DMC Mekong Image Travel & Events Sustainability Policy

Table of Contents

Mission Statement

DMC Mekong Image Travel & Events is committed to promoting sustainability and this in all its aspects. Our main goal is to protect our destination, its environment, its culture, and its traditions. We are engaged in promoting good sustainability policy through our suppliers, the products we choose, and the measures taken at our offices. We want this policy to be acknowledged by our partners and reflected in the behavior of our customers.

Practical Steps

Environment:

All short and medium-range business trips are to be taken by public bus
Take part in business trips only when necessary
Using vehicles adapted to the group size for our tours for the least ecological impact
Using alternative transportation for our tours when available
Minimizing our use of paper at the office and encouraging re-use
Reduce the energy consumption at the office by managing the use of air conditioning and the lightning
Strict minimum use of water during our tours and in our office
Use of refillable water bottles at the office
Trashcans in our tour buses to avoid littering in the street/tourist sites
No unnecessary paper handouts given out to customers
Making sure the Five Animal Freedoms are respected among our suppliers
All purchasing has been carefully thought through to avoid any unnecessary waste
The sustainability of a product is taken into consideration while purchasing in all sectors
Take part regularly or support Clean-Up activities both in intern and with outside organizations
Implement a “recycling philosophy” at the office and during the tours, stay innovative and imaginative

Society:

Carefully selecting our suppliers to be environmentally and local community friendly
Clear written contracts with all local services such as homestays
Give clear information to our customers to make sure that they behave in accordance with the local customs and in respect of the environment
Make healthcare available for all our staff
Make sure that our sustainability policy is clear for each member of our staff and make training available when necessary
Creating a good working environment for our staff through incentives and special celebrations
Prohibit the exploitation of workers and children in any way, including human trafficking and sex tourism
Key sustainability results have published on our website every two years
Keep our staff members involved and be open to their ideas regarding the sustainability of the company
Be involved in education, especially for tourism students, sharing our values with the upcoming tourism professionals
Welcome foreign interns to maximize cultural exchange with our staff members while giving the interns a fulfilled working experience in tourism

Economy:

Creation of homestays, developing a long-term source of income for locals
Using locally owned services for better development of our local economy
Paying fair wages for all services in accordance with the standard of living
Training of local guides to build their knowledge and give them more opportunities
Strong position against corruption, a plague in most of our countries
Community projects in schools and orphanages
Transparency policy with the repartition of benefits
We prefer local products over imported goods and promote them
Participate and endorse community projects within our destinations
Support our staff members, tour guides, or associates in their tourism-related projects with a great impact on local communities
Support the creation of new small services within our destinations

Make activities more sustainable

Here is a non-exhaustive list of simple actions that can be implemented to reduce carbon emissions during a tour.

Transportation:

Promote local transport because they are more authentic, they reduce carbon emissions, and the cost of travel, the money goes to the local population, it can also be considered as an attraction and an experience
Limit domestic flights and favor bus and night train journeys (example: Hanoi-Hué)
Use clear guidelines to choose the transportation within the destination
The mean of transport should be taken into consideration during the creation of the travel itinerary, not adjusted afterward

Accommodation:

Turn off lights, TV, and air conditioning … when there is no one in the room
Be aware use of the amount of water
Consider the hotel as your home and live the same way
Reuse your towel and bed sheets
Ask the hotel what it does for responsible tourism
Promote homestays
Use hotels that are more involved in responsible tourism
Give our customers clear guidelines on how to behave in accommodations to limit the environmental impact

Activities:

Avoid activities related to animals (ex: with elephants) or choose trusted providers that protect animals
Promote activities without impact on the environment: hiking, biking, kayaking …
Encourage exchanges between local populations and travelers during excursions
Seeking alternative locations where there are fewer crowds to minimize environmental impact
Choose suppliers and partners according to their involvement in a responsible approach

Tour guide:

When explaining, always highlight the history and culture of local people.
Do not promote the purchase of industrial souvenirs
Highlight local purchases, such as crafts, explaining that the money is going back to the population
Explain that buying “local” is for a more authentic travel experience, and it economically supports local communities
Regularly provide sustainability training to our tour-guides