Adventure Alternative

Commitment to Sustainable and Responsible Tourism

We operate the highest standards of responsible tourism in Adventure Alternative and pioneer procedures and principles that have become the norm in the industry.

In this document we have built on current writings from organisations which monitor and review issues of responsible tourism, and show you how we incorporate them into our trips.

Principles of sustainable development and management of tourism

Adventure Alternative is committed to concepts of sustainable development as the core of our business activity and working through common activities to promote and disseminate methods and practices compatible with sustainable development:

1. Providing opportunities for local people to earn income from direct employment
2. Implementing a policy of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
3. Investing in start-up costs and maintenance of local companies, offering full employment, training, education and job security to all staff (pro-poor tourism)
4. Educating people to the relationship between consumer and host communities
5. Running tour programmes that are designed to work closely with the people and the environment of the destination as an integral part of the holiday experience
6. Striving to anticipate and prevent economic, environmental, social and cultural degradation. We will work towards integrating these considerations into our operations and activities.
7. Recognising that tourism can contribute to the viability of local economies
8. Attempting to continually assess and improve our performance in the context of sustainable development and management of tourism.
9. Defining measurable goals, and monitoring and reporting publicly on our progress.
10. Ensuring tourism cares for the environment

Our Responsible Tour programmes include:

We put approximately 25% of our gross profit into our host community network including –

1. Investment in our local companies in Kenya, Tanzanian and Nepal including paying fulltime salaries and all tour licensing requirements
2. Investment in purchasing vehicles and equipment
3. Drawing up fair employment agreements with all our staff including commitments on salary payment terms, insurance, staff equipment and allowances, plus an agreement on working conditions that complies with Tourism Concern and International Porters Protection Group

Use of hotels that pursue good environmental practices such as conserving water and minimising waste and use of locally-owned companies (where necessary) that provide employment and income for the local population.

Hiring of local guides on Mt Kenya, Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Elbrus and in Chile and Argentina.

Providing customers with key information e.g. tips on dress codes, how to say a few words in the local language and important customs of the destination

Supporting local community projects in conjunction with our charity Moving Mountains Trust, creating incentive for long term community development and operating in needy, less visited areas.

Not outsourcing our services to cheap, day labour or child labour.

Making cash donations to all the hospitals and schools where we send our Gap students, amounting to 20% of working costs, which are used by local committees to buy essential equipment. Assisting with local committees to advise on improvement of practises and careful purchasing programme.

Integrating sustainability into our business considering environmental, social and economic aspects throughout the process of developing a holiday package, including -

1. management of human resources, office supplies and production of printed materials
2. planning tours and selecting holiday package components that minimise environmental, economic and social impacts;
3. providing customers with information on responsible behaviour and sustainability issues at their destinations;
4. supporting destination stakeholders' efforts to address sustainability issues and proactively contributing to conservation and development projects.

Sources of Information:

Altis - This service aims to provide a trusted source of selected, high quality Internet information for students, lecturers, researchers and practitioners in the areas of hospitality, leisure, sport and tourism.
http://altis.ac.uk.html

ABTA – Responsible Tourism section making sure that tourism organisations look after destinations, so that their attractions & resources - whether natural or cultural – are not spoiled either for local people or for future visitors.
www.abtamembers.org/responsibletourism/

Tour Operators Initiative – network of tour operators committed to environmental, social and economic sustainability in the tourism sector.
www.toinitiative.org/

The Travel Foundation - an independent UK charity that aims to help the outbound travel industry manage tourism more sustainably.
www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk

Tourism Concern – an independent body voicing concerns and upholding a charter for fair employment. www.tourismconvern.org.uk

International Porters Protection Group – independent body promoting the rights of porters especially in Nepal. www.ippg.net