Sustainability policy of CICERONE TRAVEL

Introduction 

Created by three nature-loving guides, our agency is committed to offering tours with a lasting positive impact on our environment. Turkey contains treasures that we wish to preserve for future generations. The best way to advance in this mission is to join other agencies around the world who think like us. By joining the community of agencies through Travelife, we are inspired to improve ourselves on the path of sustainability. This sustainable development policy aims to mark our commitment to a better world by taking care on the social, environmental and economic impacts.

This policy applies to all employees of our agency, our freelance guides, our service providers and our travelers.

Sustainability management & legal compliance

Sustainability commitment

By implementing this sustainable development policy, Cicerone Travel is committed to integrate the practice of sustainable development into its tours. We are committed to provide better trips for the environment, communities and culture.

We will review this policy on our sustainability progress periodically and evaluate progress. We will communicate publically our sustainability commitment progresses to our clients, suppliers and service providers, on our website.

Sustainability management & legal compliance

Cicerone Travel commits to continuous improvement of sustainability practices, including the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of our sustainability policy, with dedicated personnel and resources to achieve our sustainability goals.

Cicerone Travel follows all local, regional, national, and international regulations as they relate to human resources, human rights, children’s rights, land rights, environmental management, wildlife, and land use. We follow a strict Code of Ethics, including a zero-tolerance policy for corruption, bribery, forced labor, and discrimination.

Internal management: social policy & human rights

At Cicerone Travel, the well-being of employees at the workplace is essential, as they are real business partners. Everybody can express freely his point of view through the informal “brainstorming” we organize.

Our employees are paid fairly and treated with dignity and respect. We do not allow any form of discrimination, particularly on the bases of racial/ethnic background, ability/disability, socioeconomic status, faith/religion/spiritual affiliation, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, or marital status.

Internal management: environment

Environmental management of office operations

Our company has a responsibility to make decisions that reduce the environmental impacts of our operations. At all steps of purchasing, tours, construction, and daily operations steps will be taken to consider impacts and think through the implementation of positive change.

We repair or reuse before purchasing new and try to find a new purpose to objects before discarding them.

We purchase in bulk to reduce packaging and add the following sentence to every supplier we contract with: “Please deliver our order without unnecessary or plastic wrapping, we prefer if you can provide reusable or no wrapping at all”

  • Waste is separated into the following categories: plastic, paper products, metal, glass and is disposed of properly by the municipality
  • The heating/cooling system is off at night and on weekends
  • We switch off our computers and don’t let them in stand by
  • Only print when it is necessary, and when printing, always print double-sided on grayscale. Paper must always be FSC or equivalent certified, with preference for the highest percentage post- consumer materials
  • Our coffee machine switch off automatically when it’s not used
  • Paper – we buy environmentally certified paper 
  • Tea and coffee – we buy directly from producer or fair trade certified in bulk
  • Light-bulbs – LED lights are the best option, look at their energy use (in Watt) and light production (in Lumen). The more lumen per watt, the more efficient is your light. Place them where we really need them.
  • We order water fountains then everybody can fill his glass in, we don’t use plastic bottle

Carbon management of office operations

Cicerone Travel is committed to reduce carbon footprint:

  • In the tour we sell, we recommend public transport instead of flying when it is possible
  • Recommend to our travelers to visit antic sites (for example) by group (big buses) instead of private (standard private car)
  • We do not sell and do not accept to organize motor activities in the sensitive areas like the “safari quad” in Cappadocia which cause erosion, pollution and disturb locals and travelers

Land use

Cicerone Travel office is located in the old town area and abides by all local land use laws, respects local cultural and natural resources in our business operations, and favors sustainable architecture and design.

General suppliers’ policy

  • Cicerone Travel is committed to sourcing its products and services responsibly, avoiding harmful impacts on society, culture and nature as much as possible. 
  • Cicerone Travel’s goal is to operate boutique tours with high standard of service instead of mass tourism. As a Cicerone Travel, organizing outdoor tours we aim to support local life in rural areas and contribute sustainable tourism. This is why we work with hotel owned by local, and all our service providers are local as well.
  • Whenever possible, Cicerone Travel prefers to select partner companies that comply with tourism-specific, internationally recognized certifications, or other sustainability certifications like B Corp or ISO.
  • Cicerone Travel expects its suppliers to adhere to a Code of Ethics, which includes the following responsible business practices:

Complying with all local, regional, national and international regulations

Respecting all human rights including labor rights, children’s rights, and women’s rights

Committing to fair employment conditions

Following anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-extortion, and anti-discrimination policies

Protecting children from (sexual) exploitation through tourism

Protecting the environment and natural resources

Acting in the best interest of local communities

Protecting the interests of Cicerone Travel

Transport

As an agency, that essentially offers discovery trips through walking and hiking, we suggest more to our visitors the discovery on foot rather than by car.

  • We prefer hotels near from public transportation, especially in the cities, and inform our travelers how to reach places they want to discover by public transportation like tram or buses
  • We use appropriate vehicles for group sizes and purchase most efficient vehicles available.
  • We prefer over land transport for short-haul destinations and avoid in-destination flights as much as possible.

Accommodation

  • In Cappadocia and villages of Lycia, where we have the most travelers, we mainly work with small accommodation owned by local families. This promotes the local economy but also allows our travelers to better immerse themselves in the local culture.
  • In the cities, like Istanbul or Antalya we select accommodation near from public transportation that respect and protect land use, as well as respectfully highlight elements of local architecture, customs and traditions

Activities & Excursions

  • Cicerone Travel creates its own itineraries and excursions and provides its travelers with a code of conduct for hiking in nature, visiting ancient sites or even holy places.
  • All excursions and activities run by Cicerone Travel respect local customs, traditions, cultural integrity, and natural resources.
  • Cicerone Travel promotes meetings and exchanges between the local population and its travelers. 
  • Cicerone Travel do not have excursions in relation with captive animals.

Tour leaders, local representatives, and guides

Cicerone Travel work only with local certified guide. As a member of TÜRSAB (Association of Turkish Travel Agencies), we have to follow this rule:

All guides must have a “tourist guide identity card” and a license in order to work as stated by the “Regulation of Professional Tourist Guides”. They also need a work permit for it.

  • Guides recruited have the relevant qualifications, and appropriate level of expertise as required by local regulations (including first aid, sustainability, destination, customer service, etc.).
  • The company recruits licensed guides and keeps current copies of their credentials;
  • Guides recruited meet the legal minimum age to work and have clear contract employment documentation;
  • Guides are informed about appropriate behaviors towards customers (the company will investigate any claims or suspicions of inappropriate behavior, and implement a disciplinary procedure when required)

Destinations

Sustainable destinations

  • Cicerone Travel operates throughout Turkey and organize cultural tours and hiking tours. However, in each region we promote accommodation towards villages rather than towns. We favor areas that are less prone to mass tourism
  • Cicerone Travel do not sell products that are harmful to nature, the environment or the local economy. 

Contribution to local communities / local economic network

  • Sourcing locally and responsibly, and supporting local and traditional arts and culture
  • Encouraging guests to shop responsibly and educating them about illegal/prohibited/forbidden souvenirs
  • We do not allow the purchase of souvenirs containing threatened flora and fauna species, any illegally obtained historic/archaeological artefacts, drugs or illegal substances, and abide by local and international laws in place to prevent this
  • Respecting and advocating for all human rights (i.e. children’s rights, women’s rights, labor rights, etc.) as well as land rights

Environmental stewardship in destinations

Cicerone Travel commits to environmental stewardship in the destinations in which we operate by:

  • Ensuring natural resources remain intact
  • Educating guests about the principles of responsible travel and responsible visitor behavior

Customer communication and protection

Privacy

Marketing and communication

  • Cicerone Travel strives to be truthful in all situations and at all times. We offer products and services that do what we claim in our communications.
  • We honor our explicit and implicit commitments and promises.
  • We are anti-greenwashing and stand behind our sustainability claims 100%.
  • We endeavor to, always take into account cultural, religious, and ethnic sensitivities.

Sustainability communication

  • Customers are informed about the social and environmental impact of their journey, and are educated about the sustainable choices they can make, including transparent communication on:
  • Accommodations owned by local families
  • Activities and excursions that benefit the local communities and environmental protection
  • Responsible shopping and illegal souvenirs

Customer experience

Cicerone Travel aims for all customer experiences to be positive, and follows strict health and safety, marketing, and excursion policies to ensure customer satisfaction. These policies cover specific topics of (but not limited to):

  • Transport options to/within the destination (ranking based on their sustainability) 
  • Cultural and historical information about the destination and its people
  • Geography, weather, natural surroundings 
  • Currency, important local traits
  • Health and safety advise 
  • Local food and restaurant recommendations (featuring locally owned, sustainable options)
  • Basic vocabulary and information on languages/ dialects
  • Local souvenirs to buy and information on illegal souvenirs

Cicerone Travel maintains open lines of communication with our customers, encourages feedback at any time and on any topic, particularly sustainability.

Definitions

“Sustainable Travel” definition:

“Trips that contribute to the local economy through activities that do not harm the environment,

the community, and the sites or places visited.”

Effective date

This policy is effective from 1st of January 2025.

Revision history

This policy will be revised, by the end of March 2026.