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Tours - Planet Earth Programs
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Sustainable Tourism
Casterbridge is cognizant of the principles of the UN on sustainable tourism and continues to work with our hotels, tour guides, and projects to emphasize the importance of implementing sustainability practices as far as practicable.
Our Planet Earth tours place a strong emphasis on sustainable and eco-friendly practices. We respect the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals for poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability, including its goals for climate change.
As part of this stance, we are focused on the four Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for choosing local hotels, transport, excursions, and other activities. We are a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), which is also a member of the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, and we fully support its goals.
Our aim is for all our project partners to be in compliance with international and local legislation, such as health, safety, labor, and environmental regulations. In this context, their personnel should receive periodic training in environmental, socio-cultural, health, and safety practices.
Sustainability Projects
Casterbridge’s Planet Earth partners with a wide range of local sustainability projects around the globe. They vary from constructing sustainable bungalows in a nature reserve in Peru to recycling projects in New York and sustainable housing in New Orleans.
As part of Casterbridge’s commitment to the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria¸ we stress to our project partners the need to have in place an effective long-term sustainability management system that considers environmental, sociocultural, quality, health, and safety issues.
Be in 3-star or quality 2-star hotels throughout, unless you request budget hotels; we offer accommodations that have a green emphasis and are aware of sustainability issues; you can request these, if you wish.
Not only do our own internal policies have a strong sustainability focus, but many of our projects are actually centered around sustainability.
Examples of Our Sustainability Projects
- Help indigenous people in Borneo set up sustainable local income opportunities
- Work with park rangers in Costa Rica to create sustainable ecotourism projects
- Support several sustainability projects in Mayan villages in Guatemala, including fuel-efficient stoves and sustainable forest practices
Not only is service learning through travel a more enjoyable and authentic way to experience a culture, it is also the only way forward if travel is to have a sustainable future. It proves that it is possible to travel responsibly, in ways that benefit the area you are visiting, its people, and its communities.
Contact our staff to learn more about how to offset your carbon footprint and how to incorporate donations to a specific cause as part of your ongoing commitment to a sustainable future.
Register to plan a group service tour with Casterbridge, either online or by calling 1-800-522-2398. Start planning your service travel program today!
