Sustainable Tourism Policy – Native Africa Tours

Join us for Sustainable Tourism Practices! As a travel company that engages with various stakeholders in tourism, namely consumers, tour guides, travel agencies, hotels, transport companies, restaurants, and attractions, Native Africa Tours understands our key role and influence in the sustainability development of tourism. Therefore, we are committed to promoting sustainability. We aim to follow, implement, and promote good sustainability practices to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts on tourism of our operations and to influence our clients and partners to do the same.

Mission Statement

We strive to be the leading destination management company in Uganda and Rwanda, offering exceptional service, value for money, and hospitality to travelers from all over the world. Our mission is to create meaningful connections between travelers and the destinations they visit, fostering a deep appreciation for the natural and cultural heritage of each location. Through our commitment to sustainable tourism, we aim to minimize our ecological footprint, conserve biodiversity, empower local communities, support fair employment practices, and promote inclusive economic growth. By integrating environmental, social, and economic sustainability, we seek to leave a positive and lasting impact on the destinations we serve.

Goals / Objectives

Sustainable Tourism Practices

Implement and promote sustainable tourism practices throughout all operations, including reducing environmental impact, supporting local communities, and preserving cultural heritage.
Collaborate with local stakeholders to develop eco-friendly tour itineraries that prioritize conservation, responsible travel, and respect for wildlife.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Continuously improve customer satisfaction by providing memorable and authentic travel experiences that exceed expectations.
Offer personalized services, knowledgeable guides, and engaging cultural interactions to create lasting memories for clients.

Community Empowerment and Development

Support local communities by fostering economic empowerment, cultural preservation, and social development initiatives.
Create partnerships with community-based organizations to ensure that tourism benefits are shared equitably and contribute to the well-being of residents.

Our sustainability policy is divided into 9 themes. Each theme consists of a set of principles and practical actions accordingly.

1. Sustainability Management & Legal Compliance

We commit to sustainability management, practiced by the following actions:

To have an appointed employee who is responsible for sustainability coordinator tasks;
To have a sustainability mission statement that is communicated to customers, partners and suppliers;
To have an accessible and written sustainability policy that aims for a reduction of the negative social, cultural, economic, and environmental impacts of the company’s activities; and includes employee-related health and safety aspects;
To collaborate and be actively involved in external forums and working groups that are supportive of sustainability in tourism;
To conduct a baseline assessment of the company’s performance on sustainable practices;
To have sustainability guidelines and assessment system in place to identify the sustainability performance of key suppliers/partners;

To have a sustainability action plan with clear targets, actions, measures, responsibilities and time planning;
To develop documented procedures to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the sustainability policy, objectives, and targets;
To ensure the company’s transparency in sustainability by public reporting and communicating;

To ensure that all staff are fully aware of our Sustainability Policy and are committed to implementing and improving it.

We commit to complying with all national legislation, regulations, and codes of practice.

2.Internal management: social policy & human rights

We commit to sustainable internal management by having a clear written and well-communicated social policy that includes the following principles:

To grant employees the freedom of employment and contract termination with notice (ideally a minimum of one month) and without penalty
To include labor conditions according to national labor law and a job description in the employment contract;
To determine and compensate for overtime working hours based on the agreement;
To grant employees fixed paid yearly holiday and sick leave and unpaid annual leave allowance;
To have a health and safety policy for employees which complies with national legal standards;
To have first aid sets and trained staff are available at all relevant locations;
To have documented effective procedures in place for employees to voice out their complaints and expectations;
To have a clear disciplinary procedure that is effectively communicated with employees;
To provide periodic guidance and training for employees on roles, rights, and responsibilities regarding health and safety issues. This includes fire and relevant natural disasters;
To create opportunities for students to participate in traineeship/internship/apprenticeship;

We commit to practicing human rights by ensuring the enforcement of the following practices:

To declare not to hinder trade union membership, collective labor negotiations, and representation of members by trade unions;
To prohibit discrimination, regard to recruitment, conditions of employment, access to training and senior positions, or promotion in terms of gender, race, age, disability, ethnicity, religion/beliefs or sexual orientation;
To ensure all employees have an equal chance and access to resources and opportunities for personal development through regular training, education;

3. Internal Management: Environment and community relations

We commit to practicing environmental protection and enhancing community relations by ensuring the enforcement of the following practices:

Actively reduce the use of disposable and consumer goods;
Favor the purchase of sustainable goods and services, office and catering supplies, giveaways and merchandise;
Purchase products in bulk, to reduce the amount of packaging materials;
Use cleaning materials that are non-hazardous, non-eutrophic, and biodegradable and are certified with an eco-label, if locally available;
Print brochures on environmentally friendly paper, with a printing company that works with a certified environmental management system, if locally available at reasonable costs;
Purchase green energy and energy-efficient lighting for all areas, when available;
Switch off Lights and equipment when not in use, use the automatic switch on/off system with timers, and set equipment by default in the energy saving mode, where this is feasible;
Prefer low-energy equipment when buying new items, including considerations of cost and quality;
Have an active policy to reduce water consumption, implemented and monitored on a monthly or yearly basis for benchmark purposes;
Use sustainable water sourcing, which does not adversely affect environmental flows;
Comply with the national legislation concerning waste disposal;
Develop and implement a solid waste reduction and recycling policy, with quantitative goals;
Take measures to reduce the amount of packaging materials and not provide non-recyclable or non-biodegradable package materials;
Take action to reduce the amount of (non-refillable) plastic bottles of drinking water for office use;
Separate all materials that can be recycled and organize the collection and proper disposal;
Implement waste-reducing methods when using ink and toner cartridges for printing and copying, whenever feasible;
Comply with national legislation of wastewater treatment, which should be reused or released safely;
Minimize and substitute the use of harmful substances and manage properly the storage, handling, and disposal of chemicals;
Implement practices to minimize pollution from its buildings (as far as being able to be controlled by the company);
Measure and reduce staff-related travel and use more sustainable modes of transport to reduce and compensate, through a reliable locally available program;
Financially encourage employees to use public transport or sustainable means of transport;
Reduce transport-related impacts by telework, tele/video meetings, work-at-home policies, or other means;
Maintain and properly check motorized company vehicles, to reduce emissions and energy use and make sure they comply with the legal emission standards,
Provide periodic guidance, training, and/or information to all staff members, about their roles and responsibilities concerning internal environmental practices;

4. Transport

We try to ensure that vehicles used on tours do not cause more than average pollution. We believe that transport is an important aspect of sustainable tourism, and we do our best to decrease the average pollution level.

We commit to this by;

Selecting the most sustainable options considering price and comfort when selecting transport options to the destination;
Including sustainable (public) transport to the point of departure for the international/long-distance journey;
Considering and giving preference to more sustainable alternatives when selecting transport options for transfers and excursions in the destination, taking into account price, comfort, and practical considerations;
Integrating and/or promoting one or more sustainable holiday products/packages based on a recognized methodology, including sustainable transport, sustainable accommodations, and sustainable activities.

5. Accommodations

We try to achieve a tourism supply chain that is fully sustainable. The partner accommodations play an important role in achieving this and are stimulated and motivated to adopt sustainable practices.

Our commitment to this is by;

Selecting accommodations that comply with sustainability and quality standards with a special focus on the following items;
- Do they have a signed sustainability contract?
- Do they have a water-saving program?
- Do they have an energy-saving program?
- Do they have a waste management program?
- Do they have an energy reduction system?
- Do they have a sustainable supply chain?
- Do they have a child protection policy?
- Do they conduct CSR activities?
- Do they train employees in Health & Safety?
Motivating and encouraging partner accommodations to become sustainably certified;
Preferring and selecting accommodations that are locally owned and managed;
Selecting accommodations that employ local communities;
Having accommodations provide evidence clarifying their sustainability goals and strategies;
Having accommodations sign a sustainability addendum;
Encouraging accommodations to follow best practices/training on responsible tourism;
Encouraging accommodations to fill in the sustainability questionnaire to gain insight into their practices;
Clearly and actively communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements regarding accommodations to contracted and other relevant accommodations;
Giving clear preference to accommodations that work with internationally acknowledged (e.g. GSTC recognized) and/or Travelife certification;
Including standard sustainability clauses in all contracts with accommodation providers that focus on child labour, anti-corruption, and bribery, waste management, and protection of biodiversity;
Offering incentives to accommodations that are actively engaging in sustainability;
Ensuring that through our accommodation supply chain, the rights of children are respected and safeguarded by;
- Having a clause in contracts throughout the value chain stating a common repudiation and zero tolerance policy of sexual exploitation of children;
- Having a clause dedicated to this aspect in their contract that enables the travel company to end the contractual agreement prematurely if the accommodation supplier does not take adequate measures to prevent sexual exploitation of children;
- Training employees in children’s rights, the prevention of sexual exploitation, and how to report suspected cases;
- Supporting, collaborating with, and engaging stakeholders in the prevention of sexual exploitation of children;
Working with accommodations and restaurants that incorporate elements of local art, architecture, or cultural heritage; while respecting the intellectual property rights of local communities;
Terminating cooperation with accommodation in case of clear evidence that contracted accommodations jeopardize the provision of the integrity of basic services such as food, water, energy, healthcare, or soil to the neighboring companies.;

6. Excursions and activities

We value animal and community welfare extremely highly and aim at tours that only leave a minor footprint. We are safeguarding the authenticity of the communities and the natural environment, and are strongly against harming wildlife and polluting the environment.

Our commitment to this is by;

Having an inventory of environmentally or culturally sensitive excursions that are offered in each destination;
Advising guests on behavior standards during excursions and activities with a focus on respecting the local culture, nature, and environment;
Communicating our sustainability objectives and requirements to contracted and other relevant excursion providers by distributing this information via code of conduct, representative agents, social media, email, discussions, and/or meetings, to minimize negative visitor impact and maximize enjoyment;
Not offering any excursions that harm humans, animals, plants, natural resources such as water and energy, or which are socially and culturally unacceptable;
Not offering any excursions in which wildlife is held captive, except for properly regulated activities in compliance with local, national, and international law;
Not being involved with companies that harvest, consume, display, sell, or trade wildlife species unless it is part of a regulated activity that ensures that their utilization is sustainable and in compliance with local, national, and international law;
Having skilled and/or certified guides to guide our guests in sensitive cultural sites, heritage sites, or ecologically sensitive destinations;
Promoting and advising our guests on excursions and activities that directly involve and support local communities by purchasing services or goods, traditional crafts, and local (food) production methods, or visiting social projects;
Promoting and advising our guests on excursions and activities which support the local environment and biodiversity such as visiting protected areas or environmental protection projects;

7. Tour leaders, local representatives and guides

We aim to involve as many locals as possible by employing them in the tourism business. We stand for a fair and safe working environment that supports and respects local communities.

Our commitment to this is by;

Ensuring that all employees have a written employment contract, including labour conditions and a job description, and fully understand the terms and conditions;
Preferring to work with local tour leaders, local representatives, local tour guides, porters, drivers, cooks, and other local staff in case of equal ability, and provide training as required;
Ensuring that our local partners comply with all applicable international, national, and local laws and regulations, industry minimum standards, and any other relevant statutory requirements whichever requirements are more stringent;
Ensuring that our tour guides, hosts, and other employees under contract are qualified and trained regularly;
Ensuring that our local employees are informed on relevant aspects of our sustainability policy and comply with it, through newsletters, references or supplements to contracts, emails, or training and information sessions;
Having our tour leaders, local representatives, and guides inform clients on relevant sustainability matters in the destination (e.g. protection of flora, fauna, and cultural heritage, resource use), social norms and values (e.g. tips, dressing code, and photography) and human rights (e.g. sexual exploitation);
Training our employed tour leaders and local representatives on the avoidance of sexual exploitation of children. This will include training on how to check the requirements concerning the exclusion of child abuse;

8. Destination

We aim to maximize positive impacts and minimize negative impacts at a destination to ensure the sustainable development of the places that we operate in.

We commit to this by:

Consider sustainability aspects in the selection process of new destinations and possibly offer alternative, non-mainstream destinations;
Not selecting destinations in which tourism leads to structural negative local effects, (unless the company’s involvement results in clear counterbalancing effects);
Consider the selection of new destinations, that are reachable through more sustainable means of transport;
Comply with legally based spatial planning, protected areas, and heritage regulations. Also with destination management strategies of local, regional, and national authorities;
Support initiatives that improve the relationships between accommodations and local producers;
Influence and support the local government (when possible, together with other travel companies and stakeholders) concerning sustainability, destination planning and management, use of natural resources, and socio-cultural issues;
Support biodiversity conservation, including protected areas and areas of high biodiversity, through financial contribution, political support, and integration in product offers;
Not promote souvenirs that contain threatened flora and fauna species as indicated in the CITES treaty and the IUCN ‘Red List’; or historic and archaeological artefacts (except as permitted by law);

9. Customer communication and protection

Customers’ welfare and information are very important to us. At Native Africa Tours, we ensure clear and constant communication and high protection to our clients.

Before booking, we commit to this by:

Make available a company guideline for client consultation, which is followed by client advisors;
Ensure that customer privacy is not compromised;
Comply with relevant standards and voluntary codes of conduct in marketing and advertising messages, and do not promise more than is delivered;
Make product and price information clear, complete, and accurate, about the company and its products and services, including sustainability claims;
Provide destination information, including sustainability aspects, which is factually correct, balanced and complete;
Inform clients about the environmental impact of different transport options to reach the destination (in case these are not included in the package), and to offer sustainable alternatives, where available;
Promote (Certified) sustainable accommodations, excursions, packages and/or transport options, with logos or other messages; ensuring they are recognizable to consumers and presented as the “better” option;
Inform the customer about sustainable alternatives concerning accommodations, excursions, package holidays, and transport options, if available;
Inform (potential) direct customers, about sustainability commitments and actions;

After booking and during holidays, we commit to this by:

Provide Information to consumers about the natural surroundings, local culture, and cultural heritage in the holiday destination;
Inform consumers about key sustainability aspects and issues in the destination and receive recommendations on how to make a positive contribution;
Inform customers about risks and precautions related to health and safety matters at a destination;
Keep a contact person and a telephone number permanently available for emergencies;
Train personnel and keep guidelines available, on how to deal with emergencies;
Provide clients with documented guidelines and/or codes of conduct for sensitive excursions and activities, to minimize negative visitor impact and maximize enjoyment.
Provide customers with information about commercial, sexual, or any other form of exploitation and harassment, particularly of children and adolescents;
Inform clients about applicable legislation concerning the purchasing, sales, import, and export of historic or religious artifacts and articles containing materials of threatened flora and/or fauna in the destination;
Motivate clients to use local restaurants and shops (where appropriate);
Inform clients on sustainable transport options in destinations, when feasible;
Encourage clients to donate to local charities and sustainable initiatives;

After the holidays, we commit to this by:

Measure systematically client satisfaction and take into account the results, for service and product improvements;
Include sustainability as an integral part of the research into client satisfaction;
Have clear procedures in case of complaints from clients;

Review and Update

This policy will be reviewed periodically to evaluate its effectiveness, incorporate best practices, and align with evolving sustainability standards and industry trends.

Communication

This policy will be communicated to all accommodations partners and stakeholders through official channels, training programs, and collaboration initiatives to promote sustainable practices in the tourism sector.