Travelife is a certification system committed to promoting sustainable practices in the tourism industry. It equips companies with achievable sustainability targets, along with the tools and strategies to foster positive transformations in their operations and supply chains. Travelife is overseen by two organizations: ABTA – The Travel Association in the UK, and ECEAT Projects, a non-profit organization headquartered in The Netherlands.
Since our initial encounter with Travelife at ITB Berlin 2019, it has been almost 5 years in the making, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. We are proud to announce that Kapwa Travel is now the official Travelife Partner for the Philippines!
However, the journey to this milestone was far from easy. Travelife is a 3-stage program: “Travelife is a three-stage certification program for tour operators and travel agents: (1) Travelife Engaged; (2) Travelife Partner and (3) Travelife Certified. We are at stage 2 – Travelife Partner. Travelife Engage requires documenting sustainability policies and implementing sustainable operational practices. Once engaged, companies progress to become Travelife Partners. To achieve this status, Travelife assesses an online report (desk assessment) and, upon meeting the criteria, recommends the company as a Travelife Partner. This recognition signifies the company’s commitment to sustainability by complying with fundamental Travelife sustainability requirements.
After resuming our efforts following the pandemic hiatus in September 2023, we diligently worked on meeting over 100 criteria to attain Travelife Partner status. We are delighted to announce that on February 20th, 2024, Kapwa Travel & Tours, Inc. received the Travelife Partner level award in Amsterdam. This award recognizes Kapwa Travel’s commitment to being sustainable and socially responsible over the long term. They’ve focused on managing their office well, offering a diverse range of products, collaborating with international partners, and providing comprehensive information to customers. The Travelife Partner level standard aligns with ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights, and labor relations.
Mr. Naut Kusters, manager of Travelife for Tour Operators, “I am delighted to see that sustainability in the tour operator sector is obtaining momentum. The Partner award of Kapwa Travel & Tours, Inc. will inspire other companies in the Philippines to follow the same path”. Travelife stands as the leading international sustainability certification for the travel sector, with support from over 35 national travel associations worldwide, including KATO, TATO, ABTA, PATA, and FTT, among others.
The Travelife Partner award is a recognition of our commitment towards social and environmental sustainability. We comply with more than 100 criteria related to sustainability management, office operations, working with suppliers and customer communication. We are working towards further improvements aiming to eventually reach the Travelife Certified stage.
Accepted the award on the stage at ITB Berlin on March 6, 2024To deepen our commitment and embrace the spirit of Kapwa while prioritizing sustainability, Kapwa Travel is steadfastly working towards attaining the Travelife certification level. With the collective effort of our entire team, we are dedicated to realizing this goal and embedding sustainable practices into every aspect of our operations.
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