Greener Tour Operators

Excursions

If you are developing a new excursion or want to ‘green’ a current one, we suggest using our excursions audit tool which we have developed to help you assess your suppliers.

Here is a brief explanation of the key issues to you will need to address when assessing an excursion:

Benefit local communities economically...

...all excursions should provide income generating opportunities for the local people, either through the provision of goods and services or through tourist spend. Ways to do this include:

• Making sure any food stops are at locally owned cafes or restaurants.
• Taking customers to local shops or markets to buy souvenirs.
• Encouraging customers to visit the local museum, church or cultural centre, where the donation fee will help pay for its upkeep.

Promote local culture and traditions...

...the excursion should enable your customers to experience and gain a better understanding of the local culture, heritage and traditions. This also makes a more memorable experience for them! Some of the ways you could do this include:

• Making sure the lunch menu reflects the region’s cuisine and includes local specialities.
• Ensuring your customers are able to purchase locally produced traditional handicrafts
• Including opportunities for customers to experience authentic music or dance and visit religious, cultural or heritage sites.
• Providing information on culturally appropriate behaviours e.g. dress codes for religious sites, whether or not photography is appropriate, and other useful tips to avoid causing any offence.

Help conserve the natural environment...

...sustainable excursions should not just avoid damaging or disturbing the environment but wherever possible they should include positive measures to help conserve it.

• Always check the excursion complies with any rules and regulations governing visits to protected areas, such as national parks and make sure it follows marked paths and trails.
• Wherever possible, use guides who have received training on environmental issues and encourage them to convey this information to your customers.
• If the excursion involves any interactions with wildlife or captive animals (e.g. a safari or zoo), make sure both your customers and local guides are aware of and adhere to best practice guidelines.  Do consider offering responsible whale and dolphin watching experiences in the wild, rather than a captive experience – better for your clients, as well as the marine life involved! Similarly if the excursion involves any freshwater or marine based activities (e.g. snorkelling, boat trips) then use our guidelines for marine suppliers to ensure minimal disturbance to the area.