Corfu and Ionian cruise in Greece

Planet

The size of the gulets and the very low capacity (maximum 24 passengers) means that any detrimental social and environmental impacts are minimised whilst allowing the passengers to visit smaller communities that don’t usually benefit so much from of tourism. This also enables small communities to host tourists without the need for building hotels and other infrastructure that may be required.

The small size of our vessel means we can visit small local ports which cuts down the travel time (and fuel) we use.

All the food on board is bought locally; fruit, vegetables, plenty of fish, shellfish and other seafood, meat and other staples are all locally grown and produced, and much of it is bought from small retailers or even directly from the grower or fisherman. This has a threefold benefit of reducing food miles, supporting local communities and providing our customers with very fresh food.

Although we spend a week cruising, we are never more than about 35 miles from the port we start and finish in, cutting down on the miles travelled hugely, especially when compared with larger vessels that often visit Italy and Turkey as well as Greece.

Any rubbish and waste generated on the vessel is disposed of responsibly on shore in an appropriate manner.

The vessels manager are Committed to:
-Wild and domestic animal protection alongside broader good environmental practice.
-Being environmentally friendly in our own offices such as encouraging cycling to work, car sharing, recycling, lowering energy use and using planet-friendly cleaning products.
-Minimising our environmental footprint while on a tour, by traveling in small groups, avoiding the use of plastic bottles, recycling our cans, paper and plastics
-The implementation of practices that help in the environmental conservation of the areas we visit.

People

We encourage all our passengers to engage with the local community on a social and economic level to ensure that this tourism has a benefit to both the visitors and the hosts.

Most tourists to this part of the world stay (and often don’t leave) some large resorts in a few restricted locations, so by enabling our passengers to visit some different areas without putting any strain on local amenities, we are spreading the financial benefits and the load of our visit. By allowing/encouraging our clients to eat ashore on most evenings we are ensuring that our host destinations benefit financially from our visit.

The ship’s managers buy all of their produce as possible from local communities, and will also encourage our passengers to spend money in the communities that we visit. By trying some local fruit juice instead of a well known American brand of soft drink, you will support the economy, it will be better for you and who knows, you might find you enjoy it more too.

We will endeavour to maximise the benefits of tourism and to minimise or eradicate any downside, socially, environmentally & economically.

We will encourage our passengers to learn and understand as much as possible about the local traditions, language and way of life to enable them to appreciate the reality of life in this part of the world. The cruise manager will ask any questions about the region, and will keep all of the passengers updated, not just with the day to day itinerary, but with in depth information about the history and way of life of the local communities.

The ships managers are committed to:
-Ongoing training of our staff and local partners in the principles and practices of responsible travel
-Ensuring that our type and scale of tourism is appropriate to local conditions and does not overload local infrastructure.
-Encouraging positive cultural exchanges between our travelers and the hosting communities, offering a deep understanding of the hosting culture and preserving the local traditions and customs.
-Encouraging our clients, through literature, staff and leaders, to act in a socially responsible way.
-Attempt to integrate the ethos of responsible travel throughout the organisation.