
Sustainable Travel

Journey Latin America and sustainable travel.
Travel and tourism can both benefit and damage the environment, the economy, the social structure, culture and communities in any country. We know how mass tourism, unrestricted hotel building, poorly devised tours and environmentally destructive activities can bring money flooding in and governments have, in a spirit of short termism, been tempted to accept them. But experience teaches us that in the long term this sort of uncontrolled activity can be detrimental to the country's development.
Sustainable travel is an expression used to embody the travel trade’s principles of using tourism to benefit local communities, conserve natural resources, and bolster the survival of culture and heritage.
Providing authentic experiences, promoting responsible travel and developing worldwide relationships are all part of our vision for sustainable tourism. We at Journey Latin America love the continent that we send our travellers to and, since we were founded 40 years ago, we have always endeavoured to protect its incredible places and people.
And it doesn’t stop there: we understand the importance of eco-friendly practices in all parts of our business – whether it’s offsetting carbon emissions to minimise the impact of long-haul travel or simply recycling our waste paper, we strive to operate responsibly in everything we do.
Finally, we think it’s great to be recognised for hard work so when AITO – the first travel industry association to incorporate a commitment to sustainable travel and green tourism into its business charter – named us as one of the first operators to win the maximum Sustainable Travel award, we were naturally delighted.
We’ve nurtured strong relationships with our local suppliers who all share our vision and agree to:
- Uphold a commitment to local communities and their development through fair employment policies and responsible energy use.
- Ensure that benefits from tourism filter down to local communities.
- Inform us of any services which can be recognised for outstanding commitment to sustainability in order to help us spread the word.

LATA Foundation
We support the LATA Foundation, a UK-based charity with projects throughout Latin America.
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Pintando Project
In 2019, we're contributing to the Pintando Project on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala.
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Water to Go
We've partnered up with Water To Go UK to reduce waste by offering clients a 15% discount on filtered water bottles.
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How you can travel more responsibly
We share how you can help the local community and tourism industry.
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Travel Wallets
We are delighted to launch our Ecuadorian travel wallets, handwoven by local artisans near the Cotopaxi volcano.
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Onçafari Jaguar Project
The Onçafari Jaguar Project's aim is to promote conservation through tourism and generate benefits for the Pantanal.
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Galapagos Conservation Trust
The UK's only registered charity focussing exclusively on the conservation and sustainability of the Galapagos Archipelago.
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Past Charity Work
Over the years we've enjoyed supporting a number of small charities and have been able to make a real difference, thanks to your help.
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Stay Sustainably
We have put together a list of the most sustainable or eco-conscious hotels that we sell so you can make an informed decision.
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Animal Welfare
Our Animal Welfare Policy ensures that our activities do not have a detrimental effect on wild, captive or working animals.
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Glasgow Declaration
Journey Latin America is proud to be a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism.
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Human Rights
We seek to be a responsible business with a positive social and environmental impact at home and in Latin America.
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Your edit for Latin American inspiration
Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
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