How to Identify and Choose a Responsible Tour Operator

Are you interested in responsible and sustainable tourism? Are you an environmental activist? Do you value the efforts that go into ensuring that wildlife and cultures are preserved for the purpose of passing them down to future generations? If your answers are yes, choosing a tour operator subscribing to your quest is very important.

There are so many tour operators on the internet, offering many services, but a majority of them do not subscribe to ensuring that tourism is carried out responsibly. You have to be keen on how you go about picking the tour operator. The big question is: How will you know that a tour operator is responsible?

Currently, the world is geared towards preserving the environment and cultures to enhance posterity in climatic and social changes, respectively. Any effort to this effect, by tour operators, greatly impacts conservation and should be hugely supported. Tourism is one of the key areas that greatly influence nature and cultures. As a tourist, therefore, you have a role in ensuring that sustainable and responsible tourism is upheld at all times.

One of the most effective ways is choosing a tour operator who understands the pragmatics of responsible tourism. Here are some suggestions on how you can identify a responsible tour operator.

Research

Always carry out research on various operators in Kenya, and compare and contrast before deciding which one will work for you. Most operators put on a show about responsible tourism, but on the ground, they are not doing anything in that regard. The research will help you know exactly what you want and whom you should pick. On the Come Travel Kenya Blog, you will realize that we are committed to fostering sustainable and responsible tourism. Read about us and contact us with any questions.

Use Questionnaires

Before picking a tour operator, send them questions on sustainable and responsible tourism. Be specific in how you frame your questions. You will realize, from the answers, that most tour operators will not be able to satisfactorily respond to your questions. Come Travel Kenya will gladly respond to your questions on responsible tourism.

Check Out The Operators’ Projects

It is easy to tell whether a tour operator is carrying out responsible tourism or not by simply looking at how they interact with the communities of the destination. If a tour operator insists on giving you tips on how to handle yourself in a certain community during your visit, then they are the best to go for. Operators who focus on keeping the environment clean and have proper waste management measures are definitely the ones to go to. On their websites, you can check out whether they have projects that help foster growth in their communities of operation. This will inform your decision of choice.

Itinerary

Operators are supposed to provide you with a tour itinerary that is convenient and will offer you the best experience. From the list of activities given, you can easily tell the operators that are responsible and those that are not. If an operator suggests activities that lead to environmental degradation, then you can always keep off these ones. Tourism is not all about fun. It is also about authenticity and ethical observation. Unless this is being sold, then you would rather keep off such operators for your peace of mind.

Read Reviews

Reading reviews will help you understand whether the operator you have chosen is responsible or not. Those who have had an experience with the operator can tell you the truth about them. The only place to find such information is in the reviews. Take time and read them to ascertain that the operator is truly a responsible one.

Check The Products Used

The products used by the operator will inform you of the level of responsibility. You can tell if they are using recyclables or not. You can tell by how they handle their waste; you can even tell by the type of vehicles they use for transport. The nitty-gritty details

So, where will you start? Will you use questionnaires, research or you will read reviews to figure out if Come Travel Kenya is a responsible tour operator? Tell us what you find about us.

WRITER:  Emily Wekulo