Responsible Tourism Policy
Introduction
At Peacock & Banyan, we believe travel should be a positive force for the people, places and wildlife that make India so extraordinary.
We aim to create journeys that bring genuine benefits to local communities, respect culture and heritage, protect the natural environment and give our travellers meaningful experiences of the places they visit.
Supporting local communities
Wherever possible, we choose locally owned accommodation, work with local guides and partners, and include experiences that support local businesses, craftspeople and communities.
We believe the people who live in a destination should benefit from tourism there, and we encourage our travellers to eat locally, shop locally and engage respectfully with the communities they visit.
Wildlife & nature
Wildlife experiences should never come at the expense of animal welfare.
We favour responsible wildlife viewing in natural environments and work with partners who respect wildlife, habitats and protected areas. We do not support activities involving inappropriate handling, performances or exploitation of wild animals.
We encourage travellers to observe wildlife quietly and responsibly, keep an appropriate distance and follow the guidance of experienced local guides.
Culture & heritage
India's cultural and religious traditions are an important part of every journey.
We encourage respectful encounters with local people and ask travellers to be mindful of local customs, dress and photography, particularly when visiting religious sites and communities.
We support experiences that help preserve and celebrate traditional skills, crafts and cultural heritage.
Reducing our environmental impact
We recognise that travel has an environmental impact and aim to reduce unnecessary impacts wherever reasonably possible.
We encourage slower journeys, rail travel and other lower-impact transport where these make practical sense within an itinerary. We favour thoughtfully designed routes rather than unnecessary travel between destinations and encourage travellers to reduce waste, avoid single-use plastics and use water and energy responsibly.
We also consider the environmental practices of the accommodation and partners we recommend.
Fair and responsible partnerships
We aim to build long-term relationships with trusted partners who share our approach to responsible tourism.
We expect the people involved in delivering our journeys to be treated fairly and with respect, and we do not knowingly support tourism activities that exploit people, animals or communities.
Honest and responsible travel
We provide clear and honest information about the journeys we arrange and aim to represent destinations respectfully and accurately.
Responsible tourism is an ongoing process rather than a fixed achievement. We will continue to learn from our travellers, partners and the communities in which we operate and review the choices we make as Peacock & Banyan grows.
Travelling responsibly
Our travellers have an important part to play too. We encourage everyone travelling with Peacock & Banyan to respect local cultures, support local businesses, minimise waste, use resources thoughtfully and follow responsible wildlife-viewing practices.
If you have any questions or suggestions about our approach to responsible tourism, please contact us at responsibletravel@peacockbanyan.com