Sustainability

Our Pledge to Sustainable Tourism

We care deeply about our planet. It is the only home all of us will ever have. Our strong belief in the positive chain reaction that sustainability has on creating a healthier and friendlier living space has prompted us to share our love for beautiful Slovenia responsibly.

That is why we are working tirelessly towards a future in which travel contributes to the preservation of the natural environment and the wellbeing of local communities.

"Surely we all have a responsibility to care for our Blue Planet. The future of humanity and indeed, all life on Earth, now depends on us."
- David Attenborough

Mother Nature Is in Dire Straits

The planet is in trouble. Recent decades have seen an alarming acceleration in the disappearance of species as part of the sixth mass extinction. The scientific community believes this irreversible process may be the most serious threat to human civilization. Global warming, the result of which is devastating climate change, and our growing population and consumption rates through unsustainable means, have triggered dangerous devastation of the natural world. An example of these extremes is also the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Humanity demands basics like a stable climate, fresh water, and a healthy pollination of crops to function. As levels of pollution increase and biodiversity is crippled by the destruction of habitats, these elementary needs are threatened. Not only is the quality of life at stake for present and future generations, our very existence as a species has become questionable.

The time to act is now.

WE EMBRACE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Sustainability is no longer a recommended remedy, but an obligatory necessity.

Sustainable approaches have to be adopted in every industry if we are to successfully tackle the planet’s environmental challenges. Tourism is no exception.

The World Tourism Organization has clearly pointed out that in order to provide long-term sustainability within the tourism industry, a favourable balance has to be established between the three main principles of sustainability: the environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development. This translates into an incredibly wide range of targets that have to be met.

“Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities”.
The World Tourism Organization’s definition of sustainable tourism.

The successful development of sustainable tourism requires all parties involved, from agencies and local providers, to political organisations and tourists themselves to play their part. A huge portion of enhancing sustainability in tourism also involves maintaining a high level of tourist satisfaction by guaranteeing a meaningful experience to tourists and raising their awareness regarding sustainability issues.

The good news is that people are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious. They want to travel greener and discover foreign places by causing as little eco-impact as possible.

We are fully committed to providing our clients, the participants in our holiday packages and the activities these entail, with wholesome, environmentally friendly experiences.

Let Us Call It by Its Real Name: AN EMERGENCY

That is why we have joined the “Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency” community. It’s an initiative signed by 199 travel organisations, companies and professionals who have declared a climate emergency and have come together to cut global emissions in half over the next decade.

Climate emergency declaration

We feel that working together, sharing ideas and business concepts, reorganizing the way we deliver our services and abiding by guidelines set forth by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) represents an indispensable tool in the fight against climate change and other calamities facing our planet.

WHAT WE DO AND PLAN TO DO TO MEET OUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS

Let Us Call It by Its Real Name: AN EMERGENCY

Sustainable tourism is not a new concept in Slovenia. Numerous sustainability milestones have been reached. In 2016, Slovenia was awarded the title “The World’s Most Sustainable Country” by National Geographic’s World Legacy Award. That same year, our capital Ljubljana was declared European Green Capital. The Green Destinations Organisation in the Netherlands recognised Slovenia’s commitment to eco-friendly development by awarding it with their prestigious “A Green Destination” title. To name just a few.

As a country, we have come even further since then, and are continuing to concentrate great effort in developing green tourism in both our urban and rural environments.
We therefore feel it is not only our duty as a tourism provider but also our responsibility as Slovene citizens to contribute to our country’s honourable task of creating a more sustainable society.

We hold the Travelife Certificate, a fair and affordable system that helps tour operators and travel agencies manage and improve various social and environmental impacts by complying with sustainability criteria.

We provide healthy, green activities, such as hiking and cycling holiday packages, as well as a list of other outdoor pastimes that have a minimum impact on the environment. Many of our sightseeing options also include zero-emission travel.

We give priority to service providers who implement green solutions. This includes hotels, equipment providers, local boutique agencies, as well as farms and winemakers who produce their products in an ecological way.

We have joined The Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism (GSST) certification programme, a national initiative operating under the Slovenia Green brand. It offers destinations and tourism providers concrete, applicable tools for assessing and improving their sustainable operations.

Another strategy that we are currently working on is measuring CO2 emissions on our holidays and in our office spaces. The timeframe for the realisation of this project is 12 months, and the results will be used to determine how to lower our carbon footprint even further.

Improving Local Communities

Our business strategy is based on boosting the local economy. We support local service providers, local production, and employ local guides who do the same.

The aim is not only to stimulate the Slovenian-based tourism and hospitality industry, but to reduce negative effects that come with importing through global transportation. We believe that supporting local product development activities and the promotion of authentic cuisine through strengthening the vertical link to Slovenian culinary brands truly has a widespread positive effect on sustainable food and promotion of small farmers.

Conservation

Education is among the most valuable tools we possess.
Whichever holiday package you opt for, our local tour guides strive to supply guests with highly interesting and useful information. Be it on a cycling tour of the countryside or a hiking expedition in the Julian Alps – understanding the importance of how to visit nature is key.

“Leave only footprints” is the motto of every Slovenian nature lover. We have been blessed by inheriting some of the world’s most diverse and fascinating environments both below and aboveground. Our mission is to preserve them for future generations.

You can read more on how to behave in nature here.

Let’s be honest; there would be no tourism if destinations were rendered unattractive, and what’s worse, environmentally tainted.

Responsible behaviour in the great outdoors is vital in protecting our planet and consequently our own wellbeing.

What More Can We do?

Helping Mother Nature get back on her feet is the responsibility of every single individual. The road to global recovery is long, but with small steps in the right direction, we are bound to succeed. Together!