Exeter tour operator leads the way in responsible tourism

Exeter based schools’ tour operator, STC Expeditions, has been awarded Travelife Certification – an internationally recognised scheme dedicated to driving sustainable practises in the tourism industry.

Hailed as the highest possible level of sustainability in travel, Travelife Certification is only awarded to companies which demonstrate a long-term commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. To receive certification, the company had to meet over 200 separate criteria, covering everything from carbon offsetting, over-tourism and support for in-country Leaders, to customer communication and sustainable purchasing.

Rachel McCaffery, Lead Auditor for Travelife said: “STC Expeditions is a business with sustainability at its core and as such, is acting as a much-needed disrupter… The staff team is small and is clearly made up of like-minded individuals who support the company’s ethical stance… Considerable care and attention to detail is paid to ensuring that, in particular, their operations overseas educate participants, benefit local communities and do not cause environmental damage… The fact that it is also seen as a key business driver means that the sustainability ethos should itself be sustainable long-term.”

Adrian Ferraro, Director, STC Expeditions says: “It’s fantastic to have our efforts recognised by Travelife and shows our commitment to educating the next generation on how to be responsible travellers. The award also galvanises us to continue having conversations with teachers and students, our peers in the travel community and our suppliers about how we can take further strides to ensure travel can be fun, safe, sustainable and fair for everyone involved.

“STC Expeditions became a Travelife Partner in September 2016 and since then we are delighted to have taken the extra leap to Certification. We are hoping that others in the travel industry will follow suit and recognise that responsible tourism and sustainability is the future of tourism as a whole.”