Environmental concerns getting in the way of your vacation? If there’s one thing that we should all be thinking about, it’s how we can protect the planet despite our international travel plans.
With scorching hot summer temperatures set to reduce tourism rates in Europe, we should expect to see a surge in demand for vacations further afield throughout Africa and Asia, and even into extreme environments like the Arctic.
Where the everyday tourist meets undisturbed natural environments and the fragile ecosystems within them, sustainability issues arise. But for those looking to explore further afield while keeping their carbon footprint as low as possible, companies like Exodus Travels change the game.
What Is Exodus Travels?
Exodus Travels is a vacation tour company moving forward with a sustainable approach. It specializes in adventure tours, offering unique itineraries that include immersive experiences for small groups, always with an official guide.
Those who vacation with Exodus have plenty of time for leisure activities but can always choose to participate in eco-friendly initiatives and those that benefit local communities too.
Why is booking a vacation with Exodus a sustainable choice?
The company has its own sustainability pledge, summarized with the People, Places & Planet initiative. In Exodus’ 2022 Travels Impact Report, the company revealed key data on the progress of its sustainability commitments throughout the year:
- 85 percent of all accommodation used on Exodus trips was locally owned
- 9 out of 10 meals taken were in locally owned restaurants
- Zero waste sent to landfill from the U.K. HQ site
- 100 square meters of land rewilded per passenger
- 94 percent of all trips included visits to at least one protected natural space
What is Exodus doing for the environment?
The Exodus’ environmental commitment includes a range of holistic efforts encompassing local community, conservation, and more.
Supporting local communities
The team at Exodus Travels strives to recruit local individuals wherever possible, allowing businesses, families, and authorities to profit from the tourists they bring to the area.
Guides, accommodations, food venues and experiences — which not only support the local economy but make the trips more compelling for tourists with an incentive. Wherever possible, trips purposely visit and contribute to community-owned cooperatives and local social enterprises.
Ensuring animal welfare and conservation
Through the Exodus Travels Foundation, this innovative tour company supports vital conservation work. Aiming to halve its carbon footprint by 2030, Exodus works toward genuinely improving lives through their vacations.
Through the eBio Atlas scheme offered on some itineraries, tourists play an active role in collecting physical samples from remote environments. These efforts support the IUCN’s global conservation work and strengthen scientific research, which is a unique contribution from a company of this type.
Disaster relief and stabilizing habitats
Exodus takes groups of tourists to some of the most extreme and remote locations in the world. Many ecosystems are already suffering at the hands of the tourism industry – and unfortunately, the combined effects of climate change and human activity threaten the Arctic ecosystem at a dangerous level.
To offset many of the known harmful effects of international tourism, Exodus strives to improve and maintain habitats.
At least 500 fruit trees have been planted in one remote region in India, for example, and the company continues to invest directly in projects that support the removal of carbon from the atmosphere. Exodus uses no single-use plastic at all and will always support nature restoration too.
Booking your next eco-conscious vacation
You can still travel to a new place and unearth new cultures without causing harm to the ecosystems and communities you pass through. When you book through a company like Exodus, you can rest assured that your impact will be a positive one – as future tourists strive to preserve the same natural wonders for years to come.
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