Highlights of Puglia vacation

Planet

On this trip our local tour leaders ensure that rubbish is not disposed of by our customers until they can do so properly and preferably in recycling bins. When ordering food they ask that customers consider food waste and only order what they’re able to eat. They also recommend when shopping that you take a tote bag or put things in your day pack, instead of using plastic bags and where possible, avoid using plastic cups and ask not to be given plastic straws. They also encourage you to use your reusable water bottles and water tanks are provided on the buses for passengers to refill from when traveling in areas where accessing springs or safe tap water is more difficult. In most areas tap water is safe to drink. They also recommend that you limit your use of air-conditioning as much as possible and if in use to choose a temperature within 5 °C of the outside temperature.

As most of the accommodation that we use on this trip are locally owned properties, our tour leader recommends to our customers to be conscious of their water use when showering and encourages them not to have towels changed on a daily basis.

When visiting cities and cultural sites our tour leaders encourage clients to be respectful of the places they are visiting, in order not to deplete it. By bringing our customers to a destination, we are boosting the economy of that destination and in turn this helps the local community to build up the resources they need to preserve their buildings, cultural sites and the surrounding natural environment.

Our local agent is working on ways of engaging their suppliers such as hotels, restaurants, and transport companies to be more environmentally friendly. In particular, they are trying to come up with initiatives to stop them using all single use plastics.

As a travel company 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 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.

People

Both we and our local agent we use on this trip are very keen on doing activities and visiting places that involve our customers in the real lives and customs of the place. We do that by offering authentic experiences with real locals, using tour leaders that have a deep knowledge of the destination and of the local businesses in each community we visit.

We use local tour leaders, who know the country very well and who will help to give us a unique insight into its history, customs and culture and get us that bit closer to the local people. They also ensure that our customers are aware of the cultural norms that should be observed, dress code, gestures, etc. Our tour leaders are trained by us in the importance of responsible tourism with guidance given on how they can make a difference.

Most of the accommodation we use on this trip is locally owned. In Alberobello we stay in traditional trulli houses and in Matera in historic sassi cave dwellings. By staying here rather than just visiting on a day trip we are ensuring that money is helping towards their upkeep and ensuring these unique features are preserved for future generations.

Our tour leaders will make recommendations to clients to use locally owned restaurants, bars and shops. When dining in restaurants our tour leaders also offer advice about what to order based on what’s in season and what has been produced locally. Whilst in Puglia we will sample locally produced wine, cheese and olive oil, as well as Altamura bread which is still made using age-old methods and thus helping to keep this tradition alive.