Responsible Travel
When Adventure Center opened for business in 1972, responsible travel was not really understood. The original overland tour companies - those driving trucks across Asia, Africa and South America in the 1960s and 1970s - were the pioneers in many ways: leaving places and villages untouched was not even a 'philosophy'; it just was.
The worldwide travel industry now claims to practice 'responsible tourism', but does that really happen?
What responsible travel means to Adventure Center
We've been traveling responsibly for an awful long time, and we've summarized our thoughts on teh subject here for you:
Small Groups Small groups lessen the environmental and cultural impact that travelers have on places and the people that live in them. When huge tour busses disgorge 3,4,5 dozen tourists in a remote village in Africa, Asia or anywhere else, it has a shocking, negative effect on the people that live there.
Local sourcing When you stay at an international hotel in Manila, Dar es Salaam or La Paz, guess where your money goes? There is some trickle-down to the local economy, but most of it goes overseas.
The economic, environmental and cultural effects of a trip are key considerations in responsible adventure travel companies' itinerary design process. Where possible, we source locally in order to distribute the economic benefits throughout the places we travel.
Putting our hearts into it When everyone involved with the organization of a trip promotes and adheres to sustainable travel principles, travelers cannot help but embrace them. Tour companies have an obligation not only to create responsible tours, but also to pass on these values. We hope that you will put them into practice on future trips and pass them on to fellow travelers.
Adventure Center partner companies all put reponsible travel values into practice. When you book a trip with us, you can rest assured that you'll be traveling responsibly.