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Sustainable Tourism |
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Protecting the environment and the people and places we visit is a top priority for Brendan Vacations. That is why we have committed to minimizing the environmental impact of our own operations and contributing to sustainable tourism projects around the world. We believe together we can truly make a difference. More about our current progress:
- Brendan Vacations has partnered with Sustainable Travel International™ so you can choose carbon neutral travel by voluntarily offsetting your flight, coach travel and accommodation. Click here to learn more or go carbon neutral.
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- Brendan Vacations has set up The Leading Travel Companies of the World Conservation Foundation, a not-for-profit joint initiative that encourages sustainable tourism, conservation and support threatened communities, natural environments and historic sites.
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- At Brendan Vacations we are reducing our own carbon footprint by introducing recycling, energy reduction and waste minimization in our regional offices worldwide and encouraging each of staff to volunteer two days a year for a local charity.
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- By taking a coach tour you are already choosing one of the most environmentally forms of transportation. Coaches emit significantly less CO2 than travelling by air or train.
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- Make sure you tread lightly and respect the communities you visit by adhering to Brendan Vacations tips for sustainable travel.
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What We are Doing
Brendan Vacations are reducing the carbon footprints and environmental impact of our offices by introducing recycling, energy reduction and waste minimisation projects as well as supporting local community projects where we live and work. Our staff are proud to be involved in making a difference. We encourage our staff to spend two working days a year volunteering for charitable projects.
The greener way to go
Every time we travel, whether by car, train, plane or coach, we are burning fossil fuels and contributing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. And while there are many ways to travel while on holiday, we are pleased to advise that by choosing an Brendan Vacations escorted tour, you are opting for one of the most environmentally friendly ways to go. This grid below shows you the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per km for a passenger travelling on various forms of transport which clearly shows coach transport as emitting significantly less carbon dioxide than other forms of transport. With carbon dioxide being one of the main causes of global warming, it's good to know that buying an escorted tour holiday is a better way to travel.
Our Conservation Foundation
In 2008 we established The Leading Travel Companies Conservation Foundation, a non-profit organization that encourages sustainable tourism and supports threatened communities, natural environments and historic sites all over the world.
Already, The Leading Travel Companies have helped Conservation International to protect three million hectares of Atlantic Forest in Brazil, an area of unmatched importance to protect the planet’s biological diversity, supported WWF to help establish the first sustainable tourism project wholly managed by the area’s indigenous communities, and funded research and restoration in Venice to help protect the city from degradation. The Foundation is also a primary sponsor for the ‘Tourism for Tomorrow’ Awards which encourages tour operators to develop and share leading sustainable tourism practices.
To learn more about the work supported by the Foundation please visit www.tltc.com foundation.
The funds will be allocated by the board to projects that specifically aim for:
- the conservation and protection of the environment, wildlife and cultural heritage sites preserving these areas for future sustainable tourism;
- the relief of poverty and the improvement of the conditions of life in socially and economically disadvantaged communities through community involvement in sustainable tourism;
- the promotion of sustainable tourism as a means to achieve economic growth and regeneration.
Foundation FAQs
What projects does the Foundation support?
Since the Foundation was established in 2008, it has supported projects that were put through a stringent process of evaluation. This has included Conservation International's Atlantic Rainforest project in Brazil, sustainable tourism managed by the area's indigenous people in conjunction with WWF, and research and restoration in Venice, Italy through the Venice in Peril charity.
Who manages the Foundation?
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The Foundation has been established as an independent entity, legally and financially independent from any of the supporting companies. It is managed by Members of the Board who follow the Foundation’s strict principles in selecting projects which support conservation, community and sustainable tourism. (Go to www.tltc.com to learn more.)
Which travel companies support the Foundation?
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The Foundation was established as a joint initiative of leading travel companies – AAT Kings, Brendan Worldwide Vacations, Busabout, Contiki Vacations, Eastern Trekker, Evan Evans Tours, Haggis Adventures, Insight Vacations, Shamrocker Adventures and Trafalgar Tours.
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How can I support the Foundation?
At this stage the Foundation is funded solely by the contributions from the travel companies that support it. At this time, the Foundation is not set up to receive donations from the public, however by supporting the companies that donate to the Foundation you will be encouraging the good work being done. There are also many other things you can do to help protect the environment so we encourage you to start by making small changes in your own life that will help protect the environment.
Our Advisory Panel
The Leading Travel Companies of the World Conservation Foundation has gathered an advisory panel of leaders in conservation and sustainable tourism to assist in choosing exceptional projects to be supported by the annual grant program. Each of these independent advisors volunteers their time to assist the Foundation.
Biographies
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Dr. Raymond Nias
Ray received his undergraduate education in biology at Flinders University in South Australia and carried out his post-graduate studies on the evolution of social organization in birds at the University of New England, NSW.
After university, Ray spent two years working on rare and threatened birds in the agricultural regions of southern Eyre Peninsula, before joining WWF Australia in 1988.
Ray has led the development of WWF Australia’s large and growing program of conservation related activities including the management of research, policy development, advocacy, and community outreach programs. He has been actively involved in the international work of WWF for many years; has been Chair of the WWF International Marine Advisory Group; and was instrumental in the establishment of the WWF South Pacific program in 1990 and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean initiative in 2006.
Ray has also been involved in the development of numerous conservation programs policies and programs in Australia and has been a member of many government and non-government advisory bodies. In the past few years he has been involved in topics ranging from illegal fishing on the high seas through to energy futures modeling in Australia. www.panda.org
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Sue Hurdle
Sue Hurdle is founder and Chief Executive of The Travel Foundation, the UK's government & industry-backed sustainable tourism charity. Having worked for Thomas Cook for a number of years, in 1998 Sue developed an initiative to persuade the UK's leading travel companies that corporate responsibility really is good for business. In 2003 this initiative was launched as The Travel Foundation - the world's first industry partnership to help companies put sustainable tourism into practice. www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk |
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Brian T. Mullis
Brian T. Mullis co-founded Sustainable Travel International (STI) in 2002 with the mission of promoting responsible travel and facilitating the travel and tourism industry's move toward sustainability by providing programs that help travelers and travel-related companies protect the environmental, socio-cultural and economic values of the places they visit, and the planet at large.
Brian has over 20 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. He began his career spending summers during college working in national parks in Wyoming, Montana and Utah. More recently, Brian was the President and owner of The World Outdoors, an international adventure travel company specializing in active and eco-travel. During his career, he has assisted numerous travel and tourism companies of all sizes in the areas of sustainable tourism development, business and program development, sales and marketing, finance and budgeting, and management and operations.
Mullis has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a focus on Business from Auburn University and holds a Master's Degree in Recreation Management from Springfield College. He spends his free time traveling abroad, exploring the backcountry and enjoying quality time with friends and family. www.sustainabletravelinternational.org
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Russel Friedman
Russel Friedman is currently a director and shareholder in the Wilderness Safaris Group of Companies in which he became involved in 1984, a year after its inception. Russel was instrumental in helping grow Wilderness Safaris into a large lodge-operating company that currently operates in six countries in southern Africa including the Seychelles. They currently market and manage 44 lodges and employ around 1600 people.
Russel also manages Wilderness Safari’s Wildlife Trust which supports a wide variety of projects in southern Africa, within the categories of wildlife management, research and education. These projects address the needs of existing wildlife populations, seek solutions to save endangered species and provide education and training for local people and their communities. The goal of the Trust is to make a difference to Africa, her wildlife and her people.
He previous owned Russel Friedman Books, a specialist mail order company dealing primarily with books on the Natural History of southern Africa. www.wildernesstrust.com |
Go Carbon Neutral
While there are many things you can do to lessen your impact on the environment while traveling, an easy way to make a difference is to ‘carbon neutralize’ your travel.
It’s the carbon emissions in the atmosphere that are slowing warming our planet and causing climate change. Reducing these emissions is up to each of us and can be done by turning off appliances, driving less, and buying local produce. For those emissions that can’t be reduced carbon neutralizing allows you to contribute to projects that are greening the planet in other ways.
Brendan Vacations has partnered with Sustainable Travel International™ allowing you the option to calculate the carbon footprint of your travel and contribute towards projects that will reduce the C02 emissions in the atmosphere on your behalf.
This voluntary scheme invites you to pay a contribution based on the amount of carbon likely to be generated from your travel. You can choose to offset your flight, coach travel or the energy consumed staying in your hotel accommodation.
 Click here to find out more and carbon neutralize your travel.
Climate Change & Carbon Offsetting - FAQs
How do I impact on climate change? Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) are emitted when fossil-fuels are consumed. Each time we drive a car, fly in a plane, use electricity, or generate waste these fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal are burnt and CO2 is added into the atmosphere warming the earth and causing climate change.
What can I do to help avoid Climate Change? We can all take simple steps to reduce the amount of CO2 we produce and for those emissions we can't reduce we can neutralise the rest. Neutralising means paying someone to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere on your behalf. In that way we can pay for the damage we are causing and the money helps to fund transition to a lower-carbon world.
Will going carbon neutral really make a difference? By neutralising your carbon emissions you are supporting projects which lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Some of the most effective ways to do this is by supporting energy efficiency projects and the development of renewable energy sources such as those offered by our partner carbon offset organisations.
How do I know the carbon projects are effective? Each of the carbon projects we support are independently audited and meet high quality standards such as the Gold Standard or the Kyoto Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The Gold Standard is an independently audited, globally applicable best practice methodology for project development that delivers high quality carbon offsets.
Tips for sustainable travel
There are many things you can do while traveling to minimize your environmental impact. Some of them you may already do at home but you can also do them while on vacation:When you’ve finished with your vacation brochures, pass them onto a friend or recycle them.
- Buy local produce which reduces air miles incurred in transporting the food to a kitchen for final preparation.
- Respect the local culture and traditions where you are traveling through. Ensure your dress and behavior is appropriate for the places you visit. If you’re unsure, ask your tour manager
- Minimise waste by bringing your own water bottle and reusing it, and refuse or reuse plastic bags when shopping
- Learn a few words of the local language and ensure the way you dress, eat and greet people is polite according to the local custom
- Please don’t pick plants and flowers, leave them for others to enjoy
- At your hotel use water sparingly, take short showers instead of baths and hang towels for drying and reuse
- Separate paper from plastic and try to recycle as much as possible
- Throw any litter in the bin and keep the local environment tidy
- Switch lights off & air conditioning off if you are not in the room or don’t need them.
- Turn off your TV instead of leaving it on standby
- Support a local environmental group and learn more about what you can do
- Reduce your use and waste of precious resources such as water, food and energy
- Leave as much packaging at home from goods you buy for your trip and recycle as much of this as possible
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