UW Alumni Tours

Mindful Travel: Sustainability and Impact

UW Alumni Tours is very much aware of the stress careless travel can impose on vulnerable communities and ecosystems. That’s why we partner with tour operators who share our values of connection and discovery through responsible travel. Read on to learn about how our partners deliver on their sustainability goals:

Working with local expert guides and partners to directly support the communities we visit.	Providing experiences with small travel groups to help limit our environmental impact.
Minimizing or eliminating the use of plastic and paper waste on tours.	Providing educational opportunities on cultural preservation and sustainable tourism.

• Orbridge Destination Specialists understand and appreciates the environmental impact a travel company (and its marketing efforts) have, and are committed to the global responsibility to help minimize their footprint. Learn more about Orbridge’s campaign to “Go Beyond Green” — including planting 100,000 trees, provide refillable water canteens, and partnering with operators that uphold sustainability principles, preservation efforts and social welfare support — on the Orbridge website.
• Odysseys Unlimited supports local communities through philanthropic gifts, by selecting partners and accommodations that power local economies, and by providing tips for travelers on sustainable travel. With small groups of no more than 24 guests, Odysseys Unlimited tries to limit environmental impacts and keep the focus on conservation, cultural heritage, and mindful travel.
• Oceania Cruises: From eliminating millions of single-use plastic bottles from onboard use to working to preserve endangered species and promoting biodiversity, Oceania Cruises is on a mission to continually improve their sustainability culture. Read more.
• AHI Travel: AHI’s Sustainability Promise outlines their commitment to making a positive, purposeful impact in the communities they visit. AHI Travel:
  • Prioritizes making thoughtful choices to minimize their environmental footprint, for example seeking out eco-friendly transportation, guided walks in lieu of bus tours and encouraging less plastic and paper waste.
  • Supports ongoing initiatives to encourage local businesses that employ and benefit people in community. AHI also curates meaningful experiences by staying in intimately sized locales instead of cities affected by overtourism.
  • Emphasizes community-based tourism, using expert local guides and lecturers and program scheduling during quieter, “shoulder seasons.”

When you book a tour with UW Alumni Tours, you can be confident that our tour partners are going above and beyond to make sure your visit is a positive one, both for you and the communities who are sharing their world with you.