Brazil highlights holiday

Environment

For all our trips in Brazil we work with a local partner who shares our values about conserving the natural environment and operating trips which have a positive impact. Here in our Brighton-based office we have obtained the Travelife Better Places Partnership and our Brazil partner has been awarded the Travelife for Tour Operators certification, the first company in Brazil to achieve this, demonstrating our mutual goal to offer sustainable trips to our customers. When selecting accommodation, transport and excursions, along with the companies who provide them, our local partner takes in to account their environmental and community impact. This also covers our practices and procedures in our office and in our partner's office in Brazil. Here in the UK we recycle as much of our waste as we can, using a closed-loop recycling company and actively encouraging our staff to think about the waste we have through workshops and monthly updates.

During our Amazon trip we use an eco-lodge who don't use a generator and only has electric lighting in the evening and no hot water, conserving the natural environment as much as possible.

The guides are all local and have an in-depth knowledge of the flora and fauna of the rainforest, making sure it is respected by staff and visitors alike during excursions.

Community

When our customers book a trip to Brazil with us we offer them a chance to donate to the local project we support in Rio de Janeiro. Casa de Santa Ana is a home for the elderly in one of the poorest slums in the city, providing meals, medical assistance and support for their families. During our trip in Rio de Janeiro we include a visit to the favelas with a local guide to gain an insight into daily life here and if they would like to visit Casa de Santa Ana we can also arrange this for them too.

Throughout this itinerary we offer trips which engage with the local communities and give our customers the chance to learn about customs, traditions and livelihoods. In Salvador de Bahia we include a walking tour of the historic Pelourinho with a local guide, you will learn about the history of the area as well as the fusion of African and Portuguese culture to create a unique Bahian community.

At home we also strive to support local businesses, charities and the community. We use a local catering company for fresh, healthy lunches in our Brighton office everyday, use a local recycling company for all our waste, use small independent companies for work events such as the summer party where we took an African drumming lesson in a local church hall and offer all our staff a day out of the office to volunteer at the charity of their choice.