We love our planet and community, which is why we have nature themed tours, local guides etc etc. You heard me talk about that…
But what else do we do or recommend to be more sustainable as a traveller?
Travel in small groups or small group tours Cuba
Our max group sizes depend on the type of activity we do… For diving, we tend to have max 4 pax, bird watching max 6 pax, Photography max 8 max and the more general tours max 12 pax. The reason for that is that whilst we like groups to reduce carbon footprint (using one vehicle to transport the group) we also consider the environment that we will be going into and the effect our presence will have on it. i.e. imagine if a group of 12 wonderers turned up in the forest in nesting season… it would sure stress those poor birds out!
Please bring your water bottle
We ask that you bring your water bottle so we can reduce plastic rubbish. Rather than buying bottled water every day, we will refill your water bottles. Simple. May not sound like much, but imagine 1000’s following your example! Now that’s a different story! Cuba eco-tour operator
We say no to animal tourism
We may go bird watching, but we are only there to observe. We will go diving, again to observe, not to touch or fish. You may hear that Vinales is best discovered on a horse back, and horses are meant to be ridden I guess… but in our book, that’s also a no. Have you seen how skinny those things are? You can pet, and we can walk to discover. Those poor horses work enough on the farm without having to carry any of us around!
Consider shorter showers
Water is a pricey resource and it is ‘finite’ as in most instances all you have is what is delivered to the water tank. So be considerate when you use this supply.
Always turn off your lights, TV and aircon
When you are not there, you don’t need those things. Turn them off!
Pack light
Not only will it help you not having to carry a heavy bag when you are traveling it also reduces carbon emissions. The lighter the plane the lass fuel it uses.
You don’t need a whole new wardrobe to travel
Unless they are an absolute necessity, that is. The fashion industry is the second highest polluting industry in the world as it has drastic effects on the environment in terms of energy, water, land and chemicals used. So if you can avoid buying new clothes for travel, do it.
Pick up litter when you see it
Whether it’s on the beach, in a city or when you go hiking, pick up litter when you can. Sometimes it’s just the little things like this that make the biggest difference. I mean, imagine the impact we could make if we all just took five seconds out of our walk to pick up even just a few pieces of crap. You don’t even need to go out of your way to do it – just pick it up each time you see it and dispose of it correctly! Simple.
Eat local
You will hear me harp on about this. When you travel with us we even set up some of the experiences for this. Even if you are a hotel traveller I urge you, step outside the hotel and experience the paladar down the road. Bet you, the food will be delicious and it supports the community!
Avoid all-inclusive hotel packages
All-inclusive holidays are a big no-no for the environment. Because they include all accommodation, food, drink and activities, tourists don’t really need to go and spend money elsewhere. This means that tourist money does not benefit the local economy because all of the money goes to the resort accommodation instead of the community.
Do you want to learn more about our Sustainable Tours? Check out the itineraries
