Ecotourism

What is Ecotourism?

Ecotourism is a new model for travel with a focus on conservation as well as social and environmental responsibility. We at Green Bug Adventures envision international tourism as a mutually beneficial collaboration between traveler and destination community. We strive to ensure a fair exchange both cultural and economic. 

Historically, African tourism focused on Safaris run by foreign companies led by foreign guides and lodged in foreign-owned establishments with profits deposited in foreign bank accounts. This model of tourism was exploitative and created local resentment toward the foreign tourism industry. It also resulted in destruction of the priceless wilderness areas by companies whose pure-profit model is at odds with conserving the very land by which they alone benefit. At Green Bug Adventures we consider Africa’s people, culture and natural beauty to be its greatest resources. This is why we insist upon working with local companies and indigenous projects and cultures whenever possible. But don’t worry, we’re not out to overwhelm you with guilt or green ideology while on your vacation. We believe  cooperation and understanding is the path forward in tourism and the key to your next unforgettable and life-changing vacation. 

 

Social Responsibility:

  • We use locally owned services for our travelers whenever possible.

  • We spend at least 75% of the cost of your trip, (excluding airfare), in your destination country.

  • We evaluate all service providers and work only with those companies and individuals that meet our high standards for Ecotourism.

  • We make sure each of the companies we work with gives back to the community in some way.

  • We verify that each company pays competitive wages and engages in fair hiring practices.

  • We work with local guides. All of our guides are well versed in the local culture and traditions and are well-positioned to facilitate respectful and productive interactions with the local people. Our guides have been trained in intercultural communication and are there to discuss even the most delicate issues you may have questions about.

  • We give back to our community in the US through volunteering.

  • We give back to the African communities that we work with through donations and support of local social programs.

Environmental Responsibility:

  • We use 100% recycled products for promotional materials.

  • We have eliminated waste of print cartridges and ink with our printing systems.

  • We use electronic documents and books whenever possible to avoid printing materials.

  • We work with lodging and guides that promote environmental responsibility and encourage their guests to minimize their ecological impact.

  • We teach our travelers how to minimize their own personal impact. We leave only footprints and take only pictures and sustainable souvenirs.

  • We evaluate every lodging provider and tour provider’s environmental policy to make sure that it meets our standards. We provide them with consultation on ways to make their operations more eco-friendly.

  • We take our guests to breathtaking natural destinations while emphasizing the necessity of protecting these areas for future generations.

  • We limit the size of tours to 8 individuals with the goal protecting the delicate natural areas that we visit.



Conservation:

  • We maintain transparency about the carbon impact of travel and we encourage our customers to off-set this impact. Rather than offering traditional carbon offsets, we include an appraisal of the carbon cost of the trip in our itemized invoice and encourage our customers to donate this amount to local conservation projects.

  • We donate 1% of our profits each year to worldwide conservation projects.

  • We make donations to organizations that promote the conservation of areas that we visit and travel to.

Green Bug Adventures is built from the ground up with Ecotourism as the primary focus.  We invest heavily in time and effort to find the best lodging, guides/tour operators and destinations to meet our exacting standards of Ecotourism. We are always grateful for your valuable input regarding the quality of our partners and their ability to reflect our values as an organization. Let us know! 

 

 



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