Make it count
We believe that all travel should be responsible. As tour operators we take that responsibility seriously, and if you are interested in our holidays, we assume you take that responsibility seriously too.
There are those who say that we should simply stop travelling when it includes flights, given that flying is so detrimental to the earth’s atmosphere and that it therefore speeds up climate change. We have every sympathy with that view, but think there is more to it than simply stopping travelling.
If we stopped travelling it would affect the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world, and tourism income would stop protecting large areas of our natural world. For example, if there was no financial incentive to protect tigers or gorillas (for tourists to come and see), who would protect them? And if people living in rainforests could not get an income from their natural resources through tourism, why would they not resort to logging to feed their families?
However we can choose to travel wisely and we can make our travels count. So, how do we do this?
- Let’s not forget our own country. Every country has fabulous areas of beauty, wilderness and its own culture and fascinating sights. We should get to know it for short holidays, and not try to escape on a plane every time we have time off. Down to Earth is currently working on some British holidays, so watch this space.
- Take fewer, longer holidays abroad. For other breaks, stay local or perhaps go somewhere we can reach by train.
- Choose our holidays carefully. Our money really can make a positive difference if it’s channelled to the right kind of holiday. We make it clear how our holidays help the local community or conservation project and so on.
- Get around on the ground. Where possible choose trains or road transport instead of domestic flights. Slow travel is the best kind.
- Carbon offset our flights. OK this is a hotly debated topic, but surely doing something is better than doing nothing? We plant 10 indigenous trees for every person who travels with us on one of our Down to Earth holidays, whether or not they buy flights from us. And we plant these trees in areas where they also act as a poverty alleviation scheme and help biodiversity. Read more ...
So, if you’re going to travel, don’t feel guilty about it, simply make it count.
Down to Earth Holidays include some or all of the following aspects of responsible travel:
- Your flights are carbon offset through The Travel Forest.
- We minimise environmental impact by choosing slow travel (eg trains, road transfer, buses) where practical and possible.
- We encourage getting out and about on foot, by bike or by horse.
- We introduce you to local people and communities in a friendly, non-voyeuristic way. We can offer such authentic cross-cultural experiences because we work with local NGO’s (non-governmental organisations) and other grassroots organisations to bring you to places (usually small villages) where responsible tourism is welcomed and makes a direct contribution.
- We like to choose locally owned and run places to stay, which preferably have good environmental ethics. Some of the accommodation we choose directly benefits local conservation, such as rainforest lodges protecting areas of rainforest.
The Travel Forest
The Travel Forest plants indigenous trees to offset the carbon emissions produced when you fly on holiday. Whilst this is the primary motivation for planting the trees, the project also works as a poverty alleviation scheme and also aims to combat environmental degradation.
At Down to Earth we plant 10 trees for every person who travels with us, whether or not they buy flights from us.
Currently the saplings are being planted in northern Tanzania, and they are all indigenous trees. Not only does this back the region in terms of biodiversity and soil erosion, but the trees will also bring an income to the poor communities who tend the saplings. The trees are left to grow for many years, providing shade for local people and livestock, and naturally-shed branches are used for firewood. Once sustainable replanting is established, the trees can be used for timber or firewood, thereby bringing in an income for the village.
Link to The Travel Forest.
Your holidays helps
Most of our holidays include at least one way in which a community or conservation project is helped through the simple act of you buying that holiday. It may be that you are staying at a village homestay where funds go back to the community, or you might be staying in an Indian jungle lodge which is directly involved in protecting tigers. Not only does this add to your experience, but this type of trade is a sustainable way for development and conservation projects to be backed.
We usually organise such visits usually through grassroots organisations and local NGO’s, tapping into their knowledge and networks to ensure that we do this in the right way.
On each holiday page, we explain who or what and how the holiday helps. Be assured that we don’t ‘spin’ this information. If there is nothing truly helpful about your holiday, but it just happens to be a jolly good holiday, we’ll tell you that too!
Travel Philanthropy
The term philanthropic travel seems to have come out of the USA in the last few years, and is a concise way of saying that travellers often want to donate to charitable projects that they learn about when travelling.
At Down to Earth we try to make it easy for you if you want to give to a charitable project. Indeed in each country, we have one worthwhile grassroots project which we are raising money for at any one time. This is done through the registered UK charity, The Tribes Foundation. We offer information on what is required by the project and we would be truly delighted if you could help.
Awards
Down to Earth Holidays is a range of holidays brought to you by global responsible travel pioneers Tribes Travel, which is a multi award-winning tour operator.
Ethical shopping for your travels
We began Tribes Trading in 2007, as many Tribes clients asked us where they could find things like biodegradable soap, wind-up chargers, travel bags, first aid kits, good travel books and maps and so on. All the kinds of things you might look for before travelling. We hope that you will like the selection of travel book, maps, gadgets as well as fair trade crafts and organic goodies that we’ve put together. Go to Tribes Trading.