Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland Walks with Green Award 2018 For Its Respectful Tourism Initiatives

This tour company will be sporting a bit more green come St Patrick’s Day. Ireland’s award-winning active travel company, Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland, has been committed since its inception in 2002 to what it calls respectful tourism initiatives. Their efforts have proven successful.

For its dedicated focus on best practices supporting a healthy environment, Vagabond Tours recently won The Green Tourism & Entertainment category in Ireland’s most prestigious Green (business) Awards 2018.  The 10th annual awards were presented in late February in Dublin. And in time for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and the “wearin’ o’ the green,” the company had also been shortlisted for both the Green Small Organization of the Year and the overall Green award.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” says Rob Rankin, owner of Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland. “We were up against some very strong competition. The award is great recognition for the time, thought and energy that our Vagabond team have put in to making sure that all aspects of our business are carried out in the most environmentally positive and sustainable way possible.”

In 2017 Vagabond became Ireland’s first tour operator to achieve Ecotourism, Gold Level Certification from Eco Tourism Ireland.

Rankin noted that Vagabond’s environmental initiatives in some instances have led to significant cost savings for the company while other initiatives are viewed as company investments that “we hope will have a long-term benefit to the environment.” These include:

• Offsetting the company’s total annual carbon emissions and restoring Ireland’s lost woodlands with a program of replanting indigenous Irish hardwood trees.
• Offering free compostable cups to guests to use in local coffee shops instead of non-recyclable cups.
• Giving each guest an aluminum water bottle to use instead of single-use plastic bottles.

“We estimate that by using our aluminum water bottles our guests, over the year, will save using over 30,000 plastic bottles when visiting Ireland.”

For details on Green Awards 2018, please see https://www.leanbusinessireland.ie/green-awards-2018-winners/

For information on Vagabond environmental initiatives, please see https://vagabondtoursofireland.com/sustainable-tourism-ireland/

About Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland

Since 2002 Vagabond Adventure Tours has been creating opportunities for visitors to embrace Ireland by walking, biking, horseback riding and kayaking its lands and waters, imbibing history and culture along the way. In 2013 the company was honored by National Geographic Traveler with a Top 50 Tour of a Lifetime distinction. In 2015 and 2017 Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland was named a “Best Adventure Experience” at the Irish Tourism Awards. And in 2016, Vagabond became Ireland’s first tour operator to achieve Ecotourism Gold Level Certification.

In 2013 the company launched Driftwood Journeys of Discovery that explores in a less strenuous manner many of the same routes of Vagabond Adventure Tours. Itineraries in both divisions focus on high yield, low impact tourism which means that local economies benefit from the company’s and guest’s contributions to local, rural Irish economies (including accommodations, meals, nightlife, attractions and shopping).

For details on all of Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland itineraries, availability and for 2018 reservations, please visit https://vagabondtoursofireland.com/. Call toll free (from the US) 1.833-230-0288; in Ireland 00353 (0) 1 5634358; or email: [email protected] or [email protected].