How do you know if your eco-tourism holiday is truly sustainable?
From joining a project contributing to the conversation of desert elephants in South Africa to tree camping in the UK, ecocompanion.com offers a range of experiences and each one has a sustainability rating from bronze through to ‘elite green’, based on their World Rating System. Max and Joe explain how they developed this system, which takes a more holistic view of sustainablility. Their ratings are based on three factors: The cultural, environmental and economic impact of the experience, in order to make the eco-credentials of each of the adventures they offer truly transparent.
We also went on to discuss the ‘greenwashing’ of the eco-tourism industry, the terrible practices behind some popular tourist experiences, the potential problem with carbon offsetting and how sharing stories through social networks can help to bring eco-tourism to a wider audience.
To hear all this and more, you can listen to the full interview using the player below, or find and follow our Wholesome Business podcast on iTunes or Stitcher.
*resources
ecocompanion.com
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
World Rating System
