At Amazonas Explorer we recognise that tourism has the potential to create many problems. In the past years we believe we have always acted responsibly and for 2010, we have decided to put on paper our beliefs and set ourselves the following 20 targets:

1.      We will try to further reduce our impact on the environment and conserve energy when possible.

2.      We will endeavour to become a paperless company and prefer the use of e-mail and on-line banking where possible.

3.      We will use re-cycled paper where available in the office, for brochures and adventure-dossiers. We make full use of the recycling paper and plastic rubbish has finally come to Cusco.

4.      We are committed to running small groups tours, to exploring new routes away from the busiest areas and to operating these tours where possible in conjunction with local communities, maximising the benefit to local areas and minimising the impact on the environment.

5.      We will educate clients and locals on how to preserve the fragile environment and endangered species we encounter. This will include on-going guide and porter awareness programs and thorough pre-departure information and in-country briefings for clients.

6.      We will continue to carefully dispose of all our waste. All non-biological waste and as much non-biological waste as possible is carried out and disposed of correctly. On the Apurimac rafting all human excrement is also carried out. On other trips we carefully bury all biodegradable waste below the high-water mark, at the official deposits on the Inca Trail or as deep as possible elsewhere.

7.      We will employ as many locally trained guides as possible, using foreign guides only where their overseas expertise is essential.

8.      All food produce is purchased locally and we will try to minimise the amount of imported foreign goods on trips, using locally grown fresh produce where possible. We are developing new menus to minimise the use of canned and packaged products and encourage cooking with local Andean products. We are planning to start bulk purchasing of items to reduce excessive packaging and reduce the need for constant trips to shops.

9.      We are working to reduce the use of all plastic products (bags, bottles etc) to its absolute minimum and to recycle what little we do use.

10.  We are attempting to use as much locally made equipment as possible, designing and modifying equipment using local ideas and materials and only importing equipment otherwise unavailable or of not of sufficient quality when available locally.

11.  We will encourage the most efficient use of fossil fuels, using the most suitable and efficient transport options available, ie cooking with gas not kerosene or firewood.

12.  We have introduced recyclable glass bottles whenever possible on trips and not disposable plastic bottles whilst at the same time encouraging clients to do likewise. 

13.  We will continue to educate clients in local customs and languages where possible so as to promote local pride and not bring offence.

14.  We are committed to encouraging sustainable tourism projects in conjunction with local communities.

15.  We are committed to providing all staff a realistic wage and correct working conditions. This will include regular staff training in Responsible Tourism management, on-going assessments and quality control of Staff conditions, health insurance policies for porters, correct clothing and equipment to be made available.

16.  We encourage responsible tipping. Nothing for nothing – Locals are rewarded for helping set up camp and pose for photographs but not for doing nothing.

17.  We encourage the purchasing of local weavings directly from the local women we encounter en-route.

18.  We are actively looking at ways to reduce our carbon footprint and are looking at ways to minimize the use of excessive transport where possible without compromising our service.

19.  We have reduced our attendance at International travel shows and encourage ‘face to face’ meetings with our agents using Skype instead.

20.  In 2007 Amazonas Explorer joined www.onepercentfortheplanet.org and chose to support the local NGO Ecoan www.ecoanperu.org for its 1% donations.