At Steppes Travel, we believe that travel, done sustainably and responsibly, can and does make the world a better place.
Travel is about communication – the breaking down of barriers. Whether changing our stereotypes and preconceptions or showing local peoples that the outside world is interested in them and their culture. Connection.
With every country visited, we learn something new. With every country visited, we meet different peoples. We become less ignorant. We become curious. We learn that underneath the cultural differences of dress, location, and religion, we want the same things: stability and education for our children, we care about the same things: friends and family, we laugh about the same things. We learn that we are not so different.
The positive impact of travel
Over the last thirty years, it has always been the mission of Steppes Travel to travel the world responsibly and sustainably. Our commitment to nurturing people, cultures, and places doesn’t rest. In fact, it follows us to every corner of the globe and back. The Steppes Fund for Change is a collection of initiatives to promote sustainable travel, and a call-to-arms to the industry to take action. When you, our clients, take the leap to discover the extraordinary, you can be sure that you are doing it in a way that puts the planet first and creates a positive impact.
The climate emergency
However, we are well aware that travel is currently carbon-intensive and that the Earth faces a climate emergency. We need to respond to the existing climate emergency. We believe that it is all of our responsibility, whether as corporates or individuals, to tackle the climate emergency, and we want to be part of the solution.
Tourism Declares
We are a signatory of Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, a collective of travel businesses and organisations declaring a climate emergency. As Tourism Declares outlines, “We believe we have a responsibility, to tell the truth, act now and work together to help turn it around.”
Our Climate Emergency Declaration:
- We publicly accept the current IPCC advice that we need to cut global carbon emissions to 55% below 2017 levels by 2030 to keep the planet within 1.5 degrees of warming
- We are continuing to develop our Trees & Science programme into a Climate Change Action Plan with a science-based target to halve our carbon footprint per client by 2025
- We commit to publicly communicating both our plan and our progress
- We will refine our product offering to reduce our carbon footprint and to ensure the sustainability credentials of the properties we work with
- We will work with our suppliers and partners, to encourage them to make their own declaration, and with the Tourism Declares community to share best practice and solutions with the wider travel industry.
- We will work together to reduce the carbon impact of our own office, both in and getting to/from the office
- We recognise the need for system change across the industry and will join others in calling for urgent regulatory action to accelerate the transition towards zero-carbon air travel
Our approach to positive impact travel
For those of you looking to find out more about our approach and plans to further support this cause, do take the time to read through our Tourism Declares Plan, which is a carefully considered and meaningful framework for achieving our goals.
