At Travel XS, our policy for sustainable excursions prioritizes tours that consider environmental, social, and economic impacts to promote responsible tourism. We ensure that excursions respect local traditions, encourage meaningful interactions, support local economies, and adhere to environmental and ethical standards.
Following is the Policy for Excursion of Travel XS which gives priority and preference for Sustainable Excursions and a strong preference for excursions that take environmental, social, and economic impacts into due account to foster more sustainable tourism. When sourcing and selling an excursion to our customers, we ensure that the excursion:
1. Is respectful in encounters with local traditions.
2. Encouraging, respectful, and courteous exchange with local people.
3. Ensuring that customers are able to purchase locally produced traditional handicrafts.
4. Making sure that food reflects a region’s cuisine and includes local specialties.
5. Is caring for the environment by complying with rules and regulations governing visits to protected areas such as national parks.
6. Giving preference to slow, possibly non-motorized forms of mobility, for example, hiking, bicycling, and city walks.
7. If motorized forms are unavoidable, make sure that vehicle sizes are small and appropriate, there is proper licensing on vehicles or boats, and certification to national emission standards is maintained.
8. Avoid excursions that contribute to the degradation of ecosystems, such as excursions outside the marked trails.
9. Taking steps to reduce water and energy consumption, such as training drivers in fuel-saving techniques or air conditioning use.
10. Maintaining small-group sizes to limit negative environmental impacts in accordance with the carrying capacity of the visited site.
11. Having a thumb rule of “leaving behind only footprints" and taking back litter and rubbish such as food packaging and recycling wherever possible.
12. Is caring for animal welfare by ensuring that the excursion does not violate the code of conduct.
13. Keeping a safe distance from wildlife, reducing the production of disturbing sounds, and prohibiting feeding.
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ELEPHANT INTERACTION:
The elephant camps that we include in our tours have been screened and approved.