We are Responsible

TAKE ME TO MYANMAR Travels & Tour is a tour company registered with the Ministry of Myanmar and is a member of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association and the Pacific Asia Travel Association.  We are located in the beautiful city of Yangon and proudly promote our Burmese nature, culture and traditions.

Our company is wholly committed to promoting responsible and sustainable tourism.  We believe it is our responsibility to not only ensure that we provide a memorable experience for visitors to our country but that we do so in a way that is respectful of and beneficial to the local people, communities and the environment.

1. COMMITMENT AND AIM

• Our commitment, as responsible tour operators, is to extend our commitment to sustainability to include social, cultural and environmental platforms within Myanmar. Through our efforts, we will promote economic growth and maturity as well as the social wellbeing of our local communities through contributions to educational development and development in the countryside of Myanmar.
• Our aim is to increase the benefits of tourism on the local people and the local economy by implementing and promoting good sustainability practises to maximise the experience for both the tourist and the local communities. These good sustainability practises shall include:
• Giving visitors authentic experiences that celebrate the local culture, thereby conserving the heritage of local communities;
• Creating socio-economic benefits for local communities through income and income-earning opportunities. We will do this by promoting interactions with local people, promoting stays in small locally owned hotels and promoting the sampling of local cuisine in local restaurants for the full Myanmar-experience; and
• Respecting and protecting the local environment, natural resources and wildlife when developing and managing our travel packages and tourism activities.

2. POLICY

• TAKE ME TO MYANMAR supports sustainable and responsible tourism with the idea of protecting the environment, conserving our historical footprint, preserving our cultural heritage and generating benefits for the local Myanmar communities.
• TAKE ME TO MYANMAR believes in good-will across all stakeholders including tourists, tour guides, other tour agencies, transport providers, hotels and restaurants and that responsible and sustainable tourism requires the cooperation of all stakeholders.
• This Policy provides the framework for our business to lessen the impact of our activities and to help in the recovery of our natural environment, enhance the traditions of our country, and promote local food and local celebrations.

2.1    Sustainability Management and Legal Compliance

• We are committed to sustainability management by undertaking the following:
• We shall appoint a staff member who shall be responsible for coordinating sustainability tasks;
• We shall collaborate with our stakeholders to promote responsible and sustainable tourism throughout the local communities we’re involved with;
• We shall regularly assess our performance and make reasonable adjustments, where possible;
• We shall have sustainability guidelines which will enable us to assess the sustainability performance of our suppliers and fellow stakeholders;
• We shall ensure that our sustainability efforts are transparent by communicating and reporting, as required;
• We shall ensure that all our staff members are aware of this Policy and that they are committed to implementing and improving it.
• We are committed to being fully compliant with all our legal obligations in terms of national legislation, regulations and codes of practice.
• We are committed to being a socially responsible and fair employer by abiding by Myanmar’s Labour Laws, specifically relating to:
  • Promoting and ensuring the protection of human rights;
  • All our staff members shall be recruited in accordance with Myanmar Labour Laws;
  • We shall not, in any way, support, promote or practice child labour;
  • There will be no discrimination within the workplace;
  • We shall not be involved with forced labor;
  • We shall provide equal opportunities for all our staff members. We understand that we have a duty to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate discrimination within the workplace.  As an employer, we will not tolerate discrimination, especially based on gender, race or religion, in the workplace.
  • Staff satisfaction plays a vital role on the overall achievement of business goals achievement of any business or organisation. By providing a safe and fair working environment for our staff, we hope that staff members will be as committed to giving their best efforts in their work to make TAKE ME TO MYANMAR and TAKE ME TO MYANMAR’s initiatives a success.
  • We shall have in place formal employment contracts that govern the rights and duties of employer and staff members and which clearly sets out roles and responsibilities to ensure transparency and fairness;
  • The success of our sustainability efforts will depend largely on the efforts of our staff members. We shall provide regular and relevant training to all staff members to ensure that we can stay competitive as a business and to enable us to maintain committed, skilled and motivated staff members.

2.2    Supply Chain Management

• We inform all our suppliers and stakeholders of our commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism and sustainability management.
• We encourage local tour operators, travel agencies, transport providers, and hotels to support their own local communities too by purchasing locally-produced products.
• We are committed to promoting local culture, wildlife and traditions and place a large emphasis on cultural preservation and economic sustainability. Our aim is to work exclusively with socially responsible suppliers, insofar as such is possible, who are aware of and care about their impact on the local communities and environment. We offer travel packages that promote interactions with local people, promote stays in small locally owned hotels and promote clients sampling the local cuisine for the full Myanmar-experience.  This, in turn, builds the skills and confidence of the local people and enables them to access the tourism market.
• We view our local communities as our partners and, when creating tour packages and planning trips, we will select local suppliers of services, insofar as such is possible, that offer quality guarantees and have respect for human and environmental rights.
• We will support local communities and local economies by employing local guides who are skilled and certified and using local accommodations and restaurants, wherever possible.
• We will use suppliers who adhere to the local Myanmar Labour Laws and that do not engage in any activities which could be deemed harmful to children, including but not limited to child labour and/or child sex tourism.
• Our trips will not make use of private diesel cars. We will aim to use and promote local transport suppliers, insofar as such is possible, who are actively working on reducing gas emissions and pollution that damage the environment.  This shall include suppliers who select direct routes to appointed destinations that require less fuel, suppliers who comply fully with legal safety requirements, and suppliers who actively seek out energy conservation measures, e.g. turning off vehicle engines when waiting for clients.
• Some of our projects will focus specifically on making excursions even more sustainable at various destinations by training tour guides and working with governments agencies.

2.3    Internal Management

• We shall manage our internal resources, including waste, water and electricity, by educating and training our staff on their responsibilities and our expectations and we shall monitor and assess any and all initiatives in relation to these on a regular basis.
• We are committed to environmental protection and reducing waste, pollution, consumption, electricity use, and our overall impact on the environment.
• We discourage the use of bags and plastic containers and require all staff members to use only re-usable bags and containers.
• We shall comply with all applicable legislation relating to waste disposal.
• We shall comply with all applicable legislation relating to waste water treatment, including reuse or safe release.
• We will conduct regular maintenance checks around the office to ensure that all equipment, specifically electrical, water and waste, are working efficiently, without leaks and/or faults.
• We shall actively manage our internal waste, water consumption and pollution and electricity use as follows:
• Through recycling and reuse initiatives. We will set-up and encourage the use of the recycling corner in the office where all staff members will be encouraged to place all recyclable and/or re-usable materials, including paper.  There will be display messages placed around all workspaces to remind all staff members to separate all materials which can be recycled and/or re-used and we shall organize for the collection and proper disposal of such materials;
• All staff members will be encouraged to only print documents, as required, and then to print double-sided, as appropriate. One-sided printed pages that are no longer in use and do not contain any confidential or sensitive information shall be reserved for re-printing internal documents;
• Our staff members are required to communicate via electronic mail or digitally in all instances where such is possible to reduce the amount of paper used in the office;
• Regularly monitor waste in the office;
• We shall encourage all our staff members to use sustainable means of transport, e.g. bicycles or public transportation for deliveries and/or when travelling to and from work, if possible;
• TAKE ME TO MYANMAR shall use energy-saving, white-light and LED bulbs throughout the office;
• TAKE ME TO MYANMAR uses low-flush toilets that uses significantly less water than full-flush toilets as part of our initiative to conserve water;
• We have display signs up in the kitchen and bathroom areas to remind staff members to turn taps off when not in use;
• We have placed a bowl in the kitchen for washing-up to reduce the amount of water used and to ensure that the water is not left running during the washing-up process;
• We have replaced our old technology equipment with more energy-efficient computers, and laptops in order to conserve energy consumption;
• A “switch-off policy” has been introduced throughout the work environment also to reduce electricity consumption to only that which is absolutely necessary. That means that any lights or other electrical equipment not in use will be switched off.
• As part of an ongoing initiative at internal management, we endeavor to apply the following insofar as such is possible:
• Purchase office stationary in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging materials;
• Use non-hazardous, eco-label cleaning products that are non-eutrophic and biodegradable, if locally available;
• To regularly monitor and measure energy consumption and decide on different ways in which this might be reduced even further;
• Reduce the amount of non-refillable plastic water bottles being used for office use;
• Recycle and properly dispose of any used batteries. Furthermore, we shall advise visitors to pack any of their used batteries to take back with them as there are limited recycling facilities for batteries in Myanmar.
• We shall comply with all land use, zoning and protected and/or heritage area laws and regulations when planning, designing, constructing, renovating, operating or demolishing any buildings, if applicable;
• We shall be mindful of and contribute to the protection and preservation of all local historical, archaeological, culturally, and spiritually significant sites and properties.

2.4    Tourist Relations

• The safety and welfare of our visitors is of paramount importance and ensuring that they have a memorable and enjoyable stay on Myanmar. Tourist relations begin as soon as the client makes contact either for information purposes or to make a booking.
• Our aim is to provide the client with useful and relevant information about all local attractions, amenities and cultural aspects of the country that they should be aware of and mindful of.
• We provide all relevant information to the clients through digital marketing and by presenting digital brochures.
• We strongly encourage our clients to avail of all local amenities and products, and we encourage them to visit wildlife sanctuaries and communities that reflect the rich cultural heritage of our country.
• We always recommend that clients hire local guides, that they buy local craft ware, stay in local hotels and sample local restaurants, if applicable. This ensures that local communities benefit directly from the tourism industry.  Furthermore, we recommend visits to local areas and invite clients to support projects that benefit local communities.
• When communicating with clients, we include sustainability messages, e.g. invoices, brochures, digital messages.
• We offer the client opportunities to provide feedback for systematic measurement of client satisfaction. This enable us to gauge client satisfaction and ensure that the tourism industry continues to thrive and grow in Myanmar.
• Our digital marketing literature contains useful information, safety information and further information on important cultural aspects clients must be aware of. We do not use this digital marketing literature to promise more than we can deliver.
• We comply with all relevant standards and voluntary codes of conduct in our marketing materials and advertising messages.
• We have created tourism packages where itineraries and pricing are clear, complete and accurate, and where destination information is factually correct, including sustainability claims.
• We inform the clients of our sustainability endeavors and the impact negative tourism can have on the environment and the cultural and traditional heritage of Myanmar.
• We inform clients of the environmental impact of various transport options, where transportation has not been included in the travel package and recommend sustainable alternatives, where available.
• During the client’s holiday we shall:
• Provide clients with information about the local environment, culture and attractions;
• Provide information to clients about key sustainability aspects and issues affecting the local communities and offer recommendations on how they can make a positive contribution;
• Advise the clients about potential risks and precautions they can take to ensure their health and safety;
• Inform clients on relevant sustainability matters in the destination (e.g. protection of flora, fauna, and cultural heritage, resource use), social norms and values (e.g. tips, dressing code and photography) and human rights (e.g. sexual exploitation);
• Inform clients about any applicable legislation they should be aware of during their stay in Myanmar. This includes any commercial transactions relating to local flora and fauna and/or endangered animals, and plants;
• Keep contact details for clients in case of emergency.
• Our staff members have been trained and we provide regular guidelines to our staff members on how to deal with emergency situations.

2.5    Social Commitment

• Our business is part of the local community and we contribute to the local economy by bringing in visitors. We benefit from the strong local appeal that showcases our heritage, our culture and our wildlife.
• Myanmar has a rich history and a rich culture. Our tour programs are aimed at promoting our traditional culture, festivals and food.
• We support local purchasing, insofar as such is possible, when quality, service, availability and price permit.
• We work with social enterprises and local producers to provide giveaways or local souvenirs to clients and we make regular donations to local community causes.
• Furthermore, we contribute a percentage of our business profits to promote and support:
• Development in the local countryside; and
• Education in the countryside.
• We employ regional staff based on our tour packages. These are people who have a sound knowledge of the local area, promoting regional attractions, local communities and local projects.

2.6    Co-operation with Destination

• From initial contact with the client, we aim to provide as much relevant information, including our commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism, to encourage and promote responsible and respectful tourist behavior.
• We recognize that our business has a very important role to play in securing the long-term sustainability of the tourism industry within the area by helping to protect and enhance the environment and minimize any negative impact that tourism could have on the local communities, the local culture and the local economy by ensuring that visitors are informed and aware of their own roles within these communities.
• To ensure the sustainability of the places we operate in, we are committed to the following:
• Considering the sustainability aspects when considering selecting new destinations;
• Selecting destinations where tourism will not have a negative impact on the local community and/or environment, unless the tourism being offered by us will have a positive impact;
• Consider new destinations based on such destinations being reachable through more sustainable means of transport;
• We shall comply with all legal and regulatory requirements in relation to destinations we operate in, including protected areas, and heritage regulations;
• We will not promote or participate in illegal commercialization, including souvenirs that contain threatened flora or fauna, or historical and/or archeological artefacts.
• We operate pubic plastic collection programs at tourist attraction areas to minimize the amount of plastic waste being left behind at these sites.
• We encourage all visitors to enjoy their stay in Myanmar by respecting the rights, customs and values of the local communities. We openly discourage clients from removing any items/objects/artefacts from any archeological and/or historical cultural heritage sites.

3. SUSTAINABILITY GOALS

• We will monitor and record our environmental impacts on a regular basis and compare our performance with our policies, objectives and targets, with a view to improving outcomes.
• Through continuous monitoring and assessment of our sustainability efforts, we aim to achieve the following results over the next 12 (twelve) month period:
• We will reduce waste from the office by 8 % over a year;
• We will reduce energy bills in the office by 8 % over a year; and
• We will reduce water usage by 8 % over a year.