At Bunnik Tours, having a positive impact on the communities we visit on our tours is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that tourism can be a force for good in this beautiful world we live in.
What is responsible & sustainable tourism?
According to the UN World Tourism Organisation, sustainable tourism is “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.” In other words, it’s all about respecting the locals and places we visit, and ensuring future generations can do the same.
Learn more: principles of sustainable tourism
Why is sustainable & responsible tourism important?
Exploring the world, experiencing new sights and sounds, and immersing ourselves in new cultures is crucial to human existence. There’s nothing quite like standing at the foot of the pyramids in Egypt for the first time, seeing the Big 5 in Africa or donning your tango shoes in Buenos Aires. Without responsible tourism, however, many of these sights and experiences may cease to exist in the future – that’s why it’s so important.
Sustainable tourism can generate new jobs and sustainable livelihoods, protect natural and cultural heritages, support biodiversity efforts, promote cultural understanding and inclusion and improve overall human wellbeing.
How does sustainable tourism help the environment?
There are a number of ways that responsible travel reduces the negative environmental impacts of tourism. These include:
- Reducing overcrowding by going off the beaten track
- Supporting biodiversity efforts
- Protecting wildlife
- Limiting the use of natural resources
- Minimising pollution
How does Bunnik Tours support sustainable tourism?
Low-impact small group tours
At Bunnik Tours, all of our tours are grounded in our small group philosophy. This means our small group tours are low-impact and don’t ruin the very places we go to see. We have a maximum of 20 people per tour, sometimes 12, and we build in free time to help spread economic benefits and design itineraries to avoid over tourism where possible.
Other ways we help reduce our impact on the environment:
- Walk where possible
- Use a mix of transportation
- Ensure we don’t leave any litter behind
Involve the local communities
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When we travel, we try to support the local communities we visit as much as possible. This includes staying in local accommodation, dining in local restaurants, buying handmade arts and crafts, hearing ancient stories, seeing performances of dance, music and theatre and more.
We also strongly believe in playing our part to preserve cultural traditions and customs – this not only supports the communities but gives you an experience of a lifetime. This is why you’ll see our travellers learning how to make Jordanian cuisine in Amman, enjoying a traditional Sri Lankan lunch with a local family and hunting for truffles in Italy with a truffle hunter.
Learn more: community based tourism
Donate to local charities
The Bunnik Travel Group is committed to giving back to the communities we visit. For each booking received, we make a donation to the following organisations which do a tremendous job helping the less fortunate:
- Sri Lanka Community Projects
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and their Walk to Cure Diabetes program
- Bali Kids / Carry for Kids
- Fred Hollows Foundation
- Tanzeed (a local Tanzanian charity that aims to change the lives of children in remote Tanzania through education)
Over the years we have raised and donated more than $100,000 through this program.
