Code of Conduct

Our Commitment to Responsible Travel

What is 'Responsible Travel'?

Tikalanka Tours (UK) Limited actively encourages responsible and sustainable travel to Sri Lanka and Maldives. By working closely with our associate company in Sri Lanka, Tikalanka Tours (Pvt) Limited, and other partner organisations, we are endeavouring to promote cultural exchange, social awareness, self-employment and self-development. We have established our own Code of Conduct for operational purposes, which will be used as a Responsible Travel Policy document and will enable us to monitor our progress in developing responsible and sustainable tourism in Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Tikalanka actively encourages responsible and sustainable travel by only employing Sri Lankan guides, promoting small family-run guesthouses and homestays, eating at local restaurants, supporting community-led projects, and ensuring travellers are aware of their impact on the environment and people of Sri Lanka and Maldives. We are a member of ResponsibleTravel.com, AVAAZ and Tourism Concern, a supporter of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) 'Know Before You Go' and the Born Free Foundation’s ‘Travellers’ Animal Alert’ campaigns, and advocate carbon neutral flights. We also make a contribution to community projects in Sri Lanka for every holiday booked.

Tikalanka recognises that increasing traveller numbers to Sri Lanka and Maldives can have a negative impact on the islands’ culture and environment, and also that travelling there involves long-haul flights, which contribute to global carbon emissions. It is our duty, therefore, to minimise the negative aspects of long-haul travel and its potentially damaging effect on the culture and ecology of Sri Lanka and Maldives, while enabling the people of Sri Lanka and Maldives to gain maximum benefit from the positive impact of increased tourism.

Carbon Neutral Flights

When we travel by plane we cause carbon emissions that contribute to global warming and climate change. Although you can reduce the damage by visiting local destinations that require shorter journeys, many of us do want (and need to) make long-haul journeys by plane. To reduce the impact of these long-haul flights on the environment, you can 'neutralise' your carbon emissions through contributing to global projects that balance the effect of your flight. We encourage all of our customers to make a voluntary contribution to Climate Care to reduce the impact of their long-haul flight on the environment.

All business flights to Sri Lanka and Maldives taken by Tikalanka personnel are fully offset by a contribution to Climate Care.

Our Travel Philosophy

Tikalanka is committed to showing interested world travellers the real Sri Lanka – its natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, abundant wildlife and secluded sandy beaches. We have a genuine passion for the island, borne out of the close personal friendship between the companies’ directors in Sri Lanka and the UK, and by working together we are able to offer a more intimate experience of Sri Lanka.

Tikalanka believes a Responsible Travel Policy is an evolving set of guidelines that constantly change in order to adapt to new ideas. With this in mind, we are setting ourselves operational objectives with the aim of maximising the positive impact of increasing tourism in Sri Lanka while minimising its negative impact. By implementing monitoring and recording procedures we intend to evaluate our progress in developing responsible and sustainable tourism in Sri Lanka and Maldives. For more information and background to our policy, visit:

Information

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“First and foremost, it has to be said that Sri Lanka did not disappoint us in any way! We were always greeted with warmth, waves and smiles! It has to be one of the friendliest countries I've visited...”

Lori & Tami