Responsible Travel Policy

Our world is not the same. It's not the same as yesterday, and the future will definitely not be the same as today. Even more so, the COVID-19 pandemic has made us all humans stop in our tracks, observe, reflect, and appreciate what we have. It made us more aware of this little world of ours called Earth and how its beauty is dwindling every day under the weight of our actions. Therefore, this time is essential now more than ever to have dialogues on creating a better future for all of Earth and its inhabitants.

As a global tourism operator, Lovely Trails would like to inspire every one of our traveller(s) to adopt best practices when it comes to travelling. Because, travelling as we know it not only has an impact on our life but also on the environment, economic and socio-cultural aspects of your travel. That's why responsible travel is our vibe, and 'Leave no trace' is the mantra we swore by. And as your global partner for sustainable travel, Lovely Trails ensure we create meaningful benefits for all parties involved by making responsible travel choices every step of the way. Our responsible travel policy emphasizes these aspects and acts as our guideline to be a responsible traveller and a responsible business.

Zero Waste Travelling:

Waste management and plastic pollution is a massive problem that is looming over our future. A collective solution is needed to take corrective & preventive action to protect our fragile ecosystem. At Lovely trails, we do our part by

• Discouraging single-use plastics and opt for plastic-free alternatives wherever possible.
• Adopting reduce, reuse and recycle principles to limit wastage and improve waste management.
• Consciously including options that are eco friendly as part of the travel.
• Implementing practices to efficiently improve waste management.
• Encouraging traveller(s) to adopt eco-friendly practices in disposing of biodegradable & non-degradable waste.

Protecting the environment:

We travel respectfully and practice environmental empathy. We strive to protect our environment through enhanced awareness, and we achieve this by

• Engaging in sensitization programmes to create awareness among the traveller(s) about the local community and its environment.
• Help to prevent the natural ecosystem of the destination(not disturbing the local flora and fauna in any way) by sticking to the carefully curated itinerary.
• Opting for cleaner and energy-efficient transport options wherever possible, thus reducing our part in carbon emissions.
• Encouraging traveller(s) to rationally consume resources such as water, energy etc., to prevent environmental exploitation.
• Respectfully abide by the environmental regulations set up by the local community and also advising our traveller(s) to follow the same.

Wildlife conservation:

Human evolution has cost our Earth its valuable ecosystem. In an unfair playing field where humans have the upper hand, one by one, the plants & animals species are pushed to the verge of extinction every day. The call for wildlife conservation has never been more vital, and responsible wildlife tourism plays a significant part in the conservation efforts. Lovely Trails do our part by

• Encouraging traveller(s) to follow the Wildlife selfie code - only take photos at a safe distance from the animal, in their natural habitat where they can move freely.
• Discouraging traveller(s) from feeding, touching and altering the natural habitat of wildlife in any way.
• Offering a wholesome experience by not just seeing but learning about the local wildlife's ecosystem and its associated issues.
• Encouraging traveller(s) to avoid buying souvenirs made from wildlife such as ivory, corals, shells etc.,
• Sticking to itineraries and expert guides' advice on responsibly, morally and ethically enjoying the wildlife tour experience.

Economic Viability:

We strive to maximize the benefits of tourism to the local communities by consciously spending money on the local economy. We achieve this by

• Investing in the destination's long-term vitality by actively forging local partnerships and opting for local services wherever possible.
• Partnering with locals to curate viable, feasible itineraries and add authentic value to our traveller(s) experiences.
• Opting for a homestay or an eco stay wherever possible.
• Maximizing our collaboration with local businesses to prevent economic leakage.
• Encouraging our traveller(s) to buy local, eat local, stay local, thus giving back to the community responsibly.

Community, Culture & Traditions:

We constantly strive to understand the socio-cultural elements of the local communities to prevent unintended negative consequences of tourism by

• Educating traveller(s) about the effects of over-tourism of the destination.Contributing to the host communities' conserved effort to preserve and promote their local culture and traditions.
• Supporting measures that prevent local culture from being commodified for the sake of tourism.
• Encouraging the practice of respectful travel - being intuitive and understanding of local people and environment, and acting accordingly.
• Enhancing cross-cultural understanding among traveller(s) by offering chances to socialize with the local community.

Social Coexistence:

The symbiosis between humans and nature, between humans and other life forms, between fellow humans is ever more important now. It's time we humans learn how to best share space with other living and nonliving things that make our fragile planet. Lovely Trails do our part by

• Respecting the place and the people who live in the places we visit.
• Encouraging traveller(s) to engage in an amicable and dignified conversation with the local people and fellow traveller(s).
• Encouraging traveller(s) to put the wellness of the host community first because a happy host means happy travelling.
• Emphasizing the importance of our biodiversity and the need to celebrate our environment - both humans and nature alike.
• Understanding how humans are just part of a larger ecosystem and how our 'great pause' from time to time can have a positive impact on that ecosystem.

Sustainable practices:

In the wake of the global climate change crisis, communities worldwide are striving to develop and boost sustainable measures for a communal present and future. With this comes the need to reinforce the practice of sustainable tourism, and Lovely Trails implement this by

• Consistently making efforts to reduce overconsumption and opt for a minimalistic travel approach.
• Actively incorporating a nature-positive strategy in our tours.
• Actively contributing to improving the quality of the tourism ecosystem on which the travel experience depends.
• Ensuring to onboard stakeholders who employ sustainable practices and share a common vision of a greener planet.
• Incorporating practical strategies to ensure the continual development of sustainable tourism.

Ethical & Moral practices:

Implementing principles of ethical tourism is a good business practice. It ensures that as a business and as a traveller(s), we do not exploit and violate the moral code of conduct and abide by our ethical conscience. As a responsible business provider, we firmly stand by our ethical and moral practices, and we achieve this by

• Strictly discouraging any kind of unethical/illegal practices that might/will have a negative impact on the community or otherwise in any form.
• We respect human rights and actively discourage the exploitation of people (including children, women and marginalized groups) and their rights in any form.
• Engaging with stakeholders who employ care towards the people they employ and put them before profit.
• Ensuring to onboard stakeholders who are not part of unethical/illegal activities(including human trafficking, slavery, and others) and regularly conducting an audit to ensure their authenticity.
• We believe in transparency and accountability and thus refuse to collaborate with anyone/firm that might contradict our values.

Responsible tours not only benefit the natural environment but also have an impact on the social and economic sustainability of our world. That's why our responsible travel policy emphasizes being empathetic and kind for the sake of the environment and one another. After all, showing a little bit of empathy now can go a long way in making responsible travel a societal norm which in turn can benefit our future.

Thank you for your cooperation!






Copyright Waiver : Given the larger common good, we liberalize our copyright claim on this document to allow individuals, organizations and/or companies to adapt, copy, publish, circulate and/or implement this policy in its true spirit. Together we shall make travel safe, sustainable and enriching worldwide.