Archaeological cruise sailing holiday in Turkey
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Travelling by boat, the amount of water available is limited and needs to be used sparingly. Only showers are provided, not baths, and we advise customers to reduce their use of water by taking short showers, and avoiding leaving the tap running for long periods. As a result the amount of water used during our cruises is significantly less than if travellers were staying in a typical large resort hotel.
To help protect the environment, if we discover litter and detritus on a beach, path, etc. we pick it up, and then dispose of it properly. We regularly organise litter picking parties to tidy up a beach we are moored by and so help keep the coasts of Turkey and Greece and the Mediterranean beautiful, free from detritus, and safer for native animals.
The gulet we use is locally owned, and the crew is Turkish. By chartering such boats, we provide important employment and income to the boat’s crew and owner. As well as the boat, we have used the same locally owned ground-handling agent, employing Turkish staff, since 1996. This ensures that money goes directly into the pockets of local people, so it is the local community that benefits.
From an office perspective, we use green electricity and aim to use as little as possible. We reuse and recycle materials (such as paper, cardboard, glass, tins and food waste) whenever feasible. We try to keep our paper waste to a minimum, and all our printing is done using recycled paper and/or on paper approved by the FSC, the Forestry Stewardship Council.
Community
On this trip, we have lunch with the guardian of a remote archaeological site that we visit high in the mountains of Lycia. We have been coming to eat at the guardian’s home, and sample local foods cooked (and often grown) by his wife and family, every year for the past 10 years.
We think meeting and spending time with local people helps foster cultural exchange, interaction, and mutual understanding, promoting a better understanding of different worlds and culture. At the same time we provide vital income to a family living in a very rural area.
We visit small villages along the coast, some of which are only accessible by sea, such as Kale which has no road access. We provide much needed business to local cafes and shops in these places, thereby supporting local families, artisans, and village crafts.
Throughout this tour we employ local guides and location managers. We also use local drivers and vehicles to visit sites, which are often owner operated or run by a local cooperative. This ensures that money goes directly into the pockets of local people, so it is the local community that benefits.
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