“Travel creates paths to human understanding and peace and allows countries to protect natural resources in a way that would not be possible without its economic contributions. We need to support the individual sustainability practices of our partners involved in their communities. We need to ask questions and then be open to their ideas for us.” - Matthew D. Upchurch, Virtuoso Chairman & CEO
Virtuoso champions a global portfolio of the world’s finest hotels, cruise lines, destinations, and tour companies with vetted luxury travel agencies. This connection allows for the curation of unbelievable travel experiences anywhere in the world.
G Adventures’ award-winning trips support local communities, giving travellers meaningful experiences with people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, while offering them the freedom and flexibility to explore on their own. G Adventures’ responsible approach to travel is demonstrated through its ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives, which include travel guidelines for children, wildlife and Indigenous people, community-based social enterprise projects travellers can experience on a trip, and its industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’ assessment which measures how many traveller dollars stay in the local economy.
"We are very proud of our AmaKristina being the first river ship in the industry to receive the Green Award Certification. We also have our 20 river ships now recognized with the Green Award. The Green Award program is an independent accreditation process for ocean vessels, inland barges and river cruise ships. The certificate is a mark for ships that demonstrate high safety and environmental standards. Additionally, the AmaMagna launched in 2019 with an innovative 10-engine configuration designed to reduce overall fuel consumption by up to 20 percent and now boasts solar panels on the sun deck of the ship."
Sustainable tourism and responsible travel are at the forefront of the 50 Degrees North philosophy. We aim to create and maintain sustainable business practices that not only provide economic benefits for the local populations in our destinations, but also respect and protect nature, cultural heritage, and local values, with the aim of preserving all of these for future generations. We have signed on to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism 2021 and we became a B-CORP certified company in November 2023. This prestigious certification places us among a select global community of businesses that uphold high standards of social and environmental impacts.
On the 25 May 2022, 50 Degrees North received the Travellife Partner Award, recognition for the long-term efforts and frontrunner position of 50 Degrees North Nordic regarding sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility. 50 Degrees North Nordic complies with more than 100 criteria, related to an operators’ office management, product range, international business partners and customer information.
50 Degrees North has also become the first Norwegian Tour Operator to publish carbon labels on their tours, in response to the growing threat of climate change. Each tour is measured for their carbon footprint, to track the emissions, including accommodation, transport, activities and tour guides, as well as the emissions at their global offices.
Collette is committed to creating tours that move the needle because we believe travel should always be a force for good. Every day we aspire to do even more to make a positive impact. Every single tour is an opportunity make a difference. 100% of our small group Explorations tours are carbon neutral and include a socially responsible Impact Moment. While travellers are out experiencing the world, Collette takes care of it for tomorrow’s travellers.
We partnered with experts like ABTA and ANIMONDIAL to audit every tour so that you can feel confident that all animal-related experiences align with our high standards.
With Collette, you’ll get those ‘must-sees’ of a destination but also experiences that inform what life is like for the local people. These inclusions directly support these locals and local communities.
PONANT recognizes its corporate social responsibility (CSR) and strives to become a global benchmark with regard to sustainable development in its cruise activities. PONANT goes above and beyond current environmental regulations by studying the ways that help us minimize our impact on the places we visit.
All PONANT ships have been awarded the international “Clean Ship” label, certifying we have reduced our environmental impact. State-of-the-art technology aboard the ships, improved waste and waste water treatment, raising the awareness of travelers, plans for the future that are increasingly innovative in terms of sustainable development.
Scientific Assessment: PONANT carries out an environmental impact study before designing every new itinerary. A biodiversity inventory (fauna, flora, geology) is taken of the places where we plan to disembark and access routes are prepared that do not impinge on the areas to be preserved.
A few examples of what it means to be Clean Ship Certified: silent electric propulsion system - hybrid electric engines across the PONANT expedition fleet; 3-D ocean floor mapping - keeps reefs safe; dynamic positioning - no need to drop anchor; advance wastewater treatment - water offloaded from ship is ZERO impact; zero impact landing protocol.
The World's Only Luxury Icebreaker
Lindblad Expeditions has been a leader in sustainable, responsible travel for more than 50 years. We define our approach to responsible travel in three pillars: 1) our commitment to Conservation & the Environment, 2) our dedication to Community & Culture, and 3) our support of Science & Education. We practice responsible travel throughout all levels of our organization—from ships to offices and everywhere in between.
A 100% carbon neutral company, we reduce and eliminate our carbon emissions wherever possible and offset the rest, including our fleet, offices, staff travel, expedition operations, and more. We are also 100% free of guest-facing single-use plastic across our fleet, and our culinary program is rooted in a robust sustainable seafood, locally-sourced food policy that strives for zero waste.
Since 1997, we’ve raised $25+ million from our travelers—including more than $19.8 million since 2008 through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund— projects to understand and protect our world’s ocean, restore critical marine and coastal habitats, and foster environmental stewardship in the regions visited by our fleet, and beyond.
Never content with the status quo, we constantly seek ways to grow our responsible travel initiatives and leverage our position as an industry leader to influence widespread, positive change. By thoughtfully and responsibly sharing the wonders of the world with our guests, we inspire people to care about the planet and take action to protect it, creating environmental stewards through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund.
Experience conscious and sustainable travel with Insight Vacations. Each of our tours leads the way in immersive and responsible travel through included MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®️ Experiences, that enrich the journey on a deeper level and will teach you about your destination while also having a positive social or environmental impact on the local community. Learn about the 16 lakes that make up Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia, and the organization protecting the natural habitat, or see ‘The Masters’, hand-blowing glass to preserve this 10th-Century craft in Murano, Italy.
Insight Vacations works to enrich travel experiences by protecting and conserving the stunningly beautiful environments, fascinating cultures and awe-inspiring communities of our world. Through our partnership with The TreadRight Foundation, a not-for-profit with the mission to safeguard people, wildlife and the planet for generations to come, Insight guests can make their travel matter.
Insight Cares Experiences: A selection of Insight trips feature TreadRight experiences and speak to our collective commitment to encourage the cultures, traditions and arts of the communities we visit.
As a small-ship cruise line with wind-powered ships, Windstar is already ahead of the curve on sustainability. With no more than 342 guests, our yachts have less impact on the environment and the communities we visit. Still, we continually assess and improve our environmental practices to make the planet cleaner and greener. Some initiatives are large, like replacing engines with more efficient ones. And some may seem small, like polishing our propellers twice a year for peak efficiency. But when it comes to protecting the world’s natural surroundings, even small changes add up.
We're working hard every day to reduce our use of fossil fuels, keep trash our of landfills and leave the ocean better than we found it.
We’re all-hands-on-deck when it comes to supporting and sustaining the environment, to lessen our impact and to make sure the world is here for us all to enjoy for a long time to come. Our greatest goal is for you to have the best time on board while doing the most to lessen our footprint. So to do that, we’ve embedded sustainability efforts deeply into both our operations and into the Sailor experience itself. Through pioneering innovative and sustainable technologies, banning unnecessary single-use plastics and thoughtfully sourcing food and retail merchandise — we’re creating an experience that balances the duality of enjoying the earth, while also preserving it.
Epic Sea Change For All: