Tour Operator Cracks Ahead with Carbon Footprint Alternatives

27 March 2008 - The Gambia Experience - Press Office

Staff at Serenity Holidays cracked down on their chocolate fix last weekend, as the tour operator replaced its annual Easter eggstravaganza with a more ethical alternative, donating 500 chicks to families in the Chettikulam region of Northern Sri Lanka.

The 100 strong workforce at Serenity’s Hampshire Headquarters supported the company’s suggestion to reduce Easter eggs and the enormous amount of packaging, choosing instead to donate the Easter chicks. Providing a new income source, the vaccinated chicks will produce eggs and meat for Sri Lankan families to eat and sell.

Serenity is no stranger to ethical ideas and has previously sought to reduce its ‘office carbon footprint’ through its change of water machines. Switching from bottled water to filtered tap water reduces the cost of manufacture of bottles and delivery and also contributes to the reduction in carbon cost by taking lorries off the road. By implementing this change, Serenity also contributed to the provision of a water well and pump in a developing country.

The company’s ethical ethos is also reflected through its commitment to responsible tourism initiatives. Its specialist holiday programmes The Gambia Experience and The Cape Verde Experience have led the way forward in the development of Responsible Tourism. With the coveted AITO 3* Responsible Tourism accreditation, and a ‘Highly Commended’ accolade in AITO's Responsible Tourism Awards (January 2008), The Gambia Experience has pioneered and participated in many RT initiatives.

These include its own School Development Fund and more recently, its Carbon Offset scheme which has resulted in the planting of over 10,000 trees in The Gambia to offset carbon emissions as well as help communities benefit in terms of food, fruit and medicine from the trees used.

For more information on responsible tourism projects in The Gambia visit The Gambia Experience website http://www.gambia.co.uk/docs/about_us/responsible_tourism.aspx

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The Gambia Experience is a trade name of Serenity Holidays, a fully bonded operator under ATOL 1866 and a member of ABTA, IATA and AITO.