As a travel company that engages with various stakeholders in tourism, namely consumers, tour guides, travel agencies, hotels, transport companies, restaurants, and attractions, we understand our key role and influence in the sustainability development of tourism. Therefore, we are committed to promoting sustainability. We aim to follow, implement and promote good sustainability practices to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts on tourism of our operations and to influence our clients and partners to do the same.
Our sustainability policy is divided into 9 themes. Each theme consists of a set of principles and practical actions accordingly.
1. Sustainability Management & Legal Compliance
We commit to sustainability management, practiced by the following actions:
- To have an appointed employee who is responsible for sustainability coordinator tasks;
- To have a written sustainability mission statement that is communicated to customers, partners and suppliers;
- To have a sustainability action plan with clear targets, actions, measures, responsibilities, and time planning; And to update this plan on a monthly basis.
- To ensure that all staff are fully aware of our Sustainability Policy and are committed to implementing and improving it, starting with our Amman office first and then our Petra office.
We commit to complying with all national legislation, regulations, and codes of practice.
2. Internal management: social policy & human rights
We commit to sustainable internal management by having a clear written and well-communicated social policy that includes the following principles:
- To include Jordanian labour law conditions according to national labor law and a job description in the employment contract, including sick leave and holidays, notice period, salary, overtime, equal opportunity, avoidance of child labour , discriminations of any sort, and other legal requirements under the Jordanian labour law.
3. Internal Management: Environment and community relations
We commit to practice environmental protection and enhance community relations by ensuring the enforcement of following practices:
- Actively reduce the use of disposable and consumer goods;
- Favour the purchase of sustainable goods and services, office and catering supplies
- Purchase products in bulk, to reduce the amount of packaging materials;
- Set copy and printing machines by default to black and white printing and collect the papers printed on, to use the blank side for notes or draft work.
- Use cleaning materials which are non-hazardous where possible and available.
- Implement measurements to reduce brochure wastage through digital brochure;
- Have an active commitment to measure, monitor and reduce energy consumption;
- Switch off lights and equipment when not in use, set equipment by default in the energy saving mode, where this is feasible;
- Prefer low energy equipment when buying new items, including considerations of cost and quality;
- Comply with the national legislation concerning waste disposal;
- Separate all materials which can be recycled and organize collection and proper disposal;
- Contribute to the protection and preservation of local historical, archaeological, culturally, and spiritually important properties and sites.
4. Transport
We aim to ensure that vehicles used on tours do not cause more than average pollution. We believe that transport is an important aspect of sustainable tourism, and we do our best to decrease the average pollution level.
We commit to this by;
- Selecting the most sustainable options considering price and comfort when selecting transport options to the destination;
- Considering and giving preference to more sustainable alternatives when selecting transport options for transfers and excursions in the destination, considering price, comfort, and practical considerations;
- Selecting cars and vans that meet the highest national emissions standards, with the latest production year and are frequently maintain and serviced whenever possible.
5. Accommodations
We aim to achieve a tourism supply chain that is fully sustainable. The partner accommodations play an important role in achieving this and are stimulated and motivated to adapt sustainable practices.
We commit to this by;
- Preferring and selecting accommodations that are locally owned and managed;
- Selecting accommodations that employ local communities;
- Clearly and actively communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements regarding accommodations to contracted and other relevant accommodations;
6. Excursions and activities
We value animal and community welfare extremely highly and aim for tours that only leave a minor footprint. We are safeguarding the authenticity of the communities and the natural environment and are strongly against harming wildlife and polluting the environment.
We commit to this by;
- Advising guests on behaviour standards during excursions and activities with a focus on respecting the local culture, nature, animal, and environment and not offer any excursions which are not in compliance with local, national, and international law;
- Not being involved with companies that harvest, consume, display, sell, or trade wildlife species unless it is part of a regulated activity that ensures that their utilisation is sustainable and in compliance with local, national, and international law;
- Having skilled and/or certified guides to guide our guests in sensitive cultural sites, heritage sites, or ecologically sensitive destinations;
- Promoting and advising our guests on excursions and activities which directly involve and support local communities by purchasing services or goods, traditional crafts and local (food) production methods, or visiting social projects;
- Promoting and advising our guests on excursions and activities which support local environment and biodiversity such as visiting protected areas or environmental protection projects;
7. Tour leaders, local representatives and guides
We aim at involving as many locals as possible by employing them in the tourism business. We stand for a fair and safe working environment that supports and respects local communities.
We commit to this by;
- Ensuring that all employees have a written employment contract, including labour conditions and a job description.
- Preferring to work with local tour leaders, local representatives, local tour guides, porters, drivers, cooks, and other local staff in case of equal ability.
- Paying tour leaders, local representatives, guides, porters, and other local staff contracted by us at least a living wage that is equal to or above the legal minimum or relevant industry standard;
- Having our tour leaders, local representatives and guides inform clients on relevant sustainability matters in the destination (e.g., protection of flora, fauna, and cultural heritage, resource use), social norms and values (e.g., tips, dressing code and photography) and human rights (e.g. sexual exploitation);
8. Destination
We aim to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts at destination to ensure the sustainable development of the places that we operate in.
We commit to this by:
- Support biodiversity conservation, including protected areas and areas of high biodiversity through integration in our product offers;
- Not promote souvenirs which contain threatened flora and fauna species as indicated in the CITES treaty and the IUCN ‘Red List’; or historic and archaeological artefacts (except as permitted by law);
9. Customer communication and protection
Customers welfare and information are very important to us. We ensure clear and constant communication and high protection to our clients.
Prior to booking, we commit to this by:
- Ensure that customer privacy is not compromised;
- Provide destination information, including sustainability aspects, which is factually correct, balanced and complete;
- Inform our customers about sustainable alternatives concerning accommodations, excursions, package holidays and transport options, if available;
After booking and during holidays, we commit to this by:
- Provide information to our customers about the natural surroundings, local culture and cultural heritage in our destination;
- Keep a contact person and a telephone number permanently available for emergency situations;
- Train our employees and keep guidelines available, on how to deal with emergency situations;
- Provide our customers with information about commercial, sexual or any other form of exploitation and harassment, particularly of children and adolescents;
- Inform our customers about applicable legislation concerning the purchasing, sales, import and export of historic or religious artefacts and articles containing materials of threatened flora and/or fauna in the destination;
- Motivate our customers to use local restaurants and shops (where appropriate);
- Inform our customers on sustainable transport options in destinations, when feasible;
After holidays, we commit to this by:
- Measure customer satisfaction and take into account the results, for service and product improvements;
- Include sustainability as an integral part of the research into customer satisfaction;
- Have clear procedures in case of complaints from our customers;
