Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea and Jerusalem vacation

Planet

During this trip we spend 3 nights in traditional kibbutz accommodation, which has far less impact on the environment. Israel struggles with regular droughts and water shortages, so by staying in a kibbutz we are supporting a local community and supporting their responsible water usage as many have simple rainwater harvesting systems. We also encourage all customers to take their own water bottle as the drinking water is safe in many areas.

Also during our time on this trip, our leaders will encourage eating in local restaurants, not only for a great opportunity to try delicious Israeli cuisine but also this avoids the large all-you-can-east tourist restaurants and helps towards preventing food waste.

As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.

People

We work closely with our local operator to run this trip in a way to give as much back as possible to the local communities. Part of this is employing local leaders, who are committed to responsible tourism and helping to preserve the way of life in their area. The leaders are trained by us and will give a briefing on responsible tourism and how you can help reduce your impact and maximise the benefits to the local community from your visit. We'll stay in kibbutz communities to get a sense of this chosen way of life and by staying here we encourage a cultural exchange, as well as offering financial support; while staying here you can shop in the two little grocery stores, use the bar or perhaps buy a treat in the locally run chocolate shop.

This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people.

As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.