Highway Tours policy
Aims
As we do business, we mainly focus on the communities and their respective environment. We believe that our sustenance and the tourism industry itself is quite attached with the well being of the community and the environment.
Through our policies we strive to put in place practices that will enable and support the poor to improve their lives and assist them to overcome poverty and to preserve their environment for future generations.
We act responsibly and strive for excellence. We believe in character, competence, commitment and creativity. We work hard. We are happy, committed and caring.
Economic responsibility
We work towards supporting the local communities to be direct beneficiaries of the tourism industry. To ensure this we mainly hire local guides. Unless unavailable, we purchase products such as food, water, soft papers, etc from local shops. We also recommend and advise travellers to do the same if they will arrange their shopping by themselves. In addition we contribute and participate in local initiatives and community works aiming to improve their livelihoods which would have an impact in the individual, family, or community levels. We advise travellers to support local business, and encourage skills by shopping at local markets and buying authentic crafts.
This is a testimony given by Dawid Maksymiuk one of our guests that visited Ethiopia just in February 2008:
"It is a pleasure to visit Ethiopia and book through Highway Tours. After many informative and excellent correspondences about the destinations, we came in a group of five to visit Ethiopia for about one month; we had a wonderful experience of visiting the north and south east, and eastern part of the country.
We have been provided with a travellers' code of conduct and wonderful advises of itineraries by Eskinder through all the times. Beside the tourism spots, we also had the chance to visit places like local handicrafts and souvenirs shops. It is a great joy to have something for our selves and also to support the locals by buying from them."
They could also support the communities in different ways like in sponsoring child/children, providing voluntary services on teaching skills, sharing useful ideas, exchanging culture, adoptions, child support, in providing them some useful gifts like books and learning materials.
For visitors who would like to support children, we will create the conditions necessary for them and their support to reach those in-need by suggesting a number of projects that are undertaken by different NGOs - non government organizations), CBOs - community based organizations, and FBOs - faith based organizations. We will make this on our itineraries and personal or group consultations.
Visitors could experience their dream of supporting children as there are thousands of Ethiopian children that are in-need of their different supports. Visitors could make this possible in participating in different programs of existing projects. They could also start their own initiatives if they also have the readiness and the capacity. The door is open for every volunteer individual and organizations who would like to sponsor children in-need and in the difficult circumstances in Ethiopia.
Another member of one of our groups, Maja Pietruszka said "I want to extend my trip for two months here in Ethiopia. As I stay here, I want to support the people on what I can offer; in this regard Eskinder is advising me to give volunteer service of teaching children English language and on some skills."
In doing so we try to ensure that supporter contributions are used to help the community who need it the most. When visitors purchase products from the local communities, their small or big amount of money goes long way in helping to support families and to change or improve their life in Ethiopia where need is the greatest.
Also donations, grants, gifts, and project funding allows those in-need or those project workers who are directly involved to address the needs of the poor and to realize their desired goal. Any kind of support is something special whatever it is, small or big made in-kind or in cash, whether in group or individually.
We do our best to make sure that families are served through any of the support that we or travelers are involved in. We also do this through promoting our cause and identifying the right projects or businesses that are ready for it and benefited the most.
Environmental responsibility
We are committed to see an environment in the particular destinations free from toxic and harmful substances. We also cooperate with any effort that would lead to the reduction of environmental pollution, land degradation, deforestation, water contamination, and other positive impacts. We have been part of different campaigns such as "2 TREES FOR 2000" a campaign to address Ethiopia's environmental hazard caused by deforestation mainly sponsored by Millennium Secretariat. The project offers a chance for every Ethiopian to plant two trees throughout the whole Ethiopian second millennium.
We sponsored people for 'Clean Campaigns' in Addis Ababa and three towns. The campaigns have helped the community to realize the importance of clean and green environment. The campaigns will continue as part of the millennium celebrations which will continue throughout the whole millennium
Abrham Gulilat and his wife, travellers from Holland are also very happy to be advised to make their staying at the Kuriftu, an ecological resort area 45km away from Addis Ababa. They have given us a wonderful testimony how happy they are to stay in this area.
We also advise travellers to pay high attention towards the reduction of negative impacts on the environment and preservation of natural resources.We advise travellers to try not to waste water in hotels by letting taps and showers run unnecessarily. Also to be sensitive to wildlife like on campfires, off-road driving; and to try to avoid detergents, toothpaste, silver foil, and anything which can have a poisoning effect on the people and wildlife; to also be aware of the danger of plastic bags to the environment and proper placement of such stuffs to where they could be recycled or completely destroyed.
Social responsibility
Towards our social responsibility we help and encourage local communities for the protection of biodiversity and cultural values; promote and support indigenous knowledge which support the environment; promote useful traditions and campaign against harmful traditional practices; encourage and help youngsters and mothers who beg on the street to join the work force; respect for local community and recognition their indigenous knowledge; identify natural and cultural sacred sites and support the community for further preservation.
We make available visitors, staff and suppliers the guidelines on our travelers code of conduct. It helps the visitor as well as service suppliers and our guides on how to interact with the local communities. We also promote the good social and cultural practices in different ways like in supporting the youth and local efforts to preserve their cultural, social and religious heritages.
One is to include such places and activities on our itineraries and to invite visitors. As for instance we send tourists to "Tiruneh and Friends" a group who got a license to exhibit ancient household materials and an old aged fire-proof roofed house in one of the ancient monastery "Ura Kidane Mihiret" at Lake Tana.
Another project and local initiative that we support at Lake Tana is at "Entons Eyesus Monastery". We support the monks' activities in providing gifts and financial contributions to their initiatives towards preserving the ancient monasteries
We at the Highway Tours support local based initiatives one of which is a project named True Light Humanitarian Project. The project is implemented in Addis and rural areas and focuses on Children, HIV/AIDS, environmental protection, and other humanitarian activities. It is managed by one of our staff.
We also advise travellers to value and respect the societal, cultural, and religious values in the destinations.
As we do business, we mainly focus on the communities and their respective environment. We believe that our sustenance and the tourism industry itself is quite attached with the well being of the community and the environment.
Through our policies we strive to put in place practices that will enable and support the poor to improve their lives and assist them to overcome poverty and to preserve their environment for future generations.
We act responsibly and strive for excellence. We believe in character, competence, commitment and creativity. We work hard. We are happy, committed and caring.
Economic responsibility
We work towards supporting the local communities to be direct beneficiaries of the tourism industry. To ensure this we mainly hire local guides. Unless unavailable, we purchase products such as food, water, soft papers, etc from local shops. We also recommend and advise travellers to do the same if they will arrange their shopping by themselves. In addition we contribute and participate in local initiatives and community works aiming to improve their livelihoods which would have an impact in the individual, family, or community levels. We advise travellers to support local business, and encourage skills by shopping at local markets and buying authentic crafts.
This is a testimony given by Dawid Maksymiuk one of our guests that visited Ethiopia just in February 2008:
"It is a pleasure to visit Ethiopia and book through Highway Tours. After many informative and excellent correspondences about the destinations, we came in a group of five to visit Ethiopia for about one month; we had a wonderful experience of visiting the north and south east, and eastern part of the country.
We have been provided with a travellers' code of conduct and wonderful advises of itineraries by Eskinder through all the times. Beside the tourism spots, we also had the chance to visit places like local handicrafts and souvenirs shops. It is a great joy to have something for our selves and also to support the locals by buying from them."
They could also support the communities in different ways like in sponsoring child/children, providing voluntary services on teaching skills, sharing useful ideas, exchanging culture, adoptions, child support, in providing them some useful gifts like books and learning materials.
For visitors who would like to support children, we will create the conditions necessary for them and their support to reach those in-need by suggesting a number of projects that are undertaken by different NGOs - non government organizations), CBOs - community based organizations, and FBOs - faith based organizations. We will make this on our itineraries and personal or group consultations.
Visitors could experience their dream of supporting children as there are thousands of Ethiopian children that are in-need of their different supports. Visitors could make this possible in participating in different programs of existing projects. They could also start their own initiatives if they also have the readiness and the capacity. The door is open for every volunteer individual and organizations who would like to sponsor children in-need and in the difficult circumstances in Ethiopia.
Another member of one of our groups, Maja Pietruszka said "I want to extend my trip for two months here in Ethiopia. As I stay here, I want to support the people on what I can offer; in this regard Eskinder is advising me to give volunteer service of teaching children English language and on some skills."
In doing so we try to ensure that supporter contributions are used to help the community who need it the most. When visitors purchase products from the local communities, their small or big amount of money goes long way in helping to support families and to change or improve their life in Ethiopia where need is the greatest.
Also donations, grants, gifts, and project funding allows those in-need or those project workers who are directly involved to address the needs of the poor and to realize their desired goal. Any kind of support is something special whatever it is, small or big made in-kind or in cash, whether in group or individually.
We do our best to make sure that families are served through any of the support that we or travelers are involved in. We also do this through promoting our cause and identifying the right projects or businesses that are ready for it and benefited the most.
Environmental responsibility
We are committed to see an environment in the particular destinations free from toxic and harmful substances. We also cooperate with any effort that would lead to the reduction of environmental pollution, land degradation, deforestation, water contamination, and other positive impacts. We have been part of different campaigns such as "2 TREES FOR 2000" a campaign to address Ethiopia's environmental hazard caused by deforestation mainly sponsored by Millennium Secretariat. The project offers a chance for every Ethiopian to plant two trees throughout the whole Ethiopian second millennium.
We sponsored people for 'Clean Campaigns' in Addis Ababa and three towns. The campaigns have helped the community to realize the importance of clean and green environment. The campaigns will continue as part of the millennium celebrations which will continue throughout the whole millennium
Abrham Gulilat and his wife, travellers from Holland are also very happy to be advised to make their staying at the Kuriftu, an ecological resort area 45km away from Addis Ababa. They have given us a wonderful testimony how happy they are to stay in this area.
We also advise travellers to pay high attention towards the reduction of negative impacts on the environment and preservation of natural resources.We advise travellers to try not to waste water in hotels by letting taps and showers run unnecessarily. Also to be sensitive to wildlife like on campfires, off-road driving; and to try to avoid detergents, toothpaste, silver foil, and anything which can have a poisoning effect on the people and wildlife; to also be aware of the danger of plastic bags to the environment and proper placement of such stuffs to where they could be recycled or completely destroyed.
Social responsibility
Towards our social responsibility we help and encourage local communities for the protection of biodiversity and cultural values; promote and support indigenous knowledge which support the environment; promote useful traditions and campaign against harmful traditional practices; encourage and help youngsters and mothers who beg on the street to join the work force; respect for local community and recognition their indigenous knowledge; identify natural and cultural sacred sites and support the community for further preservation.
We make available visitors, staff and suppliers the guidelines on our travelers code of conduct. It helps the visitor as well as service suppliers and our guides on how to interact with the local communities. We also promote the good social and cultural practices in different ways like in supporting the youth and local efforts to preserve their cultural, social and religious heritages.
One is to include such places and activities on our itineraries and to invite visitors. As for instance we send tourists to "Tiruneh and Friends" a group who got a license to exhibit ancient household materials and an old aged fire-proof roofed house in one of the ancient monastery "Ura Kidane Mihiret" at Lake Tana.
Another project and local initiative that we support at Lake Tana is at "Entons Eyesus Monastery". We support the monks' activities in providing gifts and financial contributions to their initiatives towards preserving the ancient monasteries
We at the Highway Tours support local based initiatives one of which is a project named True Light Humanitarian Project. The project is implemented in Addis and rural areas and focuses on Children, HIV/AIDS, environmental protection, and other humanitarian activities. It is managed by one of our staff.
We also advise travellers to value and respect the societal, cultural, and religious values in the destinations.