Advancing responsible travel in Armenia through experiences
The global tourism industry focuses too much on travelers, and not enough on destinations and local people. Responsible travel, that is, travel that gives travelers unforgettable experiences and meaningful benefits to local people, is the guiding principle for all the projects we take on, so that we can protect and promote Armenia as an attractive destination for years to come.
What does responsible travel mean in practice? It’s all in the 3 P’s:
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Local people are always involved in decisions that affect their lives
Women are supported to become product managers and owners
Travel experiences must be educational for travelers
Experiences must facilitate meaningful interactions between travelers and hosts
Accessibility and inclusiveness are always considered
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Negative environmental impacts are mitigated to the greatest possible extent
Experiences are carbon neutral thanks to carbon offsetting practices
Minimizing single-use plastic and recycling as much as possible
Food and water waste is managed responsibly
Environments are always left in the same condition as they were before experiences took place
Cooperation with local conservation organizations
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Local employees are paid fair salaries equal to or higher than the minimum wage
Increased employment opportunities are created for local people
Goods are sourced from local supply chains as much as possible
Alternative experiences are considered and created for the winter off season
How do we measure the impact of travel experiences? Using our Sustainability Scorecards.
All the travel experiences we work on are incubated or accelerated with the three P’s in mind. But affecting real, positive change that lasts in Armenia means continually measuring the impact experiences are having on the ground. To do this, we developed a Sustainability Scorecard based on international sustainability standards to better understand where our experiences stand and where they can be improved.
Using a simple 0-5 scoring system, 0 being very unsustainable and 5 being very sustainable, we measure the average scores of each experience in the areas of people, planet, and profit, and then calculate their total average scores. If an experience scores low in one or more areas, we work with our local partners to increase their score and maximize their positive impact. See the areas we measure in detail below!
Sustainability Scorecard Criteria
Our Partners
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EU4Business
With funding support from the EU4Business “Innovative Tourism and Technology Development for Armenia” project, we’re currently implementing the “Inside Armenia: Enhancing Tourism Experiences” project to create or enhance 10 travel experiences in the Tavush, Lori, and Shirak provinces. “Innovative Tourism and Technology Development for Armenia’’ is co-funded by the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by German Development Cooperation (GIZ) through the Private Sector Development and TVET South Caucasus Programme. The project is a part of the EU4Business initiative of the European Union.
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German Development Cooperation
German Development Cooperation (GIZ) is a German federal enterprise that provides services in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education, working in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
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Caucasus Nature Fund
2,000 AMD from every booking of 2492 Travel’s Wild Food Adventures are donated to the Caucasus Nature Fund, which doubles the amount and sends it to local conservation organizations.
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Arpa Protected Landscape
Wild Food Adventures in and around Areni benefit the Arpa Protected Landscape, Armenia’s first community-managed protected area that is managed by a foundation representing the villages of Khachik, Gnishik and Areni in Vayots Dzor.
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Khosrov State Forest Reserve
Wild Food Adventures in the Yeranos Mountains benefit the Khosrov State Forest Reserve, one of the oldest protected areas in the world, founded in the 4th century BCE by Armenian King Khosrov to improve the climatic conditions of the region and ensure the conservation and enrichment of flora and fauna species.
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Jermik Ankyun Foundation
1,000 AMD from every booking of 2492 Travel’s Yerevan Gastrotrip is donated to the Foundation, which provides forever-homes and individualized care to young adults with special needs who have outgrown orphanages.
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My Forest Armenia
To off-set the carbon emissions of 2492 Travel’s pre-made road trips and make them carbon neutral, 1 tree will be planted for every 360 kms driven by My Forest Armenia, a local organization sustainably increasing forest coverage and combating soil erosion and desertification in the country.
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Yeremyan Academy
To support their professional and personal goals, and ensure a high quality experience for travelers, all the culinary experience owners we work with undergo training at the Yeremyan Academy, Armenia’s top culinary and hospitality school, where they learned new skills in the culinary arts, as well as hygiene, first aid, and food waste management.
