RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL

What is Responsible Tourism?

Globally, tourism has become one of the world’s largest and fastest growing industries and is a main source of income for many countries and individuals. Despite this, tourism has been neglected by some as it tends to impact its host country and the increasingly negative consequences has drawn attention from World Tourism Organization as well as individuals.  These growing numbers of concerns about the negative impacts of tourism has introduced the practice of Responsible Tourism.

Responsible Tourism aims to achieve the triple-bottom line outcome of sustainable development which is Local Economic Growth, Environmental Integrity and Social Justice by maximizing the positive impacts and minimizing the negative impacts. In a nut shell, Responsible Tourism is defined as tourism “that creates better places for people to live in, and better places to visit.”

How does SUNRISE PERU TREK practice Responsible Tourism?

Being a local travel company, we have a particular responsibility to introduce the practices of Responsible Tourism in Peru. Our rich culture, indigenous tradition and unpolluted environment are the core values of preservation, so that future generations can enjoy the essence of what Peru represents. Though our influence is limited, we are proud to be one of the first local companies that implement the practices of Responsible Tourism in Machu Picchu – Peru.

• Our guides and staff attend annual Eco-tourism trainings supported by Peruvian Government through the “Miniserio de Agricultura”.  These trainings enrich our staff with knowledge and Responsible Tourism awareness.
• We employ locals as guides, drivers, cooks and porters for all the trips that we operate.
• We provide fair wage to our staff and hirers.
• All our tours and activities are customized by knowing the local culture and our clientele’s needs.
• We encourage the native culture by using local owned hotels, family run guesthouses, restaurants and handicraft shops while retaining the respect we have for our clients’ needs.
• We encourage the local economic development by designing tours that travel through small villages and using their services and products.
• We teach precise information to our clients about etiquette and social norms, thereby preventing unintentional negative situations.
• We reduce our impact by leading our trips in small groups, minimizing our carbon footprint.
• While we are traveling, we decrease the waste produced by practicing the principles of leaving NO trace including respecting wildlife and leaving what we find.