TRANSFORMING HOW THE WORLD TRAVELS.
What Is Responsible Travel?
We define responsible travel (aka responsible tourism) as simply this: Being socially and culturally aware (and personally conscious) when you travel, understanding your environmental and economic effect on the places you visit, and trying to make that affect a positive one that benefits the host destination and population.
The problem is, a lot of people have a hard time grasping this concept, as there are a lot of misconceptions out there that make responsible travel seem like an extreme or unrealistic effort. For example...
To travel responsibly, you have to travel backpacker style. Low budget, cut corners where possible, and be as basic as possible. Or that you can never fly on a jumbo jet because of the carbon emissions.
However, we believe that responsible travel doesn't have to be an unattainable extreme. It can be as simple as small changes to the way we VIEW our journey and how we CHOOSE to interact with different cultures, people and destinations.
2020-2021.
The year that the novel COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed economies, devastated communities, and confined nearly 4 billion people (half of humanity) to their homes. Now, as governments, communities and individuals, we have the opportunity to do the right thing by rebuilding smarter and in a more conscious way post-COVID.
IT'S TIME TO RESET AND RE-IMAGINE.
Environmentally
Many of the world's most incredible places that travelers dream of visiting in this world are at severe risk of disappearing due to climate change. Measuring your emissions and then reducing your carbon footprint through offsetting and simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference. As we work towards restoring and healing Mother Earth, ZI is committed lowering our footprint through carbon-neutral tours and trips. This includes purchasing carbon credits associated with a range of international reduction projects, partnering with eco-friendly transportation and hotel partners, and encouraging our clients to use water, fuel and electricity wisely. More so, we hope to inspire and encourage our travelers to continue living their own low-carbon lifestyle but giving them the tools to measure, reduce and offset their own emissions once they return home.
Culturally
Travel & Tourism has always been a sector for the people, by the people – relying on the wonders of Mother Earth to meaningfully change the lives of the people and communities it touches and inspire us to deepen our understanding of our place in this world. At ZI, we’re proud to be facilitating educational experiences that open the hearts and minds of travelers while promoting cultural sensitivity and awareness through all aspects of what we do. As we enter a new era of travel, these values are paramount to assuring the citizens of our increasingly globalized planet are able to understand and respect one another, ensuring that our future holds more peace and promise than our past.
Economically
Now more than ever, countries worldwide needs tourism and travel to support their local economies. Research by The World Travel and Tourism Council showed The Travel & Tourism sector suffered a loss of almost US $4.5 trillion in 2020, with the contribution to GDP dropping by a staggering 49.1% compared to 2019. The impact of travel resuming will be felt across the globe, from workers traveling across the world for in-person meetings, to parents being able to put food on the table and roofs over their families heads. We are committed to giving back to the destinations we visit by maintaining a healthy balance sheet to enable growth and leaving a positive impact.
Travel has the power to provide rich cultural experiences, protect precious communities and environments, and, when done right, can be a vital force for making our planet a better place.
Our Core Values.
At ZI, we believe that every person, every traveler and every local is a steward of our planet. From designing itineraries to leading group trips, we are committed to partnering with those who share our core values and educating our clients on everything from cultural differences and nuances, to ways to minimize our carbon footprint and spending our resources wisely.
By focusing on the right kind of travel – conscientious, purpose-driven, and responsible– we continue our mission to inspire, educate and guide citizens to travel smarter, connect deeper, and foster a healthier and safer planet.