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Responsible Tourism |
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At Egypt Highlights, we take
our global responsibilities
seriously. After all, we are
passionate about the places
we visit and want to help
preserve them. We need your
help to do this - by
traveling responsibly you
will contribute towards the
communities and environments
that you visit, as well as
having a great holiday. Read
on to find out more about
traveling responsibly. |
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What Is Responsible Tourism? |
Responsible Tourism is about
providing and having a more
rewarding and fulfilling
holiday. It's about being
culturally sensitive and
minimizing negative impacts
on the environment. It's
about getting involved with
the local people - ensuring
that your tourist dollar
benefits the community and
that the local people are
involved in decisions that
affect their lives. It's
about helping to conserve
the world's wild places.
It's about sustainability
and 'giving something back'.
Egypt Highlights is a tour
operator, which has been
operating environmentally
and culturally sensitive
holidays around the Middle
East. We'll help you to 'get
beneath the skin' of the
countries you visit - to
meet the local people on
their terms, to learn about
the history and culture, and
to enjoy wilderness
experiences that don't
damage the environment. By
traveling 'responsibly',
you'll be making a positive
contribution to the host
communities and environments
you visit, and ensuring that
future travelers will enjoy
the same privilege.
Responsible Tourism is a key
plank of our corporate
philosophy. You can read our
Responsible Tourism Policy
on our website. We do our
best to adhere to this
policy (and we welcome any
feedback on our operations),
but we need your help.
Following are some
suggestions on how to
minimize your impact and to
facilitate interaction and
understanding. By following
them, we believe you'll have
a far richer and more
rewarding holiday
experience.
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| Before
you leave home |
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The more you know about your
holiday destination before
you leave, the more you will
be able to appreciate and
understand it once you're
there. |
Enjoy Camping |
- Try to read up on
the history, wildlife
and culture. Using the
internet, music, films
and TV documentaries.
- Learn some of the
local language - even if
it's just "hello",
"good-bye" and "thank
you".
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"Can I take your photo?"
will get you a long way with
reluctant models.
Most developing countries
don't have waste collection
services, so try to leave as
much excess packaging (eg
film boxes, plastic bags
etc) at home and when you're
buying toiletries and other
stocks, stick to
biodegradable products.
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Consider the clothes you're
packing. Many developing
countries - particularly in
the Middle East - have very
modest dress codes. High cut
shorts, sleeveless tops and
revealing bathers, for women
OR men, can be offensive. By
dressing inappropriately,
you may be putting up a
barrier between yourself and
the people you want to
interact with. Loose
clothing that covers limbs
not only protects you from
the sun and insects, but
also will ensure you're more
readily accepted by the
local people.
Likewise, leave expensive
jewellery at home - not only
can it attract thieves; it's
a tactless reminder of the
differing standards of
wealth between the west and
the third world.
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People, Customs and
Etiquette |
Meeting and interacting
meaningfully with the local
people and experiencing
foreign cultures are often
the most memorable
highlights of a holiday.
Your Egypt Highlight’s
holiday will provide many
opportunities for both,
however just as at home;
respect, consideration and
an open mind are needed for
these interactions to be
mutually enjoyable. Don't be
surprised if the local
people - especially in
remote areas - treat you
with an equal measure of
curiosity, and even
suspicion!
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Put yourself in their shoes.
It's easy to judge another
culture by our own standards
and assumptions, but it's
worth keeping in mind: |
- You are a guest in
the community - please
respect your hosts and
behave as you'd expect a
guest to behave in your
home.
- Other cultures have
different concepts of
'time', among other
things - you'll find it
a lot less stressful if
you go with the flow and
you may even re-assess
your own ideas!
- Keep an open mind
and don't be too quick
to judge: we do things
differently back home -
not better, just
differently.
- Don't be too quick
to generalize. For
example, one bad
experience with a taxi
driver doesn't mean all
cabbies are thieves.
- Please be respectful
of local customs. Read
up before you go and ask
your tour leader, or a
local, if you're unsure.
Observe, listen and take
your cue from the local
people.
- Nudity, scanty or
inappropriate dress
often causes offence,
particularly in Moslem
countries. Modest dress
will help minimize the
risk of sexual
harassment (locals won't
readily assume you're
'available') and you'll
be treated with a lot
more respect.
- Formalities such as
greetings can be quite
different to what you're
used to. It's often best
to wait for the local
person to make the first
move - be it a handshake
or a nose rub! Public
displays of affection
are taboo in many
communities.
- Please respect
private property and
sites where access may
be limited, by asking
permission. Please also
abide by the laws of the
country and community
you're visiting.
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It's often painfully hard to
resist the pleadings of
beggars, be they children
calling for 'bonbons' or
adults with terrible
disabilities. In most cases,
we strongly recommend you do
not give money or other
'gifts' (such as pens or
lollies) to beggars. In many
countries, such actions have
actually helped create a
begging fraternity that
undermines traditional
culture and social
structures, and almost
inevitably eliminates any
chance for equitable
interaction between locals
and foreigners. In some
cases children skip school
or are forced out by their
parents, and are even
deliberately maimed or
drugged to increase their
earning capacity as beggars.
An alternative is to give of
your 'self', rather than
your 'wealth' - share a joke
or a meal, start a
conversation, take a photo
or play a game.
If you would like to make a
contribution, ask your
leader about local community
projects where your money
will be used to the best
advantage or where you can
perhaps physically involved
Egypt Highlight’s supports
and has initiated such
schemes in some of the areas
in which it operates (refer
to the end of this booklet).
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Sex Tourism |
Prostitution is illegal in
most of the countries in
which we operate, including
Thailand and many parts of
South East Asia. It goes
without saying that we
vehemently discourage your
participation in this
industry, and if you are
found to be breaking the law
you may be asked to leave
your tour.
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Photography |
Please always ask before
taking someone's photo, and
respect his or her wishes.
Usually just lifting your
camera with a questioning
look will suffice as a
request, although asking in
the person's own language is
even better. A smile goes a
long way!
We suggest that you don't
pay for taking photos of
people - it becomes another
form of begging, with
similar consequences.
Usually, if you take a
little time to talk to your
subject, they will agree to
be photographed - you end up
with a far more relaxed
subject, and you each have a
more enjoyable and memorable
experience.
If you promise to send
someone a photo, please try
to follow through. Our
leaders can sometimes help
out, delivering the prints
the next time they're
passing through. A small
Polaroid camera that can
produce 'instant' prints is
always a huge hit! These
days, a digital camera can
also be a great asset,
enabling you to immediately
show your subjects their
photos.
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Respect the Islamic sites |
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Bargaining |
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Bargaining is a fundamental
part of the shopping
experience in many
countries, but what many
westerners don't realize is
that it's not about securing
the lowest possible price.
It's about fair trade and
reaching a tactical
agreement that suits both
parties. The social
interaction is as much a
part of the process as the
financial outcome. Keep this
in mind, and perhaps
consider that low prices
often mean low wages. Have
fun with it and keep things
in perspective, but don't be
mean-spirited. Does haggling
over that last dollar really
make a difference to you,
compared to the vendor?
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Religious and Historic
Sites |
- Please respect the
physical and cultural
integrity of religious
and historic sites.
- Ensure you are
appropriately dressed
and aware of particular
actions that may cause
offence. For example, in
many countries, it is
considered disrespectful
to point the soles of
your feet at a religious
shrine; others have
rituals of ablution, or
clothing regulations,
that must be observed
before entering.
- If you're exploring
archaeological ruins, be
mindful of where you're
putting your feet -
those 1000-year-old
stones may be under
threat from being
explored to death!
- Don't succumb to the
temptation to souvenir a
piece of stone or
pottery or other
artifact.
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Food |
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Many of the countries we
visit have a distinctive and
exciting cuisine - sampled
local delicacies and shared
meals with the local people
are invariably the stuff of
rich memories. We encourage
you to support local
restaurants, often
family-run, by trying out
their food. If you're eating
on the street or in markets,
stick to hot food cooked in
front of you, and eat from
establishments where there
is a high turnover, where
freshness is more likely to
be assured. Avoid raw foods
or any that may have been
washed in un-purified water
or drinks containing
un-purified ice. If in
doubt, ask your leader - he
or she can also provide
restaurant recommendations |
Share them a meal- Enjoy
Local food |
Try to choose locally
produced goods, rather than
imports - this helps to
ensure your money goes to
the locals rather than the
multinationals.
On safaris, many of your
meals will be prepared by
Egypt Highlight's cooks. You
can be assured of the
freshness of the
ingredients, the purity of
the water and hygienic
preparation.
A fundamental principle of
our approach to Responsible
Tourism is our commitment to
employ local people as
leaders and staff wherever
possible, at all levels of
the organization. We operate
comprehensive training
courses for all our local
leaders and each year we try
to help them improve their
skills. Not only does this
policy mean the best
possible holiday experience
for our clients, it provides
a career path for our
leaders and staff and
ensures the benefits remain
in the local community.
Our leaders are a great
source of information about
the country and its people
and can be invaluable in
helping you understand and
interact with them. They can
help you avoid cultural
blunders, and their
knowledge gives you a great
insight into all aspects of
the country, including local
customs and traditions. Not
only can they speak the
language, they're passionate
about their homeland. On
tour, they'll introduce you
to friends and family, and
help you to get to know the
local people on their own
terms.
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Camping |
We try to keep our impact on
a campsite to an absolute
minimum - leaving the site
in the same, or preferably
better, condition than we
found it.
We aim to locate tents at
least 30 meters away from
streams and lakes and, to
prevent erosion; we ask that
you do not dig drainage
ditches around your tent.
While that patch of lush
green grass looks like the
ideal spot to pitch your
tent, mountain meadows and
tundra contain important -
and very fragile - plants,
which can easily be damaged,
so we try to select a sandy
or hard surface for our
campsites (that's where roll
mats and thermarests come
in!).
When we break camp, please
help us by doing a quick
check of the site, removing
any scraps left by your
group, or by others.
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Toilet Hygiene |
- While on the Nile
please place all toilet
paper and sanitary items
in the bags provides and
we will dispose of them.
- Make sure you're at
least 100 meters away
from any watercourse
- If we are building a
group latrine, we find
an area with good ground
cover and try to remove
the top layer of soil
intact. When in camp,
always use the latrine
in the toilet tent if
one is provided - your
leader will explain the
details of 'latrine
etiquette' to you.
Before leaving, we fill
the hole, replace the
top layer of soil and
scatter soil or leaf
litter over the top.
- Don't forget to
thoroughly wash your
hands - for your own
health as well as that
of other group members
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Rubbish |
Disposing of rubbish
properly in the developing
world is a little more
complex than back home. Most
of the countries we visit
don't have 'organized' waste
disposal systems. In many
places, almost all the waste
generated was biodegradable
or recyclable until the very
recent introduction of
plastics and other
consumables. The local
infrastructure cannot cope
with the changed situation,
and often the local people
don't have a clear
understanding of the impact
of unfettered littering.
We encourage you to go the
extra step and remove any
rubbish left by others.
Carry a plastic bag for
collecting your rubbish
during the day. If you can
take your non-biodegradable
waste, such as batteries and
plastic film canisters, back
home with you, you'll be
making a positive impact on
an enormous problem.
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Let's fix the felucca
together |
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Washing and Water Pollution |
- Protecting water
resources is vital.
Where practical, we camp
well away from water
sources.
- We urge you to use
only biodegradable soaps
and shampoos that don't
contain phosphates, and
please don't use them
directly in fresh
waterways as even
biodegradable soaps can
be harmful.
- If bathing or
swimming, consider the
sensibilities of local
people - both regarding
what you wear and using
'their' water. Bathe
downstream from water
collection points or
villages and, if you're
using shampoos and
soaps, lather up and
rinse well away from the
water's edge - your
leader can give you a
basin.
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Egypt Highlights also has an
extensive 'Guidelines for
Responsible Tourism'
document. To download this
click here.
Please Note:
To open these documents you
must have Adobe Acrobat
Reader installed. If you
don't have it you can
download it for free.
Download Adobe Reader.
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