We share the view that some tourism in Kenya is essential for the survival of the areas you visit. It provides much needed income to sustain communities and wildlife habitats. However the degree to which your trip is beneficial depends on the principles and practices of the accommodation you visit.
When researching our business we went to what described itself as an Eco Lodge in Tsavo East, Kenya. We saw little evidence of anything Eco about it so asked the manager to show us their policy statement. He duly provided the Kenya Wildlife Service's statement. When it was pointed out that this was nothing to do with their lodge, all we got back was a blank look. To make matters worse, we also found Travel Operators and Agents describing it as an Eco Lodge.
Ever since, we have been determined to promote only genuinely sustainable properties and to do what we can to ensure we never list those that are involved in ‘green washing’ at any level, as this must be one of the greatest long term threats to responsible travel.
To what extent properties are sustainable proved to be very hard to establish though as there was no definitive judgment system and many properties had no ratings at all.
As a result and with the very generous help of Campi ya Kanzi (a lodge with a global reputation for setting up and running one of the most sustainable tourism operations in the world - see www.maasai.com) we developed our own method for measuring how sustainable properties are and we will only represent those that reach our minimum standard. The results for each property are published on our web site, along with the questionnaire itself.
In addition we personally visit every property we list before we agree to promote it because this is how you get the clearest picture about attitudes to responsible travel.
Summary Responsible Travel Policy
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Our Business: |
· To be a CO2 neutral company.
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Accommodation: |
· To personally visit every property we list.
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The Customer: |
· To calculate and charge each customer for the CO2 output of their holiday, including international flights.
Average cost per person from the following destinations:
The charge is donated to an energy saving carbon-offset project in Kenya (see below). |
Detailed Responsible Travel Policy
We are Carbon Neutral as defines by co2balance.com. We try and reduce our carbon emissions wherever possible and we have taken action to counter the impact of our carbon footprint by supporting a project in Africa run by co2balance.com.
The project is an energy saving carbon offset scheme, which supports families in Kenya. It reduces the release of carbon dioxide by building energy saving cooking stoves for families along the coastal region of Mombasa. The stoves replace fuel intensive open fires (similar to camp fires) which reduces the amount of firewood needed for cooking by over 50% which in turn prevents the release of carbon emissions and helps prevent deforestation. The project is completely owned and managed by co2balance to guarantee a quality carbon offset. (www.co2balance.com)
We do not use brochures and market ourselves electronically. We use re-cycled paper and use energy saving light bulbs. Our policy is to reduce, re-use and recycle.
Customers pay a fee to off-set their holiday which is donated to the energy saving carbon-offset project in Kenya.
The properties we represent
The properties we list are all independent operators and we have no involvement in their business. As such we aren’t involved in their responsible policies or codes of conduct. However by only promoting those that reach our minimum standard we are assured that their policies and are in line with our Responsible Travel Policy, which is as follows:
Community: (Conservation in Kenya in the 21st Century is about people, so this section is about how the lodge/business relates or works together with the local community.)
1) The lodge/business is owned or part owned by the community.
2) The lodge/business employs locally, including guides.
3) The lodge/business operates a Trust that benefits the local community.
4) A conservation fee is charged to each customer (or a percentage of profit from the lodge/operation) and goes to the Trust along with any donations.
5) The lodge/business/Trust, actively:
a. Tries to preserve the local communities culture.
b. Supports the development of education within the community
c. Supports the development of health within the community
d. Helps and assists the local community to implement sustainable ways to manage their land and their resources.
Environment
1) The lodge/business is active in the preservation of the local wilderness.
2) The lodge/business has not purchased land from a community and/or instigated the subdivision of land previously owned by a community
3) The lodge/business is active in the preservation of wildlife.
4) The lodge/business is active in encouraging the local population to become involved in the conservation of wildlife through self-interest schemes.
5) The lodge/business has measured its Environmental footprint for water usage.
6) The lodge/business crops rain water.
7) The lodge/business recycles its water.
8) The lodge/business has measured its Environmental footprint for waste and has sought to reduce it.
9) The lodge/business ensures solid waste and sewage is disposed of in a way that doesn’t damage the environment.
10) The lodge/business has measured its Environmental footprint for electricity usage and has sought to reduce it.
11) The lodge/business uses renewable energy to:
a. Cook its food
b. Heat its water
c. Produce its electricity
12) Neither the lodge/business nor its on site staff use charcoal for cooking.
13) The lodge/business used sustainable and traditional building materials wherever possible.
14) The construction had a minimal impact on the natural surroundings during construction.
15) The lodge/building is in keeping with the local environment.
Traveler’s codes of conduct are defined by the individual properties we represent.
Details of the achievements of each of the properties we list are given in the Featured Accommodation section of this web site.
