NOMAD Safaris, a four wheel drive safari operator based in Queenstown, New Zealand, has become the first Green Globe certified activity in New Zealand and Australasia.
Green Globe International, owner of the Green Globe brand worldwide announced this certification was the latest recognition for owners Amanda and David Gatward-Ferguson, following their New Zealand Tourism Awards wins in 2004 and 2006.
Nomad Safaris operates a fleet of Land Rover Defenders and quad bikes within Queenstown surroundings which include many of the stunning locations featured in the Lord of the Rings films. Due to the popularity of the films, Nomad Safaris now runs specific tours showcasing locations used in the films.
Amanda Gatward-Ferguson said, “It’s a significant achievement because it’s focused on an issue that’s on the forefront of everyone’s mind - sustainability. People do not expect operators who run 4-wheel drive tours to be sustainable. However, it is even more important that we try to have as little impact on the environment, given what we do. We can’t eliminate, but we can mitigate and minimizs. Green Globe certification offers the ultimate proof that we are achieving those ends.”
David Gatward-Ferguson added that simple things made a difference, such as good driving practice to reduce emissions, switching lights off when not needed, recycling, buying biodegradable items, instructing drivers to pick up refuse when they see it and choosing suppliers who shared their green commitment.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) established Green Globe in 1992 as a response to the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, where 182 heads of state endorsed the Agenda 21 principles of Sustainable Development. Green Globe is the only international sustainability programme based on Agenda 21 principles.
The Green Globe benchmarking and certification programme is managed by EC3 Global, a leading international environmental and tourism advisory group, for Green Globe Asia Pacific Pty Ltd, a joint venture established to market the programme in the Asia Pacific region.