Self drive holiday in New Zealand, whale and dolphin watching
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
When it comes to environmental policy there are few countries more pro-active than New Zealand, which leads the way (with Iceland and Costa Rica) to become one of the world’s first carbon neutral countries. There are a rapidly growing number of tourism businesses in New Zealand taking steps to minimise their environmental impact and many organisations have achieved Green Globe accreditation including hotels, regional tourist boards, activities and visitor centres, each demonstrating a commitment to sustainable environmental practices.
We are committed to assisting the Kiwi Encounter conservation programme at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua. Every client who books a holiday to New Zealand with us will be contributing to this incredible conservation effort. It is the only facility in the world that has been purpose built for the incubation and rearing of kiwi and is the only place in New Zealand where you can see this work in action and get closer to kiwi than ever before. This is a huge conservation effort to stop the extinction of a species that is New Zealand’s national icon and it all happens before your eyes. The proceeds from your entrance ticket go directly towards continuing this conservation work and to continue growing the numbers of kiwi eggs that are hatched and raised each year on-site at Kiwi Encounter.
Dolphin Explorer Tours in Auckland are part of Explore NZ, which acknowledges that that the environment is a key aspect to their business and that for the continued sustainability of the business everything must be done to protect the environment they work in. The group is dedicated to environmental awareness and accountability and also the commitment of environmental advocacy to the customer. The process and achievements are an on-going evolution and improvement is constantly strived for.
Dolphin Explorer Tours exercises strict compliance to the terms of its Department of Conservation permit. There is a strong educational component to the dolphin cruises and a portion of the fare is designated to fund research projects; they are the major sponsors of Project Island Song, plus the vessel is given free of charge to other research projects. Jet powered swim vessels are used to reduce risk of injury both dolphins and swimmers and the company uses bio-degradable cleaning products and bio-fuel on the vessels. Dolphin Explorer Tours exercises strict compliance to the terms of its Department of Conservation permit. There is a strong educational component to the dolphin cruises and a portion of the fare is designated to fund research projects; they are the major sponsors of Project Island Song, plus the vessel is given free of charge to other research projects. Jet powered swim vessels are used to reduce risk of injury both dolphins and swimmers and the company uses bio-degradable cleaning products and bio-fuel on the vessels.
We are proud to hold the AITO 3-star Responsible Travel accreditation recognising our commitment to sustainable tourism. We support a number of extremely worthwhile organisations and causes, including Friends of Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) at the University of Cambridge. Their pioneering research investigates social and environmental issues in the Arctic and Antarctic, such as global warming.
Back home we have an active environmental policy in our office including recycling bins throughout; printing our brochures on FSC accredited paper from sustainable forests; systems to encourage a paperless office; and movement sensor lights which use the latest energy-saving long-life elements.
Community
We are dedicated to ensuring that local communities and the environment are treated with the utmost care and respect by visitors. All the places visited on this tour benefit from the positive effects of tourism; economic benefits for local businesses and enterprises and employment for residents, thus contributing to the overall economic growth of each region. We support local communities by using locally owned and run hotels, activity operators and guides, and encouraging guests to visit local attractions, eat in local restaurants and buy local produce and crafts.
We have a close working relationship with our suppliers to encourage them to share our concerns about minimising impact on the environment whilst maximising the benefit to the local communities. Our guests are encouraged to respect the native Maori people, their culture, traditions and customs and to experience and support this fascinating heritage first hand. At Te Puia, a working Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua, set up to foster the art and craft skills of Maori culture, local guides offer an insight into the lives of the Maori people, recounting stories handed down from their ancestors and describing the many uses they find for the natural resources around them.
We support Whale Watch in Kaikoura which is owned and operated by the indigenous Kati Kuri people, a Maori sub-tribe. They are committed to sustainable tourism and the preservation of this unique resource and are proud of the many awards they have received in recognition of this. The business has been a phenomenal success which in turn has stimulated investment in new ventures in the community such as restaurants, cafes and galleries filled with the work of local artists.
Kiwi Dundee Adventures is owned by Doug Johansen and Jan Poole, New Zealanders with a passion for eco-tourism and a deep understanding of nature. Their guides are all New Zealanders who are very knowledgeable about the beautiful environment in which they work and are committed to its conservation.
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