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Sustainable development

SUSTAINABILITY POLICY
 
Orient Voyages

(Updated: August 2026)
 
 
Introduction
As a tour operator working with many partners in the tourism industry, including hotels, guides, transport companies, restaurants and others, Orient Voyages fully recognizes its important role in promoting sustainable tourism.
We are committed to introducing and promoting sustainable practices, raising awareness among our clients, colleagues and partners, and reducing the negative impact of our activities on the environment and local communities.
 
This policy was reviewed in August 2026 and is valid until 2028. It serves as the basis for our Sustainability Action Plan and aligns with the requirements of the Travelife Partner programme.
 
 
1. Supporting Local Communities and the Local Economy
We work to maximize the positive impact of tourism on local economies and communities through the following actions:
 

• Prioritizing local staff, including guides, drivers and office employees.
• Planning and organizing trips with local suppliers, including hotels, restaurants and transport companies.
• Encouraging our clients to purchase goods and services from local producers and artisans.
• Developing a donation system to support local projects, including orphanages, schools and social initiatives.

 
 
2. Environmental Protection
We are committed to protecting the environment and reducing the negative impact of our activities through the following measures:
 

• Using more environmentally friendly forms of transport where possible, such as trains, electric vehicles and public transport.
• Reducing waste and unnecessary consumption during trips.
• Prohibiting littering except in designated areas.
• Following all regulations when visiting national parks and protected areas.
• Avoiding single-use plastic in the office and during excursions by using reusable water bottles and eco-friendly bags.
• Sorting and recycling waste in the office.
• Developing an energy-efficiency programme, including monitoring water, electricity and waste consumption.
• Implementing a Sustainable Procurement Policy covering office supplies, equipment and cleaning products.

 
 
3. Cultural Preservation
We aim to protect local culture and reduce negative impacts by following these principles:
 

• Respecting local customs, traditions and etiquette.
• Encouraging respectful interaction with local communities and helping travellers better understand their way of life.
• Always asking for permission before taking photographs.
• Providing tourists with a guide containing rules of behaviour and a list of prohibited souvenirs.
• Including information on cultural sensitivity and respect for local traditions in our guides’ training and instructions.

 
 
4. Human Rights
We respect the fundamental human rights principles set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and are committed to protecting human rights by following these principles:
 

• Prohibiting discrimination in recruitment, employment conditions, access to training and career development based on gender, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.
• Providing equal opportunities for all employees.
• Providing access to training and personal development through regular training programmes, including Travelife sustainability training.
• Developing and implementing an HR Policy and Employee Code of Conduct.
• Training guides and employees on child protection and the prevention of exploitation.

 
 
5. Green Office
We follow the following principles in our daily office operations:
 

• Reducing paper consumption through digital document management.
• Reducing energy consumption by using energy-efficient lighting and switching off equipment when not in use.
• Reducing water consumption.
• Avoiding single-use plastic.
• Sorting and recycling waste, including collecting used batteries.
• Purchasing products responsibly, including environmentally friendly cleaning products and office supplies.
• Regularly monitoring our Green Office performance on a quarterly basis.

 
 
6. Excursions
During our tours, we pay particular attention to the following:
 

• Creating and regularly updating a list of sensitive excursions, taking into account environmental and cultural considerations.
• Advising guests on appropriate behaviour during excursions, including respect for nature, culture and local traditions.
• Not offering excursions that may harm people, animals, plants or natural resources, or that are socially or culturally inappropriate.
• Not offering excursions involving captive wild animals, except for strictly regulated and legal activities.
• Providing qualified guides for visits to sensitive cultural sites, heritage sites and environmentally sensitive destinations.
• Avoiding single-use plastic when travelling in natural areas and taking all waste with us.
• Introducing a system for identifying and promoting “sustainable” tours and options for clients.
• Calculating the carbon footprint of our main tours and offering carbon-offsetting options.

 
 
7. Partnership
Our goal is to make sustainability a practical and important part of our cooperation with every business partner.
 

• Working with organizations that have sustainability as an integral part of their business policies.
• Encouraging our partners and service providers to follow international and national sustainability standards.
• Regularly assessing and encouraging the sustainability performance of our partners.
• Developing and distributing a Supplier Code of Conduct.
• Providing key partners with training on sustainable tourism.
• Including sustainability requirements in contracts with hotels and other suppliers.
• We review our suppliers to identify those holding international sustainability certifications, such as GSTC, Travelife and others.

 
 
8. Monitoring and Reporting
We monitor our sustainability performance and publish an annual report on our progress.
 

• Updating our Travelife report on a quarterly basis.
• Developing a system for collecting sustainability data from all departments.
• Preparing to apply for Travelife Certified status in 2028.
• Publishing an annual communication plan to share our sustainability achievements on our website, social media and with our clients.

 
 
Conclusion
Our sustainability goals are clear and realistic. We are committed to maximizing the positive impact of our activities and minimizing their negative impact on tourism, while also encouraging our clients and partners to do the same.
 
 
Orient Voyages
August 2026