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Icon Adventures Responsible Travel

Icon Adventures was born out of a love affair with the Southern Sinai. In inviting small groups of people to discover the sublime natural beauty and spiritual power of the place through Icon Adventures, we promote responsibility in how we visit the sites and how we repay our host community, the Bedouin.

Our eco-mascot, Harry the Hyrax, a resident of the Southern Sinai, explains our policy...

LOCAL ECONOMY & EMPLOYMENT

Icon Adventures supports the local economies at Dahab and St Catherine’s;

• Accommodation in a Bedouin-owned and managed hotel which promotes responsible tourism.
• Employing local, professional guides with experience in desert safaris, snorkelling and diving to accompany our excursions. Our mountain treks are accompanied by Bedouin guides who have been specifically trained and are properly paid for their work.
• Employing reliable local drivers for our transport and transfers.
• Encouraging clients to support projects which aim to develop sustainable incomes for Bedouin communities who are either over-reliant on, or who do not benefit from the coastal and monastery-related tourism.
• Paying local businesses and suppliers fairly, advising on over-haggling and challenging any over-charging.

ENVIRONMENT

Icons Adventures advocates the three Rs Re-using, Recycling and Reducing wherever possible; in the marketing (so don’t expect any expensive printed material folks, it’s all online) by advising clients (tips on the three Rs) and by only working with like-minded associates and suppliers in order to

• Reduce waste and dispose of it responsibly.
• Recycle and Re-use wherever possible
• Reduce consumption of water, gas, fuel and electricity
• Recommending the use of eco-friendly products
• Avoid damage or disturbance to pristine habitats, eco-systems, plants, animals, marine life and agricultural systems - especially when snorkelling and trekking.
• Comprehend the specific environmental, economic and social issues at Dahab and St Catherine’s and the characteristics of the five national parks (Protectorates) in the region.

CARBON OFFSETTING & ECO PROJECTS

Flying back and forth to Sharm from London will use about two tonnes of CO2 per person, so clients are strongly encouraged to carbon-off-set their own flights when they book... In addition, Icon Adventures promises to further offset each client’s flight by donating to a specific ecological or social project based in the area.

• FANSINA BEDOUIN HANDICRAFTS..
  As part of the itinerary, Icon Adventures visits this flourishing Bedouin women’s craft co-operative, a ground-breaking project supported by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency and the EU.
  Fansina now involves 300+ local women who produce embroidered goods using traditional tribal motifs and exquisite beadwork for sale in their traditional stone-built showroom in St Katherine’s village. The women and their families benefit not only from the direct income but also from the health and social welfare workshops enabled through the project.

CULTURE

There are cultural distinctions and conventions to be aware of, so Icon Adventures asks;

• That all clients read the Pre-Travel Information regarding the culture and host community they will be visiting and the relevant traveller’s code of conduct.
• Join an informal briefing at the start of the itinerary to discuss how best to achieve a positive, conscientious impact on the local culture, dress and behave appropriately.
• Take the opportunities to meet local people and to learn about their lives and culture directly. This is possible as Icon Adventures has small groups which can easily interact with the locals. General aspects of the history of the Sinai and current politics will also be explained, often by the guides.

COMPLAINTS & FEEDBACK

Icon Adventures aims to address and acknowledge any issues or complaints relating to responsible travel as best it can.

• During their holiday, clients are asked to speak to the Icon Adventures representative in the first instance with any complaints concerning the practices or actions of any supplier in the service of Icon Adventures - or Icon Adventures itself - resulting in or potentially impacting in a negative way upon the local environment. Post-travel, clients are requested to email their complaint as soon as possible.
• All complaints will be acknowledged, recorded and the client advised as to the action taken.
• Icon Adventures welcomes feedback at the end of each holiday from all clients as to how we can improve our responsible travel practices.