Tobago & St Lucia holiday

Planet

As an in depth specialist tour operator to Tobago and St Lucia, we take a considered approach to the social, environmental and economic impacts of the holidays we design. To us, this means much more than a simple donation to a charity for each client. We try to build long and constructive involvements with local guides, wildlife lodges and hotels, in the course of which we, and our clients, can make lasting wide-ranging contributions to the wonderful places and people we engage with. In this itinerary we have selected several hotels and lodges whose documented practices align with this approach.

At Kariwak Village, Tobago, the restaurant prepares food from scratch and uses vegetables and herbs grown in the property's on-site garden where available. The swimming pool uses an ozone-based treatment system, reducing the need for conventional chlorine treatment. The property also has water-efficient plumbing and a grey-water recycling system for use in its flower and vegetable gardens. Kariwak also considers the products used in its housekeeping operations as part of its approach to managing resources and the guest environment.

Fond Doux Eco Resort, Saint Lucia, is a certified organic estate and participates in the Green Globe sustainability certification programme. Produce grown on the estate is used in the resort's two restaurants where available. Water in the cottages is heated using solar panels, while other measures include energy-efficient lighting, low-flow toilets and an optional linen and towel reuse programme. The resort has also introduced measures to reduce single-use plastics, including replacing plastic bags in its gift shop with paper bags, eliminating plastic straws and polystyrene food-service items, and replacing individual plastic toiletries with refillable dispensers.
The resort's cottages incorporate restored historic buildings and locally made furniture. Fond Doux is owned and operated by Saint Lucians and recruits and trains local residents for positions at the resort. The property also works with local communities on training and employment opportunities and sources furniture locally where possible.

We were the first tour operator in the UK to form a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance to work towards the implementation of best management practices in tourism. In practical terms, this has involved working with hotels that have introduced specific social, environmental and economic initiatives within their businesses and local communities

People

In Tobago and St Lucia we work with local ground handlers, helping to retain a significant proportion of our operational expenditure within the Tobagan and St Lucian economy and supporting employment, including in more remote regions. By incorporating locally owned hotels, restaurants and the services of local guides and drivers into our itineraries, we aim to keep as much tourism expenditure as possible within the local economy, allowing local businesses and communities to benefit from tourism.

Undoubtedly the best way to experience the true magic of Tobago and St Lucia is with a local guide. You can sit back and relax while the guide shows you around and takes care of the driving. They are a font of local knowledge–the islands are small and there is not much that misses their attention. We have known most of our guides personally for many years and you will find that most of them are very well known around the islands.