Happy World Tourism Day! These 10 Tour Operators are Among the Best for Local, Immersive, and Responsible Travel

By Travelstride Team

September 23, 2020

Happy World Tourism Day! 

This year, the impact of tourism on local economies and communities, particularly in more rural and off-the-beaten path regions around the world has been more top of mind than usual in the travel industry. 

Family in rural village on dusty road

2020 has left many countries suffering in innumerable ways, including the lack of support that comes from tourism dollars throughout the year. Tourism helps keep local guides and establishments in business. With the devastating downturn in the tourism sector due to Covid-19, many tour companies and their local partners have had no choice but to temporarily or permanently cease operations. 

Of those still operating there is a cautious optimism as the tourism industry looks forward into 2021. We asked 10 top operators that exemplify this year's WTD theme how they see tourism shifting and what they’re doing to live up to tourism's key role in rural communities and economies.

Young woman on volunteer trip in small remote community

The World Tourism Day theme for 2020 is “Tourism & Rural Development”. 

“Celebrating the sector’s unique ability to drive economic development and provide opportunities outside of big cities, including in those communities that would otherwise be left behind. World Tourism Day 2020 also highlights the important role tourism plays in preserving and promoting culture and heritage all around the world.” - World Tourism Day official website

These operators have been selected because they talk the talk but more importantly, walk the walk: 

✔︎  Innovative and unique itineraries that dive into the local culture

✔︎  Corporate policies that take real action

✔︎  Strong connections with the people on the ground - guides and local businesses in small and rural communities. They make the trip authentic, putting a real face to the culture

✔︎  Deep appreciation for the earth itself, with responsible and sustainable travel practices in place.

1. Swallow Travel

Young monk in Cambodia
 

Relatively new company, Swallow Travel, also specializes in Indochina, designing trips to Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Their itineraries are designed to give travelers a lot of freedom to explore. Their trips are also designed with comfort in mind, so this is a great choice for a slow travel feel intertwined with local perspectives, and easy physical activities. 

What do you think is the most important thing tour operators should be focusing on in a post Covid world?

In a post covid environment people need to feel comfortable being able to travel again safely so the most important thing tour operators need to focus on is ensuring their clients have different options available to ease their mind that they will still be able to travel safely while still being able to have a good time and enjoy their travel experience. 

At Swallow Travel we allow our clients to change their travel date if they don’t feel comfortable traveling on their initial booking date and we will also help them find solutions or resolve any issues or concerns they may have in regards to being safe and staying safe during their trip with us. 

Local salesman at fish market in asia

Of your itineraries and experiences, which one do you believe best exemplifies this year's WTD theme?

From all the wonderful itineraries and experiences Swallow Travel offers, we believe that the 14 day Vietnam and Cambodia Holiday tour is the best tour that illustrates this years theme because not only do you get to experience the kindness and simplicity of the local people in Vietnam, you also get to see the beautiful sights around the country, learn about the culture and history also get to indulge in the beautiful food, and then you head over to Cambodia and see the amazing architecture and experience the different lifestyle of the local people and learn about their history and culture. 

How does your company work with local guides & businesses to help support rural communities?

At Swallow travel we believe in supporting local communities. All our tour guides are locals who know the area that the clients visit better than anyone. It allows them to earn an income while having the privilege to show visitors what makes their community special.

It also helps local businesses showcase their wonderful products to the tourist who are visiting their village and increases the awareness and respect for the people who live and work in these rural areas while still managing to raise their families and give them a greater value of life. 

2. Myths & Mountains

Traveler in Myanmar
 

For over 30 years Myths & Mountains has cultivated a name for themselves, crafting off the beaten path customizable itineraries specializing in Southeast Asia. Through their many years of experience, they’ve developed close relationships with people in each country.

3. Africa Endless Cruising

Dusk in Tanzania

Locally owned and operated, Africa Endless Cruising focuses on providing travelers with a unique look at Africa’s impressive wildlife, but also helping them gain an insight to African culture and customs.  

Of your itineraries and experiences, which one do you believe best exemplifies this year's WTD theme?

My favorite itinerary that best exemplifies the WTD 2020 theme is, 10 Days - Tanzania Classic Holiday – Safari & Beaches. It comprises all of African tourism activities taste - from cultural tours, community volunteering, mountaineering, wildlife safari, historical sites visit to beach holidays; as explained in the below overview.  

The tour plan will enable you to visit the very attractive tourism sites of Africa, of Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Crater, Kilimanjaro Mountain and Zanzibar Island Beach all together. Serengeti National Park is the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world; Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the only place in the earth where mankind and wild animals co-exist in harmony.  

Campers on Mount Kilimanjaro hike

Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and major climbing destination in the world, with summit of about 16,100 ft from its base and 19,341 ft above sea level. However, also known as the Spice Island, the beautiful island of Zanzibar of white-sand beaches with palms on Africa’s east coast is bursting with culture and history.

How does your company work with local guides & businesses to help support rural communities?

Africa Endless Cruising broad goal is, through tourism business, to improve the life of disadvantageous local indigenous communities where we work, involving them in wildlife conservation and friendly utilization of surrounded natural resources.

We believe that to achieve the planned goal to prevent wildlife and environment must also prevent the life of those resources’ dependent communities. It is logical that if you don’t involve and help the people who live with the wildlife don’t expect them to help to save its products.

Group of masai tribesmen in tanzania

The Company employs young local professionals as tour guides, camping cooks, safari drivers, and other various posts, with intention to train them to compete in the world labor market. Also we undertakes charitable activities by allocating part of our profit from tourism to support marginalized community groups projects, including poor women, orphans and vulnerable children, adolescent mothers, and much more.

4. G Adventures

Young local children
 

Global operator G Adventures may be an enormous company with itineraries all over the world, but what sets them apart is their continued commitment to responsible tourism.

Their Planterra foundation, established in 2003, helps ‘empower local people to develop their communities, conserve their cultures, and create humane and supportive systems for their endeavours’.

In addition G Adventures has many initiatives to support animal and child welfare, to ensure they respect the local cultures their itineraries highlight, and keep their trips as sustainable as possible through plastic free efforts. 

5. Pro Niti

Bright moon rising over Myanmar
 

Another highly specialized Southeast Asia operator, Pro Niti is definitely a great example of a company committed to sustainable and ethical travel. 

What do you think is the most important thing tour operators should be focusing on in a post Covid world?

The safety and health protection should be the priority for both guests and the host. The tour operator should try to catch up all news and regulation of the international and domestic authority and make sure our operation practices are compliant with those regulations.

Education is another factor to consider. Our staffs, locals people and guests should have the necessary knowledge of healthcare and protection. This is one of the critical factors to the operator of the trip successfully to make sure guests can enjoy the experiences, while localhost is safe and sound, too.

Local man with ox cart in burma

Of your itineraries and experiences, which one do you believe best exemplifies this year's WTD theme?

Exploring Chin state, visiting Loikaw and discovering Keng Tung would be great experiences because those destinations are themselves quite unique, staying away from the crowd and exploring indigenous people

Of course, the main destinations of Myanmar like Bagan, Mandalay, Lake Inle and new upcoming destinations like Hpa-an, Mawlamyine and Dawei also should be in the considered lists.

How does your company work with local guides & businesses to help support rural communities?

As a sustainability-conscious company, one of our priorities is creating economic values for the local hosts, while conserving their culture in every possible way. In our tour operation, we make sure we give job opportunities for the regions as much potential as we can.

Two fishermen in Asia
 

We hire a local guide, drivers and let our guests stay at the accommodations operated by the local owners. Even in touring around the sights, we use local transportation in every possible way. We also make sure our pay to the locals are fair and align with the industry standard. We also have the plan to donate and improve some living necessary in the region we are operating. For example, we built a toilet in the Panpet village, local last year. 

As a final thought, we should pay attention to our guest's, local hosts and our employee's safety and health. We should make sure our offers to our international guests should be something unique and "Safety-First-And-Enjoyable-Experience" tour. 

6. Real New Zealand Tours

Baby sheep on farm in New Zealand

Real New Zealand Tours has made it their mission to showcase New Zealand's unique beauty and cultural heritage to visitors in as sustainable a way as possible. They take seriously the effects tourism has - both positive and negative - and strive to keep New Zealand’s landscapes as pristine as possible, and take measures to highlight and respect the native Maori culture. 

What do you think is the most important thing tour operators should be focusing on in a post Covid world?

Post Covid, all tour operators should and need to appreciate immensely the fact they’re back in business! Perhaps offer one off deals to celebrate! ie: for us offer 1 week free rental car hire. More so than ever before - “go the extra mile” with all visitors

Even post Covid - at all times meeting clients expectations around health and safety - indications are another virus will appear at sometime in the future.

Traditional maori craft work

Of your itineraries and experiences, which one do you believe best exemplifies this year's WTD theme?

I believe our Natural New Zealand Explorer tour best exemplifies the ethos of W.T.C. 27 September and it’s importance around social, cultural, political and economic values. This tour focuses on our world-famous natural beautiful environment and our unique wildlife. 

We offer our clients the opportunity to participate in a Trees for Travellers campaign, where they donate towards a native tree to be planted on the Kaikoura Peninsula - thereby helping offset their carbon emissions (long haul flights) - and is the right thing to do, we believe.

Cyclist on empty road in New Zealand

How does your company work with local guides & businesses to help support rural communities?

Our tours include “Off the beaten track” - therefore we are supporting sometimes very remote rural communities, Milford Sound for example (middle of our mighty Southern Alps) - population 120! 

Our professional Kiwi guides love nothing better than being different to the norm, our guests stay in National parks, Tree Houses (Hapuku Lodge Kaikoura). I have personal friends who host our international visitors and proudly show off to them – real New Zealand. We are developing an exciting new Eco-Marine Wildlife Nature cruise trip departing from a rural village called Motunau, population 142.

7. Exodus Travels

Remote structure in Nepal

With their focus on outdoor adventure travel and remote destinations, Exodus makes certain that they adhere to sustainable practices as well as crafting itineraries that truly support local communities. 

In 2019, Exodus Travels launched a foundation to help support community projects in hard to reach areas of the world. 

What do you think is the most important thing tour operators should be focusing on in a post Covid world?

Taking action on climate change and protecting biodiversity – we’ve all experienced the impact of a global crisis and felt more deeply our gratitude for the natural environment around us, so organisations like Exodus Travels and our community emerge from COVID all the more committed to taking steps to protect our beautiful planet.

Supporting destination communities as they rebuild – we’ve been heartbroken to see the economic impact of the travel pause on so many of the communities we and our travelers know so well. Getting responsible tourism going again as soon as it is safe to do so, while seeing how our philanthropy can support them in the meantime are key priorities.

Solo musician in doorway in cuba

Of your itineraries and experiences, which one do you believe best exemplifies this year's WTD theme?

Peaks of Ladakh (TGV) and Ladakh: The Markha Valley (TGR) are two Exodus trips which enable travellers to not only experience beautiful Himalayan trekking trails that are off the beaten tracks, but also to visit small, remote Himalayan communities, who are benefitting from the tourist income these trips bring.

We’ve been able to further this benefit over the years through supporting various community inititiatves, such as setting up 3 eco-cafes, which provide employment for local women in these remote communities, while also providing a welcome pitstop for our trekkers! The UV water filters we’ve fitted in these cafes has also seen the reduction of plastic waste in the Markha Valley, enabling trekkers to refill their bottles.

How does your company work with local guides & businesses to help support rural communities?

Young sri lankan girl in traditional dress

Support of local employment and enterprise: Our various tours in and around the Prosecco Hills are great examples of tours developed in lesser known rural regions which have subsequently brought new income and rural development. Exodus Travels were the first operator to have week-long full tours in the region and we still use exclusively local leaders, services and partners to delivery these trips.

Off the beaten track travels: Walking Portugal’s Coast and Beaches (TSV) is an example of a tour away from the beaten track and encouraging travellers to visit a more remote corner of Portugal, the Alentejo region. The Rota Vicentina (the route we walk on the trip) is a project that started from a principle of sustainability before being developed / promoted worldwide.

Street in portugal

As mentioned in the website, If there is one factor that distinguishes Rota Vicentina from so many routes around the world, it is the fact that it is a private association based on a network of dozens – in fact two hundred! – local businesses. local businesses. These companies believe in the principles of sustainability that the project has maintained towards the region and its investment is divided between its own business and the joint work that Rota Vicentina represents.

Philanthropy through our local network: The Exodus Travels Foundation enables our local networks to access funding “to improve life in hard-to-reach places”. For example, The Inspiration Project has enabled many of our tour leaders to organise adventurous day trips for thousands of children from remote, rural communities across the globe.

8. Global Basecamps

Basecamp in Nepal at sunrise
 

Global Basecamps is a true champion of the rural and remote communities of the world. They focus on providing authentic experiences that have a positive impact on ‘the environment, culture and economy’ of each destination. 

What do you think is the most important thing tour operators should be focusing on in a post Covid world?

While there certainly are new travel trends that we're anticipating in the post Covid World, we think that now more than ever, travelers should be paying attention to where their traveler dollars are going towards

Not only did the pandemic interrupt travel and therefore force the unemployment of millions and closure of businesses but the lack of tourism dollars also means that many conservation and community development projects that are funded by tourism suffered as well

So it is our hope that other tour operators will spread awareness about what it means to be a responsible traveler and support like minded businesses.

Local coffee grower in south america

Of your itineraries and experiences, which one do you believe best exemplifies this year's WTD theme?

Our company has always been an advocate for sustainable and responsible tourism and we are proud to partner with a wonderful variety of local operators that fight tirelessly to embetter their communities and environment

While we have so many wonderful and unique offerings around the world, our Adventure In & Over Zimbabwe promises not only an incredible adventure but it will also show you firsthand what 'sustainable tourism' means and how you, as a traveler, can have a positive impact.

Two young local boys in Zimbabwe

How does your company work with local guides & businesses to help support rural communities?

By collaborating with like-minded, local tour operators, our travelers will not only benefit from the expertise of locals but this keeps tourism dollars within the local communities. We choose to work with local partners who are committed to empowering their local communities and protecting their land and wildlife. 

In addition to partnering with like-minded local companies we also try to incorporate interactive experiences for our travelers such as our Clean Water Project outside of Siem Reap in Cambodia which not only directly benefit the communities but also educate travelers about the challenges people face in developing countries.

9. Say Hueque

Couple on vacation in Patagonia
 

Argentina and Chile focused Say Hueque offers a wide range of experiences to give travelers a well rounded and local feel. Many of their itineraries dive into the outdoors such as hiking in Patagonia or swimming near Iguazu Falls.  

What do you think is the most important thing tour operators should be focusing on in a post Covid world?

Our commitment in regular times has always been to the safety of our environment, the communities we visit and to our travelers. And that has not changed.

As professional explorers, we are used to changing and adapting to the circumstances.

We’ve been working on a new Safety Protocol to be prepared for your next visit. Just to share a few items of this new protocol with you:

Before starting your tour experience,  the “good neighbors” talk

We want to make sure that you know the most important safety measures you will have to respect and follow once in Argentina. Your tour guide will explain the safety measures before, during and after the tour so you can evacuate all your doubts and avoid any inconvenience during your travel experience. For example, do not share your personal belongings, do not remove your face mask during the tour.

Solo traveler on private tour in Chile

Hand sanitizer in every vehicle

Every vehicle will be furnished with big hand sanitizers which will be administered by our guides to avoid crowds around the dispenser. Each time you hop-on and off the vehicle, our guides will sanitize your hands.

We’ll be all wearing face masks during the trip

During the tour experiences, tour guides, drivers and you, we’ll be all wearing face masks, and we’ll try to minimize personal contact, avoid shaking hands or sharing beverages (like the mate, our tea-type national drink). We’ll always bring a first-aid kit adapted to the kind of tour we’ll be enjoying.

In case of long excursions (more than 2 hours), we’ll bolster hygiene and sanitizing measures inside the vehicle (special sanitizing protocol for vehicles which includes frequent ventilation of spaces) and hand sanitizing.  

Group in Argentina on rafting trip

Documentation before and while traveling

We’ll send all the documentation you’ll need to access some of the attractions and places you’ll visit so you can send it back to us before your travel starts (let’s avoid unnecessary paperwork when you get here).  If necessary, the same procedure will be applied during your trip.

Of your itineraries and experiences, which one do you believe best exemplifies this year's WTD theme?

HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTH ARGENTINA – 15 Days

How does your company work with local guides & businesses to help support rural communities?

We have a strong commitment with the local communities and are dedicated to developing a sustainable operation. Our founder and director, Rafa Mayer, is in fact the Ambassador of Argentina for The Transformational Travel Council.

Traveling, if well managed, can always be a source of employment in rural communities, a catalyst for the creation of multicultural empathy, and a powerful tool to create conscious awareness about the fragility of the environment, and the necessity to preserve nature and local cultures.

Man on vacation in rural Argentina

We are a local company that works closely with our local providers and local guides. We select them very carefully to make sure we share the same values and nurture and develop a respectful relationship with them. They are not just our local providers and local guides. They are our friends and partners

We also collaborate with the following organizations: AMIGOS EN EL CAMINO, SUMANDO ENERGIAS and BOTELLA DE AMOR.

We have recently partnered with South Pole, one of the most reputable organizations on Climate Change actions and also with ATTA (Adventure Travel Trade Association) that unites some of the most recognized adventure travel companies of the world and became a Carbon Neutral Travel Company (the first tour operator in Argentina to Offset 100% of Carbon Emissions).

We are proud to work for a more sustainable, responsible and meaningful way of exploring the world!

10. Discover Corps

Young children playing in Thailand

Discover Corps is a leading operator for those looking to volunteer abroad. Many of their itineraries focus on wildlife rehabilitation and conservation projects, such as working with rescued elephants in Thailand or helping with endangered sea turtle hatchlings in Costa Rica.

They also provide in depth cultural trips where you can meet and spend time with locals - such as a cooking class with the Zapotec women of Oaxaca or a people-to-people tour in Cuba.

Of your itineraries and experiences, which one do you believe best exemplifies this year's WTD theme?

Oaxaca traditional weaving in Mexico

Our Vacation with Purpose in Mexico called, "Oaxaca: Women & Girls' Empowerment" educates travelers on how microloans can afford and empower women to start a business from the ground up in the rural communities of Oaxaca state. In turn, these businesses contribute to the local economy and celebrate the traditions of the Oaxacan and Zapotecan cultures through artisan workshops. 

Ancient practices from natural fabric dyeing and textile weaving to black clay pottery are shared with tourists and create a responsible financial cycle allowing the loans to be interest-free. As a B-Corporation, Discover Corps is motivated to find ways that tourism can continuously be used as a force for good while honoring the local heritage.


Find out more about these and other top tour operators »

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