World over, there has been great skepticism about environmental conservation as the impacts of climate change have reached unprecedented levels. The question of environmental degradation through dangerous practices such as pollution (contamination of the environment with dangerous and harmful elements such as chemicals) has over time welcomed many challenges as far as survival of the ecosystem is concerned. Because of this background, United Nations was prompted to craft Sustainable Development Goals, to which it recognized climate changes. Goal 13 of the SDG seeks to find combating mechanisms to this environmental threat through green acceptable practices.

This doesn’t spare tourism as a sector either. The tourism industry is enjoined to also engage in activities that seek not to harm, but to create a balance between tourism activities and environmental conservation. Cycle Tours Uganda, like many other global tourism actors, engages in tourism environmental practice of “Responsible Tourism.” The practice entails the responsible engagement in tourism activities by all actors; operators, suppliers, and clients.

Cycle Tours Uganda engages in standard responsible tourism practices. To begin with, the world is grappling with the solar heat problem that came as a consequence of destroying the Ozone layer by greenhouse gasses. These gasses are due to dangerous carbon emissions from fossil energy use. An example is the petroleum and diesel cars that emit large amounts of harmful carbon. At Cycle Tours Uganda, we are advocating for bicycles instead of cars. These don’t emit carbon as they don’t require burning fossil fuels as a means of propelling. Tourists are engaged in bicycle riding to and from tourist destinations, thus minimizing effects on the environment and climate altogether.

The company also encourages the use of reusable water bottles as opposed to the usual generic plastic bottles. Sports water bottles are a good example and guarantee the safety of the environment from pollution by plastics. Several companies produce proper sports water bottles that have a good water filtration system that guarantees clean water consumption by the cyclist preventing about 99.9% of dangerous chemicals and germs. This is another sustainable practice as far as responsible tourism is concerned. The company is resolved to a clean and healthy tour and travel environment.

Our responsible travel impacts also entail the practice of inclusivity. An example of this is ensuring gender equality in the employment scope of our company. We hire workers from local communities as part of ensuring inclusivity. These come in handy especially in locating the distant tourist destinations in remote areas and also help in translation between tourists and locals in the areas of cycling.

Especially, Cycle Tours Uganda recognizes the need to protect and conserve cultural heritages in the specific areas in which the company conducts its cycling safaris. It would be a dangerous thing to do in destroying such heritage and goes against all professional standards and ethics of the company.

We also ensure that the cycling material or apparatus is in perfect functionality to avoid oil spills that are dangerous to the environment. The company also maintains sensitivity when relating with different cultures and people they meet along cycling trails.

As responsible travel practice, Cycle Tours Uganda doesn’t exploit children. The company has a strict policy in ensuring that children in local communities in which it operates are not negatively impacted by its activities, either directly or indirectly.