Draft:Gondwana Ecotours

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Gondwana Ecotours
Company typePrivately held
Industry
  • Ground transportation
  • Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure
Founded2013; 11 years ago (2013)
in Alaska
FounderJared Sternberg
Headquarters52165 Old E End Rd #1188
Homer, AK 99603,
Homer, Alaska
,
USA
Area served
Worldwide
OwnerJared Sternberg
Websitegondwanaecotours.com

Gondwana Ecotours is an American sustainable travel company specializing in small group and private escorted tours to different destinations worlwide. Founded by Jared Sternberg in 2013,[1] it is headquartered in Homer, Alaska and offers itineraries in five different countries across three continents.[2] Each tour focuses on highlighting the destination’s nature, wildlife, and culture.[3]

The name “Gondwana” refers to the ancient supercontinent that existed 500 million years ago. The company visions the “world as one” and its mission is to connect people across continents through travel. All itineraries focus on offering tours with soft ecological footprints, ensuring that guests have memorable experiences that are good for local environments and the planet.

History

Gondwana Ecotours was founded in 2013 by Jared Sternberg.[2] A Tulane University graduate of environmental and human rights law, Jared wanted to help Indigenous and underserved populations preserve their lands and natural resources.[2]

While volunteering in the Ecuadorean Amazon Rainforest with the Achuar Indigenous Nation, he decided to create Gondwana Ecotours to use ecotourism for economic and emotional support for Indigenous people.[2]

Gondwana Ecotours helps guests travel responsibly through local and carbon-neutral tours to support local environments, cultures, and communities by minimizing negative environmental impacts while maximizing tourists' positive experiences.[4]

Sustainability & Partnerships

Since 2016, the company has been certified by the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) through its Adventure Green Alaska (AGA) certification program.[5] This voluntary certification program for Alaska-based tourism businesses evaluates companies' operations to determine if they meet standards of economic, environmental, and social sustainability.[6] The company has also been certified by Green America, which has examined its social and environmental commitments and contributions.[7] Gondwana Ecotours is also a member of the International Ecotourism Society, the Green Business Network, and Responsible Travel.[5]

In 2021, Gondwana Ecotours partnered with Cooler, a social venture founded by Michel Gelobter, to neutralize carbon emissions and has become one of the few tour companies to be 100 percent carbon-neutral.[8] This partnership neutralizes the impact of their tours’ carbon footprint. Cooler calculates tour-by-tour carbon footprints and buys the equivalent amount of pollution permits from over a dozen states in the USA.[9] This makes available permits more scarce to industrial polluters and contributes to the rising price of permit costs, encouraging companies to find more environmentally conscious operation methods.[9]

This same year, Gondwana Ecotours became a member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association,[10] the largest global network of adventure travel leaders to share commitments to sustainable tourism.[11] The association connects to collaborate on visions for more sustainable business practices.[11]

In addition to carbon offsetting, the company prioritizes working with local communities for its sustainability efforts.[12] It implements scouting trips to their destinations in search of guides, hotels, and restaurants.[3] As a result of these trips, Gondwana Ecotours integrates locally-owned accommodations, restaurants, and activities into their itineraries to support local economies.[3] The company also hires local guides who care for their surrounding areas and are passionate about preserving the environment for their communities.[13]

Gondwana Ecotours also hosts small group sizes to mitigate impacts on destinations’ environments, providing reusable water bottles to all guests, and incorporating sustainable learning into relevant tour itineraries.[3]

Gondwana Ecotours also makes donations to local communities. Such partnerships include supporting Aspire Rwanda, a nonprofit offering vocational training and living spaces for single mothers and on-site schooling for their children.[2] It also donates to the Maasai Community Development Initiative, supporting the local Maasai tribe that guests can visit on its Tanzania: Great Migration Safari.[14] The company donates about 10 percent of its profits to the communities of its destinations.[15]

References

  1. ^ Elaine, Glusac (20 April 2016). "5 Hotels and 5 Tours for the Eco-Conscious Traveler". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 March 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e Diane, Daniel (15 December 2015). "To Protect the Land, Jared Sternberg Turned to Tourism". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Ballard, Julia (11 February 2016). "New Orleans Startup Offers Sustainable Ecotours Worldwide". Silicon Bayou News. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  4. ^ Olds, Laura (12 March 2023). "Responsible Tourism 101: Examples of How to Be a Responsible Tourist - A Piece of Travel". A Piece of Travel. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b AGA (13 July 2018). "Gondwana Ecotours". Adventure Green Alaska. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Adventure Green Alaska". Alaska Travel Industry Association. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  7. ^ Zienchuk, Judi (22 April 2014). "Top Ecotourism Experiences Around The Globe". Epicure & Culture. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  8. ^ "14 sustainable travel companies you can feel good about booking with". Time Out Worldwide. 21 March 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  9. ^ a b "About". Cooler. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  10. ^ "Active Tour Operators". membership.adventuretravel.biz. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  11. ^ a b "About The Adventure Travel Trade Association". about.adventuretravel.biz. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  12. ^ Hansen, Nicole (30 August 2023). "10 Eco-Friendly Tour Companies You Should Know About". TheTravel. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  13. ^ "13 Eco-Tourism Companies To Help You Book Your Next Sustainable Adventure". www.sustainablejungle.com. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  14. ^ Staff, DRIFT (27 January 2020). "Gondwana Ecotours Announces 10-Day Tanzania Great Migration Camping Safari". Drift Travel Magazine. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Tulane June 2017 by Tulane University - Issuu". issuu.com. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2024.

External links

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