ask questions and examine answers
According to CREST, selection begins with researching issues that affect the destination and asking travel agents questions. responsible travel tipsMost companies working to protect the environment and support their communities are transparent about it.
“I can ask questions and they have the answers and they know where to take me,” said Erin Green, an agent for Excelsior, Minnesota-based Pique Travel Design. I need it,” he said. agency consortium. “Otherwise, sustainability may not be a core tenet of their business.”
The answer has to be more than eliminating plastic straws and doing less laundry, which she calls “gimm.”
“I look for specific achievable goals, such as reducing emissions or going carbon neutral. Where do their staff come from? Do they work with the community? Where are they coming from?” said Mr. Green.
Among the operators, she singles out Lindblad Expeditionis an expedition cruise company that pioneered non-research-related travel in Antarctica and the Galapagos in the 1960s and became carbon neutral in 2019, offering sustainably sourced seafood (10 day Galapagos trip, starting at $7,710). quark expedition hired inuit chef Summer cruises in Greenland and Canada, and Ponant It recently launched a hybrid electric vessel that operates in polar regions.
on the ground, Big Five Tours & Expeditionsadvocates for social sustainability by blending culture and adventure in its travels to Africa, South America and beyond, patronizing locally owned safari camps in Kenya. Its safari list includes an “Elephant Ranking,” which represents the sustainability performance of African countries. natural habitatoperates wildlife viewing tours, has been carbon neutral since 2007, and in 2019 conducted the first net zero waste trip in Yellowstone National Park.
For budget travelers, she recommends G Adventures“ripple scoreMost trips (Arctic or Antarctic expedition cruises are not assessed) assess the cost of staying at the destination within the company’s travel budget. A trip with a score of 100% includes an 8-day tour. Galapagos 13 days (from $3,199 per person) Vietnam (starting at $1,999).