Sustainability

In Matagalpa Tours we are committed to the cultural integrity of every place we visit. With our authentic travel experiences we support our providers, along with local economy development, environmental conservation, and the natural and cultural heritage of every town, community, and nature reserve that forms a part of our tours.  For this reason  Matagalpa Tours maintains a focus of sustainability in:  

Our destinations, to ensure that the local participants reinforce and share information and knowledge about the responsible use of their natural and cultural resources, for their environmental, social, and economic well-being; and about the conservation of these resources for future generations.

  • We prioritize destinations where the inhabitants are conscientious and willing to apply sustainable practices.
  • We inform and share with local participants, about our sustainability action plan. 
  • We share with decision makers information about the possible negative effects of tourism, such as: human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents, the increase in liquid and solid waste, the loss of cultural values and identity, among others. 
  • On our tours we enhance and highlight the cultural and natural riches of the destination being visited. 

Our clients are informed about the destinations to visit; they respect, value, and learn about the local nature and culture; they are responsible during their retreats in Nicaragua; and they experience authentic Nicaraguan life. 

  • All of our clients can receive more information about sustainable tours through the information on our website as well as information included directly in their travel schedules. 
  • We inform our clients beforehand about the realities of Nicaragua, about the local culture and the protection of natural resources, by way of a code of conduct for visitors. 
  • We also inform our clients about security measures, weather, climate, and possible risks on our tours. 
  • We inform our clients about our policy of protection toward children and adolescents, and respect towards indigenous communities. 
  • We inform about tours that can be made via public transportation whenever possible to avoid generating more CO2 emissions and reduce our carbon footprint, as compared to using private transportation. 

Our providers have more information and their commitment to internal self-evaluation makes them every time more responsible and conscious of the impact of their services and of the needs our visitors seek to satisfy, considering the environment.

  • We have signed cooperation agreements with our key suppliers to implement sustainable practices.
  • We share with our suppliers our policy of sustainability and respect for indigenous communities.
  • We share information and train our major suppliers to prevent the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.

Our team is engaged and empowered with the internal management of Matagalpa Tours to ensure labor welfare, efficient use of natural and cultural resources and economic profitability.

  • Our team monitors and counsels providers in rural areas about sustainability issues, nutrition, and construction with local materials.
  • We have a Sustainability team that leads actions involving the entire staff of Matagalpa Tours.
  • Since 2012 our team has spent 7.680 volunteer hours a year, reflected in environmental tours with children, participation in educational fairs, and reforestation projects.
  • Over the past four years, our team has provided 60 free environmental education and interpretation tours for 900 children from public schools, through the Environmental Education Program Agualí.

Matagalpa Tours' Sustainability Policy

Introduction

Implementing Matagalpa Tours' Sustainability Policy, functions as a tool to allow us to improve in terms of the following:

  • Educate staff, guides, drivers, suppliers and customers on the importance of environmental, cultural and economic awareness in Nicaragua.
  • Set an example to our customers; through the actions of company staff and communication they give to customers.
  • Have practical guidelines to achieve the objectives of sustainability issues.
  • Be prepared to anticipate changes in environmental, sociocultural and economic demand.
  • To encourage and promote "sustainability" in our suppliers.
  • Anticipate growing concerns and customer demand for sustainability in all parts of the supply chain.

This sustainability policy contains the rules Matagalpa Tours is already implementing, such as achieving the goals set for 2015 focused on the aspects of management, internal Sustainable Management: Social Policy and Human Rights, Internal Environmental Management, Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Transportation, Lodging, Sustainable Excursions, Tourism representatives and local tour guides, Destinations, and Customer Communication. Annexes have also been added which serve as evidence of what we are currently implementing on sustainable practices.

Sustainable Management

María Teresa: General Manager and Coordinator of Sustainability
Freddy Membreño: Product manager
Ernesto Ocampo: Sales manager
Daniel Tórrez: Tour guide
Raúl Salmerón: Vehicle Maintenance and driver

Internal management: Social Policy and Human Rights

At Matagalpa Tours we aim to develop standards satisfactory to both internal full-time management staff and staff working as independent or freelance basis (guides and drivers). Among the rules related to social policy: we favor employment to local residents by written contract; forced labor is not allowed; permanent staff are remunerated with a salary above the minimum wage; vacation, plans for pregnancy, maternity, parental leave, health insurance, and pension plans are respected, according to the provisions of the Labour Code of Nicaragua for permanent workers, who also have flexible working hours.

Both permanent staff and independent, have additional benefits such as disability insurance, which Matagalpa Tours contributes 50%, as well as access to personal loans for education or emergencies, or recreational travel.

Matagalpa Tours never allows child labor or sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. Furthermore, we always support non-profit organizations through the socio cultural tours organized by these non-profit organizations.

Internal environmental management

Matagalpa Tours conducts internal sustainable practices in the conservation of energy, water, and paper, and the management of solid and organic waste. We also implement an Environmental Education program "Agualí" with children from eleven primary schools in the city of Matagalpa. 

This program arose as part of the Environmental Education Matagalpa Tours implemented with support from the Dutch embassy. This "healthy and educational fun for children and adolescents in the municipality of Matagalpa" project has various activities such as puppet theater, travel and experiential environmental education workshops, art recycling, tables: let's play green, video presentations and the publication of children's books

Managing the sustainable supply chain

In Matagalpa Tours we always strive to work with service providers to implement policies to protect the environment. We always visit the premises of suppliers to ensure that urban sustainable actions at the environmental, social and economic level are applied.

Matagalpa Tours prioritizes work with environmentally friendly farms. Inspections are          performed by a tour of the facilities and understanding their sustainable actions as explained by their own workers.

We always strive to use products that, while maintaining their effectiveness, are biodegradable and reusable. In the case of electrical equipment, we always consider the energy consumption of the products as a purchase argument.

Transportation

Matagalpa Tours always promotes tours with public transportation whenever possible. During tours in private transportation, the air conditioning is not used unless requested by the customer. Matagalpa Tours' vehicles are never washed in the rivers of the destinations visited, only in authorized locations without the use of a hose. 

Matagalpa Tours considers fuel economy when purchasing a new vehicle and has trained staff to provide preventive maintenance on all Matagalpa Tours' vehicles.

Matagalpa Tours has a Code of Conduct for drivers and it is updated with the team twice a year. We always strive to offset our vehicle emissions carbon footprint through the conservation and reforestation of 3.5 hectares of forest in the Natural Reserve Cerro Apante of Matagalpa.

Lodgin

Matagalpa Tours always conducts inspections in hotels to ensure service quality and sustainability. As much as possible, we always consider accommodation establishments that provide easy access for the disabled or elderly. Whenever possible, locally-owned accommodation using natural lighting and ventilation are prioritized. We always prioritize accommodations that generate benefits to the local community and whose owners are open to continuous improvement to sustainable practices and that their actions are consistent with their declaration.

 

Excursions and Activities

Matagalpa Tours, during excursions always uses water bottles over 1.5 liters. Furthermore, the option is given to customers to fill their bottles at the water filter located in our office. When tours more than 4 hours long are conducted, water containers (10 liters or more depending on the number of people and days) are always sent, so water bottles can be refilled.

Matagalpa Tours never allows feeding the wildlife during our tours, nor do we make tours or excursions where wildlife in captivity is present, it is not allowed to collect species of flora and fauna for consumption, display or sale.

Matagalpa Tours includes in their tour packages and promotes among customers excursions and activities that directly involve the local communities. Local or community guides are always hired whenever possible and tours are always prioritized that promote environmental education. The products offered by Matagalpa Tours in a given destination, are always established together with the community and performance monitoring of the quality of services in the community is conducted by guides and these are reported in writing.

Tourism representatives and local tour guides

Matagalpa Tours always designs and develops permanent comprehensive training programs for tour guides on aspects related to the interaction with the tourist, environmental management, public relations, local culture, quality of service, technical guidance and thematic interpretation.

Matagalpa Tours always trains guides to know the basic rules of protected areas and laws relating to environmental protection and applicable to tourism.

Matagalpa Tours always encourages the tour guides to include a direct call to action for tourists to contribute to environmental and cultural protection in the regions they visit.

Destinations

Matagalpa Tours is in compliance with environmental regulations, permits and environmental quality of the place visited. We always limit the number of tourists taking a trip in nature and nature reserves (maximum 18 people per group, divided into two groups and with two guides).

Matagalpa Tours always emphasizes the care of nature and the practice of friendly actions to the environment while visiting nature reserves.

Whenever and wherever possible, Matagalpa Tours always acquires local and fair trade goods and services.

Matagalpa Tours always offers the means for local small entrepreneurs to develop and sell sustainable products, based on the nature, history and culture of the area itself (including food and drink, crafts, performance arts, agricultural products). No souvenirs containing threatened flora and fauna as well as historical and archaeological elements are promoted.

Communication with the client

Matagalpa Tours always informs tourists about the environmental commitments of the company. Disclosed efforts and services are organized in favor of the environment, placing in all manner of print and electronic media, symbols and indicators of environmental management.

Matagalpa Tours always informs customers of behavior that should be taken into account before entering protected areas and rural communities. Matagalpa Tours always organizes messages and services so that the visitor is allowed to choose his own actions for the protection of the environment. And we inform the customer how to reduce water and energy consumption in hotels or visited destinations.

Matagalpa Tours always conducts surveys with tourists about services and suggestions for improvement, especially those related to the care of the environment in the operation and service providers.