Make a Difference

Doing our bit to protect the environment is important to us at Contiki. Making it easy for you to travel the world, see new things and have a great time along the way is what we do best and we are proud to also play our part in protecting the planet for the future.

What we are doing

There’s no denying global tourism places enormous pressure on communities around the world and overcrowding, damage to the environment and loss of cultural heritage are some of the impacts being seen. There are big challenges but by fostering sustainable tourism and acting now to prevent climate change we believe we can truly make a difference.

We are working with our hotel and excursion partners to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce resource consumption and waste. We are also ensuring that our own offices embrace recycling, and adopt new initiatives which help to protect the environment and support the communities in which we operate.

You might already know that Contiki’s coaches are one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel, but if not take a look at the grid below and breathe easy because traveling by coach is one of the better ways to go. Contiki’s coaches are among the best in Europe and by continually updating our fleet we ensure that not only do you travel in style but that our engines are fuel efficient & environmentally friendly too. You’ll be happy to know coach travel emits less carbon emissions and other harmful greenhouse gases per passenger than most other forms of transport including cars or trains. Check out the facts….

Source DEFRA Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Conversion Figures June 2007
* Car assumes national average of 1.56 people per car.
** Assumes average of 36 passengers
Conversion Factors PDF

Conservation Foundation

To show our commitment we have set up The Leading Travel Companies of the World Conservation Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that will support the development of long term sustainable tourism globally.

Our group of companies is donating US$1 million per year to fund much-needed conservation, community and sustainable tourism projects that will create a better world for future generations to enjoy. To ensure every dollar goes to people and places in need, each project is carefully vetted by the Foundation’s Members of the Board.

Foundation objectives

The Leading Travel Companies of the World Conservation Foundation supports conservation, community and sustainable tourism projects by allocating US$1 million to projects that specifically aim for:

The conservation and protection of the environment, wildlife and cultural heritage sites preserving these areas for future sustainable tourism;

The relief of poverty and the improvement of the conditions of life in socially and economically disadvantaged communities through community involvement in sustainable tourism;

The promotion of sustainable tourism as a means to achieve economic growth and regeneration.

Travel Carbon Neutral

We hope that while you’re painting the town red, don’t stop thinking green.

In the fight against climate change reducing carbon emissions has to be the top priority, but carbon offsetting is another small thing you can do to make a difference.

It’s carbon emissions in the atmosphere that are slowing cooking our planet and causing climate change. Reducing these emissions comes down to doing simple things like turning off appliances, driving less, and buying local produce. For those emissions that can’t be reduced carbon offsetting allows you to contribute to projects that are greening the planet in other ways.

Contiki has partnered with a carbon neutral partner in your region, allowing you the option to calculate the carbon footprint of your travel and contribute towards projects that will reduce the C02 emissions in the atmosphere on your behalf.

This voluntary scheme invites you to pay a contribution based on the amount of carbon likely to be generated from your travel. You can choose to offset your air travel, coach travel or the energy consumed staying in your hotel accommodation.

There is a lot you can do to make a difference while traveling. Even simple things like respecting the local culture of the countries you’re visiting and making sure to live a little greener, by recycling your rubbish, saving energy by switching off air-conditioning and lights, and conserving water, means the special places you visit will remain unspoilt.

Find out more – Carbon Offset links

Calculate your carbon footprint, depending on where you live:

• In the United States
• In Australia & New Zealand
• In the United Kingdom
• In the Rest of Europe
• In Canada
• In South Africa

The Foundation’s Advisory Panel

The Leading Travel Companies of the World Conservation Foundation has gathered an advisory panel of experts in conservation and sustainable tourism to assist in choosing exceptional projects to be supported by the annual grant program. Each of these independent advisors volunteers their time to assist the Foundation.

Dr Raymond Nias

Ray received his undergraduate education in biology at Flinders University in South Australia and carried out his post-graduate studies on the evolution of social organization in birds at the University of New England, NSW.

After university, Ray spent two years working on rare and threatened birds in the agricultural regions of southern Eyre Peninsula, before joining WWF Australia in 1988.

Ray has led the development of WWF Australia’s large and growing program of conservation related activities including the management of research, policy development, advocacy, and community outreach programs. He has been actively involved in the international work of WWF for many years; has been Chair of the WWF International Marine Advisory Group; and was instrumental in the establishment of the WWF South Pacific program in 1990 and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean initiative in 2006.

Ray has also been involved in the development of numerous conservation programs policies and programs in Australia and has been a member of many government and non-government advisory bodies. In the past few years he has been involved in topics ranging from illegal fishing on the high seas through to energy futures modeling in Australia. www.panda.org

Sue Hurdle

Sue Hurdle is founder and Chief Executive of The Travel Foundation, the UK’s government & industry-backed sustainable tourism charity. Having worked for Thomas Cook for a number of years, in 1998 Sue developed an initiative to persuade the UK’s leading travel companies that corporate responsibility really is good for business. In 2003 this initiative was launched as The Travel Foundation – the world’s first industry partnership to help companies put sustainable tourism into practice. www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk

Brian T. Mullis

Brian T. Mullis co-founded Sustainable Travel International (STI) in 2002 with the mission of promoting responsible travel and facilitating the travel and tourism industry’s move toward sustainability by providing programs that help travelers and travel-related companies protect the environmental, socio-cultural and economic values of the places they visit, and the planet at large.

Brian has over 20 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. He began his career spending summers during college working in national parks in Wyoming, Montana and Utah. More recently, Brian was the President and owner of The World Outdoors, an international adventure travel company specializing in active and eco-travel. During his career, he has assisted numerous travel and tourism companies of all sizes in the areas of sustainable tourism development, business and program development, sales and marketing, finance and budgeting, and management and operations.

Mullis has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a focus on Business from Auburn University and holds a Master’s Degree in Recreation Management from Springfield College. He spends his free time traveling abroad, exploring the backcountry and enjoying quality time with friends and family. www.sustainabletravelinternational.org

Russel Friedman

Russel Friedman is currently a director and shareholder in the Wilderness Safaris Group of Companies in which he became involved in 1984, a year after its inception. Russel was instrumental in helping grow Wilderness Safaris into a large lodge-operating company that currently operates in six countries in southern Africa including the Seychelles. They currently market and manage 44 lodges and employ around 1600 people.

Russel also manages Wilderness Safari’s Wildlife Trust which supports a wide variety of projects in southern Africa, within the categories of wildlife management, research and education. These projects address the needs of existing wildlife populations, seek solutions to save endangered species and provide education and training for local people and their communities. The goal of the Trust is to make a difference to Africa, her wildlife and her people.

He previously owned Russel Friedman Books, a specialist mail order company dealing primarily with books on the Natural History of southern Africa. www.wildernesstrust.com

Tips for Sustainable Travel

If you’re not doing these things already why not give it a go:

• When you’ve finished with your holiday brochures, pass them onto a friend or recycle them
• Buy local produce which reduces air miles incurred in transporting the food to a kitchen for final preparation
• Respect the local culture and traditions where you are traveling through. Ensure your dress and behaviour is appropriate for the places you visit. If you’re unsure, ask your tour manager
• Minimise waste by bringing your own water bottle and reusing it, and refuse or reuse plastic bags when shopping
• Learn a few words of the local language and ensure the way you dress, eat and greet people is polite according to the local custom
• Please don’t pick plants and flowers, leave them for others to enjoy
• At your hotel use water sparingly, take short showers instead of baths and hang towels for drying and reuse
• Separate paper from plastic and try to recycle as much as possible
• Throw any litter in the bin and keep the local environment tidy
• Switch lights off & air conditioning off if you are not in the room or don’t need them
• Turn off your TV instead of leaving it on standby
• Support a local environmental group and learn more about what you can do
• Reduce your use and waste of precious resources such as water, food and energy
• Leave as much packaging at home from goods you buy for your trip and recycle as much of this as possible

Conservation Foundation FAQs

What projects will the Foundation support?

In the first year, 2008, the Foundation will support a minimum of three projects with total contributions of US$1million. Conservation projects around the world are currently undergoing a stringent process of evaluation and the projects TLTC will support will be announced in 2008.

Will part of the US$1million be used for administration costs?

No, the administration costs of TLTC Conservation Foundation are being entirely funded by the supporting companies. All non-profit organisations have administration costs – staff wages, advertising and marketing, accounting & legal fees, bank charges etc. For many, these add up to more than 20% of contributions but as administrative costs for TLTC Conservation Foundation will be absorbed by the supporting companies, a total of US$1million will go directly to the sustainable tourism and conservation projects.

Who manages the Foundation?

The Foundation has been established as an independent entity, legally and financially independent from any of the supporting companies. It is managed by Members of the Board who follow the Foundation’s strict principles in selecting projects which support conservation, community and sustainable tourism. (Go to www.tltc.com to learn more.)

Which travel companies support the Foundation?

The Foundation was established as a joint initiative of leading travel companies – AAT Kings, Brendan Worldwide Vacations, Busabout, Contiki Holidays, Eastern Trekker, Evan Evans Tours, Haggis Adventures, Insight Vacations, Shamrocker Adventures and Trafalgar Tours.

How can I support the Foundation?

At this stage the Foundation is funded solely by the contributions from the travel companies that support it. At this time, the Foundation is not set up to receive donations from the public, however by supporting the companies that donate to the Foundation you will be encouraging the good work being done. There are also many other things you can do to help protect the environment so we encourage you to start by making small changes in your own life that will help protect the environment.

Carbon Neutral FAQs

How do I impact on climate change?

Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) are emitted when fossil-fuels are consumed. Each time we drive a car, fly in a plane, use electricity, or generate waste these fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal are burnt and CO2 is added into the atmosphere warming the earth and causing climate change.

What can I do to help avoid Climate Change?

We can all take simple steps to reduce the amount of CO2 we produce and for those emissions we can’t reduce we can neutralise the rest. Neutralising means paying someone to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere on your behalf. In that way we can pay for the damage we are causing and the money helps to fund transition to a lower-carbon world.

Will going carbon neutral really make a difference?

By neutralising your carbon emissions you are supporting projects which lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Some of the most effective ways to do this is by supporting energy efficiency projects and the development of renewable energy sources such as those offered by our partner carbon offset organisations.

How do I know the carbon projects are effective?

Each of the carbon projects we support are independently audited and meet high quality standards such as the Gold Standard or the Kyoto Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The Gold Standard is an independently audited, globally applicable best practice methodology for project development that delivers high quality carbon offsets.