Yearly report sustainable tourism – 2024
With the end of 2024 near, we took some time to evaluate our sustainable efforts of the last years.
REDUCING SINGLE USE PLASTICS
– We encouraged all our accommodation suppliers to keep the water refill stations in their hotel, so that are customers can refill their bottles instead of having to buy single use plastic water bottles. We still followed up with this throughout the year.
– We distribute tote bags to our clients that are made by a women cooperation in Chitwan make tote bags as a welcome gift. Like this we want to eliminate single use plastic bags.
– We continue to create awareness with our clients about this topic, by providing them information and stimulating them to refill their own bottles
SUSTAINABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
– We renewed partnerships with small scale family run accommodations, with community home stays and with social enterprises. We further encouraged our accommodation providers to make their accommodations more sustainable.
– We work intensively together with the Travelife Gold Certified hotel Traditional Comfort hotel in Kathmandu. This hotel is now on top of our list to offer to our clients. Depending on their budget off course.
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
– We started using a hybrid car, and checked the cars of our transportation supplier, so that he renews some cars to more clean cars.
– We promote the ride sharing app InDrive to our clients that want to go explore by themselves.
SUSTAINABLE EXCURSIONS
– We still add more optional excursions in the travel itineraries, to encourage clients to book those. Some extra activities are organized by or local NGO`s or by marginalized individuals or communities.
– We started offering an excursion in Pokhara, run by an NGO. Clients can meet with ladies of a local women cooperation and learn everything about the Nepalese coffee plantation in Nepal.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
– We organized 2 days of inhouse training, in which our guides where trained in several topics.
– We tested all of our trekking guides on the English language and those that were not good enough we encouraged to follow additional classes.
– We work with a trekking guide manual, in which in clearly explained what we expect from our guides during the assignment they get from us. This makes that everyone works in the same way, and more professional.
– We trained 2 Nepalese interns that are studying Bachelor in Tourism Management.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
– We created 2 new magazines, to inform our clients better. One is about trekking in Nepal, the other one about travelling in Nepal. We send these immediately after booking to them, so they can prepare well.
GIVING BACK – DONATIONS & COOPERATION
– We donated a small amount to Teach for Nepal, an organization that is sending young people to remote areas to teach in the villages.
– We donated an amount to one of our staff members that had some financial hardships
