Sicily small group tour

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

We are committed to reducing the operational carbon footprint of its tours and to developing forms of travel that place less pressure on Sicily’s environment. Our approach focuses increasingly on measuring emissions, improving transport choices, working with accommodation providers on environmental performance and supporting local, seasonal supply chains.

Shared transport

On our escorted tours, guests travel together by coach for the main touring programme rather than using individual vehicles. Consolidating transport for the group helps reduce the number of vehicles required and therefore the transport emissions per passenger compared with equivalent individual road journeys.
Whenever the itinerary allows, sightseeing also includes walking sections in historic centres and archaeological areas. This not only reduces the need for additional vehicle movements but also allows travellers to experience destinations at a slower pace.

Electric mobility

We have developed self-drive itineraries using electric vehicles as a lower-impact alternative to conventional car-based touring. These programmes combine electric mobility with carefully selected accommodation and experiences throughout Sicily.
We see electric mobility as an important part of the gradual transition towards lower-carbon tourism on the island and continue to explore opportunities to integrate lower-emission transport into our products.

Accommodation and energy efficiency

We work within the wider Dimsi Group to improve the environmental performance of tourism accommodation. Measures implemented or promoted across the group include greater energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy, waste reduction, sustainable mobility initiatives and the progressive reduction of single-use plastics.
When developing our products, we increasingly favour accommodation providers that demonstrate attention to environmental performance, including energy and water consumption, waste management and responsible use of resources.

Measuring our carbon footprint

We have worked on measuring the carbon footprint associated with its tourism activities. For example, the carbon footprint of the Sicilian Secrets programme has previously been calculated, providing us with concrete data on the emissions generated by the tour.
During the 2025 season, 127 tonnes of CO2 associated with this trip measured and compensated. While compensation formed part of that earlier initiative, our current approach places greater emphasis on using carbon measurement to understand where emissions arise and identify opportunities for actual reductions in future operations.

Local and seasonal food

Food is an important part of our tours and of the way visitors connect with Sicily. Our itineraries make extensive use of local restaurants, hotels and food producers, giving travellers opportunities to experience Sicilian cuisine and products from the areas they visit.
The use of local and seasonal ingredients supports regional supply chains and producers while helping reduce unnecessary transport associated with food sourcing. Vegetarian and other dietary requirements can also be accommodated when communicated in advance.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

Our environmental policy is closely connected to protecting Sicily as a destination. The landscapes, coastlines, countryside, volcanic environments and cultural heritage that attract visitors are also resources that tourism has a responsibility to preserve.
Since 2020, sustainable tourism has been explicitly identified as a central commitment within the wider Dimsi Group, with the objective of reconciling tourism development with environmental and social priorities.

Reducing the environmental impact of accommodation

Within the Dimsi Group, environmental performance is addressed through measures including energy efficiency, waste reduction, renewable energy, sustainable mobility and the reduction of single-use plastics.
More broadly, when selecting accommodation and tourism partners, we increasingly consider their approach to environmental management and responsible resource use. Our objective is to strengthen this process over time and encourage suppliers to reduce energy and water consumption, improve waste management and recycling, and limit unnecessary plastics.

Protecting Sicily’s natural and cultural environment

Our approach to tourism is strongly destination-oriented. We recognise that the long-term value of tourism in Sicily depends on preserving the natural and cultural resources that make the island distinctive.
Our tours are designed to introduce travellers to Sicily through its landscapes, historic towns, archaeological heritage, rural areas and local communities. By using local guides, accommodation providers, restaurants and other locally based tourism businesses, we aim to keep a greater proportion of the economic benefits of tourism within the destination and reinforce the value of protecting the places on which those businesses depend.
Where itineraries include protected natural, archaeological or cultural areas, visits are organised according to the access rules and visitor-management requirements established by the relevant authorities.

Responsible behaviour in the destination

We encourage travellers to experience Sicily responsibly and with respect for the places and communities they visit. This includes reducing waste, avoiding unnecessary single-use plastics, respecting natural and archaeological sites, following designated routes and local regulations, and avoiding disturbance to wildlife and natural habitats.
Our objective is not simply to reduce the footprint of individual journeys, but to contribute to a tourism model in which economic development, local employment and visitor experiences can coexist with the long-term protection of Sicily’s environmental and cultural heritage.

Local knowledge and guides

We are a Sicily-based incoming tour operator and works extensively with local guides and tourism professionals. Their knowledge helps visitors understand not only Sicily’s history and culture but also the landscapes and environments through which they travel.
Using local professionals also strengthens the connection between tourism and the communities that host it, helping tourism expenditure remain within the destination and supporting local employment.

Long-term environmental commitment

Our wider objective is to combine tourism development with the green economy, digitalisation and responsible local growth. We believe that protecting Sicily’s environmental resources is inseparable from protecting the future of tourism itself.
For this reason, our environmental strategy is evolving from individual initiatives towards a broader approach based on measuring impacts, reducing emissions where operationally possible, encouraging lower-impact mobility and accommodation, supporting local supply chains and protecting the natural and cultural assets on which tourism in Sicily depends.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We are a Sicily-based incoming tour operator and DMC, and supporting the local economy is an important part of the way we design and operate our holidays. Our objective is for tourism to generate economic value and employment within Sicily, while helping visitors develop a genuine connection with the places and communities they visit.

Supporting local tourism businesses

As a local incoming operator, we work with a wide network of Sicily-based tourism businesses and professionals. Our tours use local accommodation providers, licensed guides, restaurants, transport companies and experience providers across the island.
Where possible, we favour businesses that are rooted in the destination and able to offer travellers a direct connection with Sicilian culture, food, traditions and ways of life. This helps distribute tourism expenditure through the local supply chain rather than concentrating its benefits in a limited number of businesses.
Our wider sustainability strategy is based on the principle that tourism should create lasting value in the destination, generating employment and economic opportunities while helping preserve the environmental and cultural resources on which tourism itself depends.

Local guides and professionals

Local knowledge is central to our holidays. We work extensively with licensed local guides and other Sicily-based tourism professionals who provide travellers with first-hand knowledge of the island's history, culture, food, traditions and communities.
Using local professionals creates employment within the destination while giving travellers a more authentic understanding of Sicily. It also allows tourism expenditure to remain within the regional economy.

Local food and experiences

Sicilian food and local production are an important part of the travel experience. Our itineraries include opportunities to experience regional cuisine and local products through restaurants, hotels and other locally based businesses.
These experiences allow visitors to discover Sicily through the people who live and work here, while supporting local producers and tourism businesses.
More broadly, our role as a local incoming operator enables us to build itineraries around our direct knowledge of Sicily and its tourism supply chain, rather than treating the island simply as a collection of visitor attractions.

Creating value for the destination

Our approach to sustainability includes strengthening relationships with local communities and contributing to the economic and social development of the areas in which we operate.
Sustainability is connected not only with environmental responsibility but also with employment, education, social inclusion and the regeneration of the local area.
Our long-term objective is therefore to develop tourism in a way that creates value for Sicilian businesses, workers and communities while preserving the identity and resources that make Sicily a distinctive destination.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

We are committed to creating a working environment based on respect, equal opportunity, inclusion and professional development.
Our approach is supported by an ethical code and by a policy of zero tolerance towards discrimination.

Gender equality and opportunities for women

Women play a particularly important role with our tour company approximately 90% of our staff are women.
Women are represented across different areas of the business, and the company has also recorded an increase in women occupying managerial positions.
We regard equal opportunity and gender equality as important elements of a responsible tourism business and aim to provide an environment in which professional development is based on skills, experience and individual potential.

Diversity and inclusion

We promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace and apply a principle of zero tolerance towards discrimination.
Our approach is based on respect for individuals and equal employment opportunities, with the objective of creating a workplace in which people are valued regardless of their personal background.
The Group has also introduced internship opportunities with a specific social-inclusion objective, helping people who may experience barriers to employment gain access to work experience and professional opportunities.

Training and professional development

We invest in developing the skills and awareness of our employees, including specific training relating to sustainability.
In 2024, approximately 50 hours of environmental sustainability training were provided to employees across the Group.
This training forms part of a wider commitment to professional development and to ensuring that sustainability becomes part of everyday decision-making rather than remaining solely a corporate objective.

Young people and access to employment

Supporting younger generations and creating connections between education and employment are also part of our social commitment.
Around 50 students have participated in training and career-orientation activities organised through PCTO programmes in collaboration with local secondary schools.
These initiatives introduce young people to the tourism and hospitality sector, help them develop workplace skills and provide greater awareness of employment opportunities available within their own region.

A locally rooted workforce and tourism supply chain

Our headquartered and operates in Sicily, and our tourism activities rely extensively on professionals and businesses based on the island.
In addition to our own employees, our holidays create economic opportunities for local guides, drivers, accommodation providers, restaurateurs and other tourism professionals.
This local network is fundamental to our product: it allows us to provide travellers with genuine knowledge of Sicily while ensuring that tourism supports employment and professional opportunities within the destination.

Respectful and inclusive travel

The principles of respect and non-discrimination that apply within our workplace also inform our approach to travellers.
We aim to welcome guests respectfully and without discrimination and to work with our partners to respond to individual requirements wherever the characteristics of the itinerary and local infrastructure make this possible.
Where travellers have specific accessibility or mobility requirements, these need to be assessed in advance according to the itinerary, accommodation, transport and activities involved, so that we can provide accurate information about what can reasonably be accommodated.