Vietnam and Angkor in comfort

Planet

Vietnam is a cultural treasure trove, offering up several UNESCO World Heritage sites like the ancient traders town of Hoi An and the turquoise waters of Halong Bay. When we visit these fascinating sights not only do we learn about Vietnam’s rich history and diverse culture, but our entrance fees help to contribute to the upkeep of these special places, ensuring they are looked after for generations to come.

We manage water consumption and reduce waste on this trip by encouraging people to bring along re-usable bottles and by supplying a large tank of fresh drinking water on our coach, available for refills. We also include an overnight train journey on this trip.

As a company we support Cool Earth. Protecting rainforest is one of the most effective actions to tackle climate breakdown. Cool Earth work with indigenous communities empowering them to conserve their forest; keeping CO2 locked in.

People

In order to really be a benefit to the local people in the areas we travel to, we use an entirely local crew, the hotels we use are locally owned and we eat out at a variety of small restaurants and street stalls, thus spreading their spending wealth. We also think this gives you a better experience as you get more personal service, get that bit closer to local life and are able to sample the best of the fantastic local cuisine.

We like to support communities through business and often that helps the more vulnerable in Vietnam and Cambodia. On our journey to Halong Bay we visit the Huong Ngoc Humanities Centre. This is a project where disabled people are trained in various crafts such as embroidery and painting. Their works are on sale with profits going to support the center. Other initiatives we support include the Land Mine Museum in Siem Reap and the Friends Organisation which provides training and opportunity to street children and their families and has worked with our hotels to make sure all staff work to protect children’s rights.

In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our UK Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.