Faroe Islands short break

Planet

We are always talking to our local ground agents about the importance of stressing to clients the importance of basic responsible principles such as appropriate waste disposal, not to waste water, turning off lights on leaving the room in hotels, not replacing towels and bedding daily etc.
Our local agents are also keen to stress to visitors the importance of not straying from marked trails at historic sites, an important step towards maintaining the sites for future generations.
Over half the electricity produced in the Faroe Islands is from renewable sources - namely hydro-electric and wind power, with a goal of using solely renewable energy by 2030.
The guesthouse Gjaargardur in Gjogv is insulated in the traditional Faroese way with a turf-roof to help reduce heating costs, as well as to fit in with the local surroundings. The management and staff have an over-arching ethos to limit energy consumption and use local produce whenever possible.
As a company we have introduced responsible practices in our UK office including paper, cardboard, aluminium and plastic recycling. We also support local UK charities including the RNIB and various charities around the world. 50% of our office staff use public transport (bus and train) and cycle to work. Management encourages this with their introduction of the cycle to work scheme which offers subsidised cycle ownership.

People

By the very nature of life in the Faroes all services are provided by local people. Our local agents are Faroese owned, managed and run, have been operating in the Faroe Islands for 15 years and have an excellent reputation. Fair salaries are paid to all employees and regular training is provided to support future career development. Only local guides who are aware of local customs and cultures are employed which not only keeps the funds paid to staff within the local community but also helps avoid any potential cultural clashes between visitors and locals. Guides are required to turn off vehicles when idling to minimise unnecessary emissions and where possible, eco-friendly modes of transport are opted for.
We visit family-run guesthouses and restaurants, thereby boosting the local economy, helping to provide jobs and allowing the Faroese people to tell visitors about local traditions and keep them alive. Importing food stuffs into the Faroe Islands can be prohibitively expensive so all of the food for meals included on the itinerary is sourced locally whether it is served in hotels or a local restaurant. All hotels on the itinerary are locally owned, managed and run. Many of the museums are managed by local communities and also demonstrate traditional crafts such as knitting, with most of the iconic Faroese knitwear for sale having been hand knitted by local craftspeople.

The Hotel Brandon which is used in Torshavn has been awarded the Green Key certification, the hospitality industry’s international eco label. Any future developments must be in line with the Green key initiatives and products must be environmentally friendly. Management also focus on supporting local initiatives like Rudda Føroyar, the Faroese instalment of World Cleanup Day which brings together local volunteers to free the Faroes from rubbish and litter.