Laos holiday, Luang Prabang and the Plain of Jars

Environment

Whilst on this tour we visit the Mines Advisory Group (MAG). Laos is the most bombed country in the world per capita, with more than 270 million cluster submunitions dropped on it during the Vietnam War from 1963 to 1974 and we will learn about the valuable work of this group.

In Vientiane we will visit the excellent COPE exhibition centre, highlighting a major problem many of the local people face daily in the form of unexploded ordnance.

Information: Providing suitable, relevant information for our customers; to help them to gain a wider understanding of our style of tourism that focuses on learning, genuine interaction with the local communities, reciprocity and cultural exchange processes. To be aware of the potential impact of tourism on the local society, culture and environment, and to behave and dress appropriately with a respect and appreciation for local customs, mores and traditions and a respect for the ecology of areas visited. Our guides and leaders thus facilitate communication of our values to both travellers and local communities, educating them in sustainable tourism practices

Group sizes: By limiting groups to small sizes we aim to reduce the impact on both local communities and the environment whilst allowing for greater genuine interaction with said communities. It also results in a higher guide/customer ratio thus greater facility for supervision and individual assistance and allows us to use smaller hotels and restaurants and employ the services of more genuinely ‘local’ operators perhaps not otherwise well equipped for larger groups.

Destinations: We combine the well known tourist sites with many off-the-beaten-track, rarely visited destinations thus diverting tourist revenue and contact with responsible tourism into areas not usually benefiting as well as providing a more authentic view of the region visited.

Instruction: By explaining our methods and the reasons behind them local agents, guides and hotels are encouraged by us to adopt further responsible tourism practices themselves and guides and drivers are provided with additional training in this respect.

Community

This trip benefits and strengthens the local communities through capacity and confidence building so that they have total control over tourism development in their area. We provide community information to tourists, to help them to gain a wider understanding of this type of tourism that focuses on learning and a cultural exchange process and we inform our travelers how to behave appropriately with an appreciation for local customs and regulations. We also buy and use local products and services in order to support and stimulate the local economy.

We use local public transport where possible to minimise demand for special tourist vehicles and fuel. We choose small-scale locally owned accommodation and homestays where available and local restaurants and markets for dining, retaining revenue in local communities. Our tour leaders facilitate communication of our values to travellers and local communities, educating them in sustainable tourism practices. We employ local guides to aid travellers' understanding of local culture and etiquette. Our small group size allows travellers to experience cultures at first hand, offering greater opportunity for cross- cultural understanding.

Local products: As much as possible we aim to employ local personnel, (guides, drivers, agents etc), use local restaurants and smaller privately owned accommodation. Customers are also encouraged to buy and use local products and services as much as possible in order to support and stimulate the local economy.