responsible tourism. We can also promote trips which do not require great deal of transportation like "Karnataka Rural Biking Trip".
- Promote local folk dances during our night outing programs. This will be again a source of income for local villagers.
- We can help local community to sell their local products to our clients during our outings. E.g. Handicraft.
- Use responsible tourism related stuff during advertisements, promotions and events.
Out of the total budget for every trip, 60% is utilized for taking the services of the local vendors thus enhancing the local tourism and also generating employment in the locale. This approach has helped in keeping the local tourism pumped and also creating employment for the youth.
Traveler's Code of Conduct:
Clients who travel with us are intimated even before the start of the trip about the responsible behavior they need to follow during their travel with us. It talks about and gives advice on how this trip makes a difference to local economy and environment. There are made aware about the local community and culture being followed and make sure that we do not harm / disturb any.?
Recycling:
Since Mother Nature is our responsibility, we focus strong on recycling and waste management system. We always look for environmental friendly packaging. The products bought are usually packed under one layer of packaging and hence reduce the amount of trash. We also use packaging that goes back to nature. The containers and bags used in this case are compostable in nature. Large eco-friendly bags are used to handle recyclable stuff. Plastic grocery is also used to some extent but it is reusable
Minimizing Environmental Impact:
Your group sizes are usually not more than 10-12 keeping it in the safe limit zone and hence the carbon emission is minimum. We use eco-friendly toilets or pit toilets on this trip. In this all waste is covered with a mixture of soil and lime, and no water is used. We also promote use of filtered water throughout our trips this reducing the negative impact on the environment. At the end of every year, we conduct special programs to get every dirt back (if left) from the trips done by us or any.
Benefit of Locale:
- We get the benefits of tourism to the local area and use their services and produce that in-turn supports local business. Not only it generates employment but it also contributes to the overall development of the region. E.g. We take help of local porters, use local made coracles etc.
- We hire local people for cooking, cleaning & Transport.
- Use of local farm houses & Eco lodges during our trips than resorts that have higher carbon emission rates. E.g. Farm houses use solar water heater as compared to the resorts that use electric geysers.
- Our meals are made from the nick with ingredients purchased from local market/sources, thus avoiding packaging wherever possible.
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