InsideJapan RT Policy

Sustainability Through Experience

Responsible Travel is the buzz word in the travel industry at the present time. Concerns about global warming and the effects of carbon emissions on the environment are a part of our everyday lives and reducing carbon footprint is considered a vital part of tackling climate change. Where, you might ask, does taking a 6000 mile flight across continents fit into this debate and where does InsideJapan Tours stand on the issues of responsible tourism?

An AiTO 2 Star Responsible Tourism Company

There are other ways to travel to Japan; rail across Siberia, ferries from China. We do not expect our customers to choose one of these more time consuming methods of travel. If people are to continue to travel to Japan for tourism then long-haul flights are going to be how they arrive and depart. There are many carbon offset schemes available and for those of you who wish to contribute in some way many avenues exist for you to do so: click on Reduce My Footprint, a carbon-offset scheme recognised by our trade association, AiTO (The Association of Indepedent Tour Operators).

More than just carbon offset

Here at InsideJapan Tours we believe that the essence of responsible travel lies in your experience; how you interact with Japan and its people when you are there and how through shared experiences you can contribute to sustaining local communities, local culture and the local environment. These are the goals of our Responsible Travel policy.

Sustaining the Environment

Waste reduction is one of the key elements in reducing environmental impact not just when on holiday but during our day to day lives at home. On this page we suggest several ways you can make sure you keep waste levels to a minimum during your stay in Japan.

Society and Culture

Responsible Travel is all about cultural understanding and respect; engaging and interacting with the culture you are visiting. This is both fun and rewarding and as everybody knows, it is those chance meetings that can really make a holiday special. On this page we provide a few handy cultural tips to make sure you have the cultural knowledge to get along in Japan.

Your Economic Impact

Japan is one of the richest nations on earth if not the richest. Absolute poverty is almost non-existent and practically no Japanese want for the the basics of life. This helps make travelling in Japan a pleasure: The Japanese are genuinely pleased to welcome you to their country and the extended hand of hospitality is not motivated by the overriding need to secure the tourist dollar. However, there are pockets of economic hardship which in turn bring with them social fragmentation and the decline of local community life. Read on for some more information on how we are supporting local economies and the difference your holiday makes to the lives of real people.

Supporting Our Charities

Here at InsideJapan Tours we are delighted to be supporting two charities for 2008; one in our home town of Bristol, and one in Japan. They are the Tyler Foundation which is a Japanese charity raising funds for children with childhood cancer and their families and the 'Cots for Tots’ campaign for Bristol Children’s Hospital. You can read all about our support on our charities page and find out how you can contribute.

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