Island hopping in the Azores, self drive vacation

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION:

A key attraction to the Azores is the history of sustainability that underpins organic gardening on the Islands, a core source of income for the local residents (see below for further detail) that contributes towards carbon reduction. These sustainable practices are part of the fabric of life in Azores. As a result, there is a great deal of pride in the produce from the Azores and much of the food available on the trip is locally sourced and seasonal.

Many of the hotels we offer have clear sustainability policies offered on their website, and this has been checked on our Island hopping in the Azores itinerary. On Faial island for instance, Verde Mar hotel outlines how they save water, energy and aim towards continuous waste reduction in order to protect the planet. Hotel Do Canal is part of a collection of hotels with international Travelife GOLD certification for sustainability, awarded for promoting environmentally friendly practices through an awareness of social responsibility. On Pico, Aldeja da Fonte vintage nature hotel advertises slow living and is recorded as the fifth top most ecologically friendly hotel in the whole of Portugal.

We encourage our customers to be responsible by championing our 'make it meaningful' policy that promotes animal welfare, 0 waste and a slower pace of travel to maximise enjoyment and immersion in the chosen destination. We have blogs titled things like 'zero waste while traveling: our top tips' that give our customers a helpful guide about being responsible on their travels.

Back home in Brighton, we work in a soon-to-be B-corp co-working space and have an almost entirely paper free office where we are committed to (hardcore!) recycling.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE:

Animal welfare is of utmost importance to us. Our trips to see whales and dolphins in the Azores maintain these ethical principles as paramount. Our dedication to this is evidenced by the employment of guides of the highest calibre, for instance expert marine biologists.

On home soil, in our very own seafront town, the team enjoys partaking in community group projects in the local area like beach cleans and community gardening.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY:

One of the main unique selling points is our style of accommodation- we avoid large chain hotels and opt instead for character-filled boutique stays that simultaneously support the local economy as they are locally owned. Our Island hopping in the Azores trip is no exception.

A lot of the locations on this trip support local organic farming, for instance the Quinta das Buganvilias accommodation describes itself as "part of a garden of fruit trees and organic farming production." Many local people still work using authentic, traditional techniques and materials, following in the footsteps of almost entirely self-sufficient ancestors. Overall, the Azores are a unique hub of rural tourism and local culture.
One specific example of this is the dynamic Island of Pico which has gained UNESCO world heritage status and is home to flourishing Vineyards. These vineyards are cared for by local farmers in small villages across the island, rendering it a central form of revenue for the Azores that is also recognised as particularly sustainable. Furthermore, the area is being preserved with authentic materials and traditional techniques.
We also offer a day trip that is a little more off the beaten track, to visit the cheese trade on São Jorge, where our customers further invest in the local economy.


EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY:

We work with travel and tourism partners local to the Azores to create our bespoke itineraries. Due to their locality there is a unique understanding of the way that people and nature interact on the islands, and their reverence for the environment is epitomised on their website "the mother Nature, wise and clever, managed to give rise to such beautiful paradises in the most different corners of the world".

Portugal is recognised as a top LGBTQ+ friendly travel destination, with both legal recognition and accepting cultural attitude.