Norway dog sledding holiday
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Our suppliers fully believe that ecological based tourism must contribute to the preservation of the unique natural areas of the world such as Spitsbergen and that the interaction between the local people, guests and nature will result in the most positive effects. We encourage this interaction, especially cultural, by encouraging all clients to learn a few important words such: hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc and get involved with the local culture and community whilst maintaining the utmost respect for their traditions.
Our suppliers in Spitsbergen have three core values:
- Interaction with nature and local cultures
- Integration of the intellect and emotions
- Innovative and secure internal culture
They also follow main strategies:
- All business activities shall be based on an environmental management policy.
- The Modus Operandi of each Meeting Place shall be developed and undertaken in cooperation with the local community as well as in accordance with defined overall principals
- Offering jobs and business opportunities within the local community shall be of high priority.
- Each Meeting Place shall be managed in a way that results in minimal impact on its natural environment and shall stimulate local culture and pride.
- Each Meeting Place shall have an intimate and open atmosphere, to provide an arena for learning, sharing and participation. They strive to:
- Develop a model project for a tourist venture where concerns for conservation issues and local cultures are fully integrated.
- Strive to make a lasting and deeply felt impression on the visitor, and by that encourage deeper respect for nature and culture.
- Seek a fair distribution of outcome/benefits to employees, owners and the local community. Our suppliers are also striving to become carbon neutral and all of the prices include a £25 climate investment charge. The guest invests in their Basecamp Foundation's tree planting schemes in the Masai Mara in Kenya. This helps reduce the impacts of the emissions generated by their and our operations and your travels.
Community
Spitsbergen is the main island in the Svalbad archipelago and at around 78 degrees North destinations do not come much more untouched.
With the end of whaling and major mining works on the island, tourism is a major source of employment and income to the inhabitants of Spitsbergen as well as a major driving force behind the Island's protection. There are almost as many polar bears here as there are people and these magnificent creatures are in need of protection. This glacial region is also being found to exhibit the effects of global warning and therefore any tourism here must be as environmentally sound as possible. We also fully appreciate the impact of tourist visits on local communities and their residents and strive to ensure that we are having a positive effect.
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