Responsible Travel Policy

Responsible Travel is twofold. It’s about taking people to the places they want to go in a safe and responsible manner but also about respecting and maintaining the natural and often delicate balance of the destination. Economic gain from tourism is often fundamental to a country, but should never be at the expense of its culture or the environment.

Imaginative Traveller and Responsible Travel

As travellers ourselves we are well aware of the impact that tourism can have in remote places and on small isolated communities. Therefore, we believe that alongside cultural and environmental guidelines for staff and travellers, giving something back is essential.

Our Aims

• It is our aim to provide journeys that have minimal negative and maximum positive impact on the places we visit.
• We do not believe that, as visitors, we should impose our own cultures on others; rather that we should experience foreign cultures and appreciate them for what they are.
• Whilst it is our aim to show destinations and cultures in a positive light, we do not believe in papering over the cracks or shielding visitors from the realities of life. This does not mean, however, that we condone or endorse certain situations or regimes that may be in place.

Our Objectives

INVOLVING LOCAL PEOPLE

• We believe that we will achieve our aims far more effectively if we involve local people and organisations wherever possible.
• We strive to recruit local people in both office and field positions wherever possible. These members of staff are trained by us and receive the same remuneration as foreigners doing the same job.
• Wherever possible supplies and equipment are purchased locally.
• Wherever possible we avoid working with large organisations, preferring to work directly with local companies and individuals.
• Small, family-run establishments make up a high percentage of the accommodation we use and where it is practical but not intrusive we also stay as guests of local families. Although generally more basic, homestays provide an invaluable insight into the local lifestyle.

OVERSEAS PARTNERS

• We endeavour to work with enterprises that treat both the traveller and the local community in a fair and just manner.
• We have set up, and continually look to further, our own environmental initiatives, involving local people where possible.
• We endeavour to work with companies that share our commitment to environmental responsibility and many partners operate their own local initiatives.

Guidelines we offer our travellers

• Our tour leaders provide constant direct contact with clients and as such their training includes awareness of the company environmental policy. Tour leaders are then responsible for advising clients about company policy and encouraging them to support our efforts.
• The company actively encourages travellers to act in a responsible manner by including environmental guidelines in the Pre-Departure Information. These guidelines aim to help minimise the impact on a destination and provide simple tips on behaviour, dress and conduct.

The Traveller’s Guidelines:

Although we want our clients to consider the environment, the last thing we want to do is enforce rules and regulations. Therefore we try very hard to maintain the balance between your enjoyment of our trips and continued conservation and respect for the local environment. Our tour leaders are not 'environmental police'; however they will endeavour to lead by example and draw your attention to any issues specific to the destination and/or tour.

Our guidelines are meant not as rigid instructions but rather as suggestions to make our holidays more enjoyable – for everybody. As cultural and environmental sensitivities vary from country to country more specific guidelines can be found on our individual Country Dossiers and Trip Dossiers – see http://www.imaginative-traveller.com/downloads/

Culture

• GENERAL – Use Pre-Departure Information and guidebooks to familiarise yourself with the culture and customs of your destination. Try to learn a few words of the local language
• BEGGING – Try to avoid giving out money, sweets and pens (pens are not in short supply and encourage children to beg) – it is far better to interact with games or drawings
• PHOTOGRAPHS – Always ask permission to photograph local people and respect their decision.
• DRESS – Respect dress codes in public areas and especially at religious sites where it may be customary to cover your head or remove shoes. In some of our destinations it is advisable to wear loose-fitting clothes that cover shoulders and knees
• RELIGION – Some religions and customs may seem strange, complicated and at times unfathomable, but to local people they are important so be respectful
• ANIMAL CRUELTY – In many of the countries we visit you might see examples of animal cruelty (e.g. dancing bears, performing monkeys and snake charmers). Please do not take photographs of this or offer money as it encourages the activity.

Outdoors

• LITTER – The obvious one. Use rubbish bins or take it with you.
• WATER – If it is necessary to wash in streams, avoid detergents and use biodegradable, eco-friendly soaps instead. It maybe someone else’s drinking water further downstream.
• TOILETS – If there are no toilets available, make sure you are at least 30 metres away from water resources, bury waste and take any toilet tissue with you or burn it.

Shopping

• HAGGLING – While it is customary and fun to haggle, remember that the stallholder / shopkeeper has to make a living. Stop when you have a fair price.
• LOCAL PRODUCE – Try to buy local produce, clothing and souvenirs etc.
• SOUVENIRS & ARTEFACTS – Use common sense when buying souvenirs. Many animals, plants and animal products are protected but non-restricted goods can also cause damage. Leave shells, coral and artefacts where they are.

Resources

• WATER – Use sparingly
• ENERGY – Turn down or off heating, a/c and lights if they're not necessary or when you leave a room.

Before you leave

• TRANSPORT – Responsible travel starts at home. Consider using public transport to travel to the airport. You may also want to consider offsetting your flight carbon. Please contact rto@imtrav.net for more details.
• SAVE PAPER – Try to gather as much information possible online and print trip information sparingly. Only order the brochures you really need.
• BE CLEVER WHEN YOU PACK – A refillable water bottle is a great way to save wasting plastic. If you are a smoker a pocket ashtray can come in handy. An old pair of trekking boots makes a great donation to a porter community, and unwanted clothes are gratefully received by orphanages.

The Responsible Travel Team

The company has an appointed Responsible Travel Officer in the UK who oversees the development of all of our projects and monitors our practice in accordance with Responsible Travel guidelines. There is a nominated Responsible Travel Officer working in each of our major destinations who provide on site support to our projects and ensure that we and our service providers adhere to any set practice guidelines. You can contact the Responsible Travel Officer and the team on rto@imtrav.net

Initiatives, Projects and Volunteering

Over the years we have committed ourselves to supporting small local projects and volunteer programmes, and have set up several of our own initiatives designed to benefit the areas we visit. We have supported Tourism Concern's human rights campaign Trekking Wrongs: Porters’ Rights and have drawn up written guidelines to expand upon our existing policies concerning Himalayan and Peruvian porters. Please email rto@imtrav.net for a copy of this. We are also a member of www.responsibletravel.com – a ground-breaking website which brings together responsible, eco and adventure holidays and hotels to help travellers to find 'holidays that give the world a break'.

We have ongoing environmental and humanitarian projects in Egypt, Turkey, India, China, Thailand and Cambodia and recently in 2007 we have also pledged our support for projects in Guatemala, Bolivia and Laos. Our 'hands-on' volunteering programmes are offered as part of tours in Kenya, Thailand, Tanzania, Ecuador, Peru, China and Nepal. We always consult the local community about their needs before introducing any initiatives, as we recognise that it is important to respond to communities' actual needs rather than what we may think their needs are. So whilst giving away pigs and building compost toilets may sound unusual, they are most definitely worthwhile projects!

Our Projects:

• Egypt - The Sunshine Project
  Sunshine improves the lives of Luxor's orphaned and abandoned children by providing them with shelter, food, education, and most importantly love and affection
• Egypt - Qurna Discovery
  Qurna Discovery is an exhibition that enables local people and visitors to understand and appreciate aspects of Qurna heritage and society.
• Turkey - Bolu Primary School & Barhal Valley School
  Qurna Discovery is an exhibition that enables local people and visitors to understand and appreciate aspects of Qurna heritage and society
• India - Chandelao Village
  Chandelao is a small principality near Jodhpur whose current Rajput ruler, Praduman Singh, is involved in trying to upgrade the life of the underprivileged in the village.
• China - Kind Heart Project
  This project offers financial support for children from poor familes in Yangshuo County to cover their school fees and essential equipment they may need such as computers.
• Laos - Water Coolers for Schools
  In Laos around 80% of the population does not have access to potable water. When asked what help they needed, the local communities said their biggest need was for clean, cool water, and especially in schools. What more did we need to hear?
• Thailand - P.I.G. (Positive Indigineous Growth)
  We buy pigs from hilltribe communites and donate them to families who are in need of extra income. Money raised in 2004 alone paid for 30 pigs.
• Thailand - Chiang Mai Orphanage
  Home to around 45 children, it provides them with shelter, support, food and education. They now have a pig breeding programme thanks to Imaginative Travellers 'PIG' project.
• Cambodia - Land Mines Museum and School
  Educating local villagers and tourists about landmines, this project helps with 'mine identification' and the impact they have on peoples lives when they are triggered
• Bolivia - Fundacion Cerro Rico Mines
  The Cerro Rico Foundation aims to provide an education for children living in local mining communities. This will enable them to have the opportunity to seek alternative employment in the future other than mining.
• Guatemala - Peten Volunteers
  The Volunteer Peten project is based in San Andres. They focus on initiatives that help to educate the local community, in particular about the conservation of their natural environment.

Our Volunteer Tours

Safari and Maasai Experience
Enjoy a safari in Tanzania and volunteer in the Maasai village of Eluai. Duties could include refurbishing the school grounds or farming.

Giant Panda Discovery
See the highlights of China and participate in volunteer work at Woolong Panda Centre. A great chance to get up close to these gentle giants.

Rajasthan Insight
Explore the delights of Rajasthan and take part in a community volunteer programme whilst staying as guests of the Rajput ruler.

Village Build in Nepal
Enjoy the unique opportunity to join a Nepali community to help them build or renovate their school whilst experiencing day-to –day life in this amazing country.

Cloud Forest and Beyond
Explore the delights of Ecuador and develop 'green fingers' whist participating in a cloud forest conservation programme.

Elephants and Adventure
Spend a whole week amongst elephants, feeding, bathing and working in the park grounds. Then embark on a magical journey through Thailand.

Island Insight
Walk in the hills of northern Thailand and stay with local hilltribe families, then transfer to a beautiful southern island and enjoy a cultural exchange programme with the local fishermen and their families

Elephants and Beaches
Work amongst African elephants and help prepare their sanctuary for tourist visits. Relax on the beach and take in the excitement of a safari in this eastern Kenya destination.

New for 2008 – Family Volunteers:

Due to the success of our volunteer tours around the world we thought it was time to get families involved in this rewarding and enjoyable travel experience.

African Elephant Sanctuary
Kenya – A unique opportunity for your entire family to help with African Elephants. Get involved with research, observe herd behaviour and welfare, and make elephant dung paper!

Elephant Experience
Thailand – Your chance to really get up close and personal with these gentle giants in their natural habitat. There will also be time to discover Bangkok, explore the jungle and float down the river on bamboo rafts.

Traveller Involvement

Only with the input of our clients are we able to achieve our aims for Responsible Travel and we thank all passengers past, present and future for their support. We appreciate your time spent considering our guidelines for responsible travellers and are grateful for all the generous donations and willing participation towards our projects and programmes.

How to Donate

On the booking form, customers can specify if you would like to support any of our Responsible Travel projects by ticking the appropriate box and stating how much you would like to contribute (this applies to UK clients only). You can add a note if you'd like the donation to go towards a specific project.

Remember, donations towards Responsible Travel or any of our projects will be matched by us, pound for pound! (Up to a maximum of £1,000.) Alternatively those who want to donate to our projects online can access our donation facility http://payments.imaginative-traveller.net/donation.php (available to overseas clients).

Collection boxes can be found in most of our frequently used meeting point hotels in Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, India, China and South East Asia so any left over currency can be spent on local causes. Donations can be also made by cheque or bank transfer - please contact rto@imtrav.net for more details.

Hands On

Clients can book any available volunteer tour through their booking agent, or if you are interested in volunteering without a tour, where possible we'll help you make contact with our volunteer programme hosts and project sites to arrange this – contact rto@imtrav.net

Keeping our own house in order

One of the core objectives of the company is to lead by example and keep our own house in order. This means all staff, in all of our offices, are aware of the need to reduce, re-use and recycle wherever possible. All of our offices are encouraged to follow a set of guidelines covering simple but important measures such as the use and re-use of paper and switching off lights. Our staff also participate in fundraising efforts, both for our Responsible Travel projects and other local causes, and where we can we'll also take part in voluntary work.

For further information about any aspect of our Responsible Travel policy, please contact rto@imtrav.net.

Thank you for reading
Happy Responsible Travelling!