Travel XS Policy for Sustainable Excursion

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, as for example hiking, bicycling, city walks.
7. If motorized forms are unavoidable, make sure that vehicle sizes are as small as appropriate and proper licensing on vehicles or boats and certifying to national emission standards are maintained;
8. Avoiding 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 to 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.

a. We ensure elephant camps treat their animals with respect.
b. In a good camp, tourism activity with elephants should support the purpose of conservation and protection.
c. An elephant camp should never be created for the sole purpose of tourism, but always as a rescue camp or conservation camp, protecting the elephants from the hard-working conditions of logging, formerly tortured elephants, or calves whose mother was killed or taken away, etc.
d. We have completely stopped. Instead we have started the process of assessing all of the elephant camps with which we work and retain only those who respect the guidelines ensuring the best welfare of these incredible creatures.
e. We are also planning with specialized NGOs to encourage owners, mahouts and camp managers to develop other types of activities like bathing the elephants, learn how to be a mahout, help the Mahout to feed the elephant, walking with elephants, etc. which will allow a close encounter without affecting the elephant’s welfare.
f. We also brief our clients to never carry out any activities when they are left alone (or with other tourists) with the elephant. You will put yourself in a very dangerous situation!
g. Carefully follow the mahout’s instructions when you decide to book mahout training. You should ask the elephant caretaker for clear instructions and you should not tolerate a lack of supervision.