South Korea group tour

Planet

South Korea is a country where 'green' policies and principles are only slowly making inroads into the country so it's all about the little things adding up to slowly start to make a difference. The very nature of this tour as a shared transport, group tour helps to minimise the environmental impact of visitors compared to many individual travelers using separate vehicles. Many of the hotels used on the tour are locally owned and staffed and, while some of them may be larger properties, all are important employers of local people from hospitality staff right up to management level.
We are always talking to our local ground agents about the need to stress to clients the importance of basic responsible principles such as appropriate waste disposal, not to waste water, turning off lights on leaving the room in hotels, not replacing towels and bedding daily etc.
As a company we have introduced responsible practices in our UK office including paper, cardboard, aluminium and plastic recycling. We also support local UK charities including the RNIB and various charities around the world. 50% of our office staff use public transport (bus and train) and cycle to work. Management encourages this with their introduction of the cycle to work scheme which offers subsidised cycle ownership.

People

On our South Korea vacations all services are provided by local Korean people which includes your local English-speaking group guides, the drivers, local guides at various monuments/sites (such as the DMZ) and hotel staff. All staff are paid a fair wage for South Korea and all wages are kept within the local communities thereby supporting local people. Furthermore, by visiting these hotels and sites additional income is brought into the region, further helping to develop the local area. All meals are included on the itinerary and food is sourced locally whether it is served in the hotels or a local restaurant.
The vacation includes a stay in a traditional Buddhist temple which offers an insight into local Buddhist life with the participation in their ceremonies and meditation classes. This overnight stay is an inportant source of income for the temple with the payment for each guest but also with the purchase by the group operator of all food from the temple's on-site organic garden.