Go Russia Green Statement and Responsible Tourism Policy

We believe that nowadays to be successful in the travel business it’s vital to raise awareness and contribute to improvements in the international tourist trade. Today the world is waking up to climate change and the importance of environmental issues.

Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries and has a direct impact on global climate change. Go Russia takes the following actions to reduce our negative impact on the environment and preserve the local traditions and the cultural heritage of the destinations we operate in.
 

• We use local suppliers, products and services that offer the most ethical options available. We prioritize small scale hotels where possible and those with a strong environmental policy. 
• We actively promote home stay accommodation, especially in more remote and rural areas, ensuring that the host family benefits from the direct income and that tourists experience the authentic Russia. 
• We always directly employ local people: as tour guides, drivers, instructors, interpreters and in all the other roles that assist on our tours. We prefer using local specialists who understand the environmental issues and ensure that sensitive areas are avoided. Contracting local guides also leads to a better understanding of local customs and traditions, and better relationships with local people. 
• We focus on individual travellers and smaller groups, firmly believing that this minimizes the potentially negative impact on fragile ecosystems and prevents catastrophic intrusion on local communities.
• We support local tourism initiatives such as small museums and folk groups, by ensuring they are listed in our programmes and providing them with an ongoing flow of tourism. This helps to preserve local traditions and culture. 
• We offer free lectures to make our customers aware of the highlights of the destinations where we operate, as well as local culture and traditions. This also helps our tourists avoid culture shock, and ensures that local people are treated fairly and with respect.
• We work in partnership with charitable institutions in the UK. 
• We monitor regularly to ensure that we are following this policy. 

As an operational business entity our steps to achieve responsible use of natural resources and reducing their consumption to levels reasonably needed:

• Reduce printing and postage and send all the documents to customers on-line. Promote online customer account area for trip documents, financials, and relevant trip information.
• Less paper usage: print on both sides and as little as possible.
• E-mail & telephone are our preferred methods of communication to reduce paper usage.
• Recycle as much as possible - computer equipment, print cartridges, paper.
• Turn off PC when leave the office, use shared computer infrastructure and servers where possible.
• No thick glossy travel brochures. Instead we are posting “Information Packs and Tour Dossiers” targeted to your interests or create online personalised brochures.
• Encourage staff to work from home, use public transport or cycle to work.

• Becoming a member of active green organisations and associations.
• Supporting and participating in cultural and educational projects on Russia.
• Raising ecological awareness in Russia. The forecast for the future in this vast country is not reassuring. Russian society still does not realize the scale and importance of environmental damage
• Designing new tours that support distant and less developed local communities and eco-friendly operators (such as in Yakutia and Chukotka).
• Supporting UK media and news agencies in their publications or researches on the demographic or environmental situation in Russia. We are working closely with several travel magazines in the UK and provide them with free assistance with travel to Russia, so that they can explore this beautiful country and present it to readers in the UK.
• Delivering presentations and talks on Russia and other destinations where we operate at various Travel Shows and Exhibitions (Destination Travel Show and Adventure Travel Show in London).