Your Human Nature
We know you care about the people and places you visit and want to make sure
they are looked after. Holidays should be a time for kicking back and relaxing
and switching off from the world's problems. So, we're aiming to do as much of
that for you as we can.
However there are a few things you can do that can make a real difference to
think about before you go and can even make you're holiday better.
People and Planet Friendly Hotels
Look out for Travelife certified on our website and in our brochures. These are mainstream hotels
that have taken steps to become more environmentally and socially responsible.
Travelife is a sustainability accreditation system set up by the Federation
of Tour Operators. Click here for more information www.its4travel.com
Play your part by looking for the Travelife logo on the hotel pages when making
your travel plans and choose an awarded hotel for your holiday.
Travelife Bronze hotels reduce their environmental impacts and treat people in a fair and respectful way.
Travelife Silver hotels go further to benefit the local community and environment.
Travelife Gold hotels lead the way in social and environmental sustainability.
You can book your Virgin Holiday knowing that wherever you go, the world will welcome you.
All that gas
There is no denying it, planes pump out carbon dioxide as they travel, and
as we all know carbon dioxide (or CO2) is the principal contributor to global
warming. That's why our sister company Virgin Atlantic are working hard to make
their flights more sustainable by investing in modern aircraft and trialling
biofuels http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/
In the meantime the options are; Not to travel, which of course is up to you
- though there are millions of people worldwide whose livelihoods depend on
tourism and the revenue visitors bring. If there are no tourists, in many cases
the alternative is to deplete natural resources to survive. So while not flying
is a very simple response, it doesn't really look at the whole picture.
The other option is to offset the carbon your flight generates. We recognise
this isn't ideal long term, (and this is why Virgin Atlantic are working so
hard to make air travel less environmentally damaging) but is a pretty good short
term solution if it's done in the right way. We've researched long and hard
before recommending Myclimate as a great option for carbon offsetting. For every
tonne of carbon dioxide emitted as a result of your flight, they invest in projects
that give back to the community and reduce the equivalent amount of carbon going
into the atmosphere. Click here to find out more: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com
What else can you do?
Help keep holiday destinations beautiful and the people living in them happy to see you, by applying some Human Nature of your own….
- Water is precious in most holiday resorts - because it doesn't rain as much as at home! So use it carefully. Don't leave taps running, take showers rather than baths and re-use your towels.
- Save energy and cut CO2 by switching off lights, fans and air conditioning when you are out of your room. Make sure your appliances are fully turned off and don't leave any chargers plugged in when not in use - this will also protect against damage from power surges.
- Think before you throw. No-one wants to see your old plastic bags, bottles and cigarette butts hanging around for the next 50 years! Take your rubbish to a bin or back to your hotel with you. Really toxic things like used batteries, should be bought back to the UK where they can be safely recycled.
- Don't buy souvenirs made from shells, turtleshell, coral, or any other wildlife
- you'll be contributing to their exploitation and some of it will be illegal
to bring home.
- It's easy to feel pestered by over enthusiastic sales people, especially if you're not in the mood for shopping. Decline politely, or with a sense of humour. Please don't be rude - everyone's trying to make a living after all!
- Get out and explore beyond your hotel! Support the local economy by sampling regional dishes at locally owned restaurants, buying locally produced food and drinks and buying souvenirs that are genuinely made in the area.
- Respect local customs such as covering up away from the beach and especially in towns, shops and religious places. You'll find you get stared at a lot less and treated more respectfully by locals
- Relax - you're on holiday! Don't get snappy if service isn't quite as efficient
as at home. It's all part of the experience.
If you have any questions or comments, either before you go or on your return,
email our Responsible Business Manager at human-nature@virginholidays.com