BigCanvas believes passionately about our repsonsibilities, and trys to live this in everything we do.
"What is responsible Tourism? Discuss"
Responsible tourism is a phrase that is heard more and more in the world today. Quite rightly far more of us are thinking of the environmental impact we make whilst visiting abroad.
Possible impact on the culture, environment and economy of the local areas we visit tourism can be a real help to local communities providing income, positive cultural exchanges and financial incentives to protect the natural environment.
Giving back to the people of Nepal - giving something back to the host communities we visit minimal impact travel use locally owned and run accommodation ensure that our type and scale of operation is appropriate to local conditions zero litter - aim to minimise pollution, of all types. use local operators and guides whenever possible.
purchase our equipment and food from locally produced source whenever possible..
Not to impose our own values
ensure that local staff and operators receive a fair rate for their services.
Small groups have less impact on local communities and environments.
We encourage our own staff to take an active interest in responsible and sustainable tourism
• Protect the environment - its flora, fauna and landscapes
• Respect local cultures - traditions, religions and built heritage
• Benefit local communities - both economically and socially
• Conserve natural resources - from office to destination
• Minimise pollution - noise, waste and congestion
We can't change the world, but we can play our part in making a difference. Many of our Trekks take place in remote, rural areas where depopulation & drift to the urban areas has been a feature for many years. We help to bring employment and regeneration to these areas. The fact that almost without exception, the guesthouses, hotels, guides, & sherpas with which we work are local, & family-run businesses means that money we spend is retained locally.
We help to increase our customers understanding and respect of the region and people they are visiting by providing information on the regions culture, history, traditions and local cuisine.
The majority of our chosen hotels and guesthouses feature local produce in their menus, & we actively encourage them to consider the impact of their activities with respect to laundry, lighting, heating & waste disposal, may have on the environment.
In addition to "doing our part" to protect the regions we offer holidays to, BigCanvas donates a portion of our fees directly to the people of Nepal through locally operated charities & organisations, including the supply of clean water in remote areas, medical projects for children, & Sherpa's welfare.
Morally we cannot ask hoteliers & other local suppliers to act responsibly if we do not do so ourselves in all of our own activities, from our usage of recycled materials, minimising our use of materials being energy efficient, & sourcing from renewable resources.
Water :- whilst partaking in physical activities at altitude we obviously drink more, and convenience, along with a lack of trust in the tap water in many countries means we buy & consume bottled water. That's more plastic bottles being made, bought, used and inevitably dumped by tourists, day in and day out, in a country that does not have the waste infrastructure for such abuse, let alone an efficient recycling scheme.If we consider the potetial impact of a couple on a 14 day trekk, if each individual drinks 2 litres a day (government advised) then they will each use and discard 4 500ml plastic bottles each and every day.That means that they will use 112 bottles during a two-week trip. Part of the answer is to filter water, many modern portable filtration systems remove all known pathogens, bacteria & physical matter & can filter 2,000 litres.
Heating & cooking :- Another local issue is deforestation & the use of wood for heating & cooking. In all instances we encourage the use of kerosene to minimise our impact.
Some Ideas
- Buy locally made crafts and support local skills.
- Try the local food and specialities. eating locally produced goods you will help the local farmers & the local economy.
- Never buy products that exploit wildlife or aid the destruction of species or habitats.
- Consider what you really need to take with you. Disposal of rubbish in Nepal is often ill equipped to deal with the increased pressures that tourism brings, remove packaging & try to buy locally.
- Pick up your litter as you would at home.
- Try to use Environmentally friendly detergents and shampoos for washing.
Throughout Nepal fresh water is a precious commodity, so use a minimum for showering and washing. Use local toilet facilities where they exist, however unsavoury. If none are available, always bury your waste and ensure that it is at least 30m from a water source.
Always ask permission before taking pictures of people, special or holy places like shrines. try not to cause offence through your thoughtlessness.
Begging and gifts to children are always a difficult & emotive subject. It is usually better, to give to a local school, charity or local community organisation. This gives back to the local host community, without encouraging nuisance begging, distorting the local economy, & ruining childrens teeth, in the case of giving sweets to children, in a country where there is no dental service.
Nepal is a very poor country, and as such extravagant displays of wealth such as ostentatious jewellery and electrical equipment can be innappropriate, as well as a possible incitement to robbery.
The standard of living in Nepal is very different to our own, so what is a relatively small amount of money to you, will be a significant amount in Nepal.
The Nepalese are a proud & friendly people, its is after all the home of the Ghurkas. Be aware of the feelings of other people, and try to avoid giving offence. Just learning a few words of the local language and a little of their customs will make all the difference. Just be yourself, polite & friendly, and you will receive a very warm Nepalese welcome. Namaste!
We believe that by following these policies we can provide a more rewarding and interesting experience to you our clients.