Contact Ventura TRAVEL

Ja, wenden Sie sich einfach an Ihren Reiseberater, um die Bedingungen zu erfahren. Die Höhe des Preisnachlasses hängt vom Abreisedatum und der geplanten Fluggesellschaft ab. Bitte beachten Sie, dass wir Sonderkonditionen erhalten und der Preisnachlass daher nicht immer dem öffentlichen Preis entspricht.

At Ventura, AI is a core part of how we work. We use it intentionally to increase efficiency, improve decision-making, and avoid unnecessary processes, including automating before hiring. We are aware that AI and digital tools consume energy. That’s why we aim to work with responsible providers, choose efficient models where possible, and continuously question how and when we use AI. We believe transformation and responsibility must go hand in hand. We are committed to learning, improving, and reducing our impact as technology evolves, while staying transparent about the choices we make.

L'impact de l'initiative des Gardiens de la Forêt est mesuré à travers la gouvernance territoriale, la restauration écologique et la continuité communautaire. La sécurisation de la propriété foncière maintient la forêt sous contrôle communautaire et la protège des activités extractives telles que l'exploitation minière ou l'exploitation forestière industrielle. Une Garde Indigène patrouille régulièrement le territoire pour aider à détecter et décourager l'exploitation forestière et la chasse illégales, en documentant les activités et en renforçant la responsabilité collective. Les progrès écologiques sont soutenus par un plan d'enrichissement forestier qui réintroduit des espèces d'arbres indigènes importantes pour la faune et la récupération de la canopée. Les progrès sont mesurés par la survie des arbres plantés, la régénération de la végétation indigène et le suivi à long terme de la faune à l'aide de pièges photographiques et d'enquêtes de terrain, aidant la communauté à suivre la santé de la forêt et des espèces qu'elle abrite. Nous suivons également la mise en œuvre du Plan de Gestion Forestière et du Plan Opérationnel Annuel (POA) de la communauté, en documentant les activités de conservation et de renforcement des capacités. Impliquer les jeunes membres dans le suivi et la restauration permet de transmettre les connaissances et la gestion à travers les générations, soutenant la gestion locale à long terme de la zone forestière protégée.

Yes, we still visit iconic hotspots, as they are important cultural and natural highlights. However, we take several measures to ensure our visits do not contribute to overtourism:

• Small group size: Our groups are limited to a maximum of 12 travellers, which significantly reduces our impact compared to larger tour groups.
• Scheduling to avoid peak times: Where possible, we organise visits during off-peak times of day or outside peak travel seasons. This approach helps minimise pressure on popular attractions and allows for a more enjoyable, less crowded experience.
• Supporting local communities: We collaborate with local guides and businesses, ensuring tourism benefits are distributed among the local community, not just concentrated in tourist hotspots.
• Traveller education: We brief our travellers on the importance of respecting local rules, following their guide’s recommendations, and acting responsibly at all sites.
• Staying mindful and adaptive: We continuously monitor the situation at major sites and are prepared to adjust our itineraries if we find that certain destinations become overwhelmed.

The CO₂e emissions per trip are measured after each design adjustment and are transparently published alongside the trip presentation on the Ventura Travel brands’ websites as part of the Frequently Asked Questions.

Ventura TRAVEL regularly measures and monitors the carbon footprint of its journeys, including the long-haul flights as well as the on-the-ground-program. All Brands actively reduce emissions through sustainable travel design: no unnecessary flights, fewer feeder flights, integration of rail and public transport, and promoting longer stays for a more balanced relationship between travel distance and impact.

From 2018 to 2024, VTT supported carbon reduction projects equivalent to the emissions generated. Recognizing the limits of traditional offsetting, we now focus on active environmental protection through our own rainforest project, Forest Guardians.

More information on our climate and environmental responsibility: https://www.venturatravel.org/impact

All key suppliers are required to adhere to the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) section outlined in our provider contracts, which covers environmental responsibility, fair labour practices, health and safety, and ethical governance. We prioritise locally owned businesses and partners who actively support their communities and minimise environmental impact.

We are currently developing a comprehensive annual Sustainability Checklist and Code of Conduct, which will further strengthen our approach, this is a work in progress.

Through ongoing monitoring, supplier engagement, and continuous improvement, we aim to ensure that sustainability remains a shared, long-term commitment across all our operations, rather than a once-off requirement.

At Ventura, we ensure fair remuneration by assessing payments against current industry standards to remain competitive and aligned with local market conditions. In addition, we operate a bonus system that rewards excellent guiding and service, providing opportunities for additional earnings based on performance. This approach balances sustainable pricing with fair compensation and incentivises high-quality guest experiences.

We reduce plastic waste by acting at three levels:

• Design: Avoiding single-use amenities in accommodations where possible and choosing partners aligned with our sustainability standards.
• Guidelines: Encouraging travelers to bring reusable bottles and refill whenever safe water systems are available.
• Operations: Working with local partners to reduce disposable packaging and avoid unnecessary printed materials.

With the V Social Foundation, we support local organizations in developing viable social enterprises built on participatory community structures: businesses that become effective, long-term vehicles for improving living conditions. At the same time, they contribute to broader goals: preserving cultural heritage, protecting the environment, empowering women, and creating opportunities for young people. To achieve this, we work hands-on and locally anchored, not from a distance. Our support is coordinated by regional coordinators who deeply understand both the local context and the expectations of international travelers. This allows us to strategically strengthen community-based tourism initiatives and use tourism as a real driver of local development.

We focus on building capacities, not dependencies. Our priority is to strengthen skills, governance, and entrepreneurship so communities gain autonomy and long-term independence. At the same time, every project we support must solve a concrete problem or deliver a tangible improvement for the community.

Through regular visits with our travel groups, we stay in constant dialogue with our partner communities. This direct feedback loop helps us quickly identify gaps, respond to emerging needs, and improve together.

And where it makes sense, we measure what matters: traveler satisfaction, real income generation within the project, and meaningful participation of the local population. Find more information on the transparency page of V Social Foundation or watch the video of the supported community Zapotal in Costa Rica to get a practical insight.

On average a 58 % of the total travel price paid by a traveler remains within the destination, reflecting Ventura TRAVEL's strong contribution to, and consistently stable approach toward, local economic development . To determine this, we analyze each tour budget line by line, separating the costs into three primary categories:

• Local in-destination expenses: Payments made to local partner agencies, accommodations, transport providers, guides, restaurants, and other community-based services.
• International flights.
• Central operational costs: Such as coordination and customer support services.

We review this data regularly to ensure our business model continues to prioritize local suppliers and regional value chains, thereby increasing local value creation and contributing directly to local livelihoods and businesses

Remote work requires intentional structure and human connection. At Ventura, we support mental wellbeing through weekly 1:1s, peer feedback, annual HR check-ins, and regular satisfaction surveys to stay close to our team’s needs. We provide a home office budget for essential equipment and encourage healthy work habits. Clear roles, documented processes, and open communication help reduce stress in a remote environment. Connection also matters: we meet quarterly as a full company, host monthly FFF (Fun, Fair, Focus) activities, and gather once a year in person. We believe wellbeing is built through trust, clarity, flexibility, and continuous improvement.

Long-distance travel creates emissions, and for many of our destinations, flying is necessary to reach remote regions. We do not present this reality as climate-neutral, nor do we rely on simplistic claims. Instead, our approach is guided by three principles: consistently measuring our impact, reducing emissions through thoughtful trip design wherever possible, and taking responsibility for the emissions that remain.

While we recognize the environmental cost of long distance travel, we also believe in the power of tourism. Travel can foster mutual understanding, stregthen conservation efforts, preserve cultures and improve livelihoods. For this reason, we are committed to designing and offering journeys that are as responsible and thoughtfully crafted as possible.

Forest Guardians est une initiative de la V Social Foundation lancée en 2024 pour soutenir la conservation à long terme de la forêt tropicale grâce à une gestion communautaire dirigée par les peuples autochtones en Amazonie équatorienne. Une part fixe des revenus annuels de voyage de Ventura TRAVEL contribue au projet de forêt tropicale Forest Guardians.

Le projet de conservation est mis en œuvre en partenariat avec la communauté Kichwa Sinchi Warmi dans la forêt amazonienne de l'Équateur. Son objectif à long terme est de transférer la propriété de 36 hectares de forêt tropicale à l'organisation communautaire Kichwa Sinchi Warmi en tant que territoire communautaire, tout en respectant les critères de protection environnementale.

Jusqu'à ce que le transfert de propriété soit achevé, nous travaillons ensemble sur une période de cinq ans pour soutenir la protection et le renforcement de la forêt secondaire existante et des plus de 200 espèces animales et végétales qu'elle abrite. Cela comprend la reforestation des zones dégradées, des mesures de régénération visant à améliorer la santé écologique et à accroître la biodiversité, tout en autonomisant la communauté pour la gestion à long terme de la zone protégée.

La conservation à long terme n'est possible que si elle offre également des moyens de subsistance durables à la communauté. Le projet soutient donc le tourisme communautaire, les produits locaux et les activités éducatives qui génèrent des revenus locaux tout en protégeant la forêt. L'objectif est de permettre aux 24 membres de la communauté de consacrer du temps et des ressources à la gestion à long terme de la forêt.

Le transfert de connaissances entre les générations au sein de la communauté est également une partie importante du projet. Cela vise à aider à maintenir le lien de la communauté avec la nature parmi les générations futures et à soutenir la pratique à long terme de la protection de la forêt. Grâce à cette contribution financière, votre voyage soutient le travail du projet pour la protection de la forêt tropicale dans une région où les zones forestières sont soumises à des pressions d'utilisation des terres. Vous pouvez en savoir plus sur notre site web du projet : www.theforestguardians.org

Ventura selects service providers based on quality, reliability, and alignment with our sustainability values, with a strong preference for locally owned businesses. We intentionally avoid chain hotels, prioritising partners who offer authentic, community-based experiences.

We work with providers who deliver high service standards, operate safely and ethically, minimise environmental impact, provide fair working conditions, and actively support their local communities.

By combining operational excellence with environmental, social, and governance standards, we ensure our partnerships reflect our commitment to responsible and sustainable tourism.

At Ventura Travel, we are committed to sustainable tourism and take several active steps to prevent mass tourism and overtourism:

• Small group tours: We limit the size of our travel groups to a maximum of 12 participants. This ensures minimal impact on destinations, fosters authentic experiences, and helps avoid overwhelming local communities and attractions.
• Support for local communities: Our tours are designed in cooperation with local partners. We prioritize locally-owned accommodations, guides, and experiences, ensuring tourism benefits local economies and spreads visitors beyond crowded hotspots.
• Alternative destinations & flexible scheduling: We encourage travel to less-visited destinations and promote off-season trips. When visiting popular sites, we also try to schedule our visits at different times of the day to avoid peak crowds and reduce our impact.
• Education and awareness: We educate our travellers on responsible tourism practices, cultural sensitivity, and environmental protection. We actively encourage travellers to follow their guides’ recommendations and to respect local rules at hotspots, ensuring we help preserve these destinations for the future.
• Advocacy and innovation: Ventura Travel participates in industry initiatives and is currently working towards TourCert certification, demonstrating our commitment to continuously improving our sustainability practices and advocating for responsible tourism industry-wide.

TourCert is an independent international certification for responsible tourism companies. It verifies that a company does not just claim sustainability, but systematically manages and improves its environmental, social, and economic impacts. Certification is based on external audits and internationally recognized sustainability standards. In practical terms, TourCert requires us to:

• Implement a structured sustainability management system
• Measure and reduce environmental impacts (e.g. emissions, waste, resource use)
• Ensure fair labor conditions and responsible supplier standards
• Monitor human rights and community impacts
• Define measurable sustainability goals and improvement plans
• Report transparently and undergo regular independent audits

It is not a one-time label. We must demonstrate continuous improvement and documented progress. We could lose the certification if we:

• Fail to comply with required social or environmental standards
• Do not implement agreed improvement measures
• Provide inaccurate or misleading information
• Fail an external audit or refuse transparency

In short, TourCert holds us accountable. Certification only remains valid if we continuously meet the standards and show measurable progress.

At Ventura Travel, our approach to school visits is guided by our Child Protection Policy, which shapes our tour design and operations. We fundamentally aim not to include any interactions with children in our itineraries. We believe it is essential to uphold the highest standards for children’s safety, well-being, and privacy, ensuring that children are never treated as tourist attractions.

Our policy is clear and comprehensive:

• No required participation or promoted encounters: We do not offer activities or experiences that require the participation of children, nor do we promise or promote interactions with children as part of our travel programs.
• Visits structured to avoid child encounters: If a visit to a school or child-related project is included, it is always organized in a way that specifically avoids encounters with children. Under no circumstances are meetings with children guaranteed or marketed.
• Voluntary involvement: If, in rare cases, children are present during a visit, their participation must be completely voluntary.
• Upholding the highest standards: Throughout, we maintain and respect the strictest standards for protecting children’s rights, ensuring their safety and privacy at all times.

At Ventura Travel, we are committed to promoting only ethical and responsible tourism experiences. We categorically do not sell or promote any experiences that exploit animals or harm their welfare. Specifically, we draw a clear line against:

• Activities involving captive wildlife for entertainment or human interaction: We do not offer elephant riding, taking selfies with captive wild animals (such as tigers, lions, dolphins), swimming with captive dolphins, visits to circuses, or animal shows.
• Any activity that causes stress, harm, or changes natural animal behavior: This includes walking with lions, holding wild animals for photos, or participating in any form of animal exploitation.
• Unethical animal sanctuaries or attractions: We do not support or visit facilities that cannot prove genuine conservation or rescue intentions and that allow inappropriate physical contact with wildlife.

Our Approach: We only promote wildlife experiences that are respectful, non-intrusive, and beneficial to conservation and local communities. Our tours focus on observing animals in their natural habitats, guided by knowledgeable, ethical experts who prioritize both wildlife and ecosystem health. We constantly review our products and work with partners who share our values. If any experience is found to be unethical, it is removed from our offerings immediately.

Oui, il suffit de vous adresser à votre conseiller pour connaître les conditions. Le montant de la réduction dépend de la date de départ et de la compagnie aérienne prévue. Veuillez noter que nous bénéficions de tarifs négociés et donc la réduction n'est pas toujours équivalente au prix public.

Votre sécurité est de la plus haute importance pour nous. Comme vous voyagez sans guide touristique ou sans l'un des représentants de notre société, vous devrez alerter directement les services locaux en cas d'urgence. Par conséquent, veuillez garder à l'esprit les conseils suivants avant votre voyage avec nous :

• Ayez une liste des numéros de téléphone d'urgence possibles à destination (par exemple, les hôpitaux locaux, le consulat ou l'ambassade).

• Ayez toujours sur vous notre numéro de téléphone d'urgence (que vous trouverez dans vos documents de voyage).

• En outre, gardez sur vous le numéro d'urgence de votre assurance maladie de voyage.

• Enfin, veillez à consulter et à comprendre la liste de contrôle des bagages (par exemple, emporter suffisamment de médicaments, des conseils pour votre trousse de premiers soins, conserver une copie de votre passeport, etc.), que vous avez reçue dans le cadre de vos documents de voyage.

Les vols long-courriers et le programme sur place ont généré [XX] t de CO₂e pour ce voyage. [XXXX] mesure et surveille régulièrement l’empreinte carbone de ses voyages et réduit activement les émissions grâce à une conception durable des voyages : suppression des vols inutiles, réduction des correspondances, intégration du train et des transports en commun, et promotion de séjours plus longs afin de mieux équilibrer distance parcourue et impact environnemental.

De 2018 à 2024, nous avons soutenu des projets de réduction de CO₂ équivalents aux émissions générées par nos voyages. Conscients des limites des modèles classiques de compensation carbone, nous privilégions désormais une action directe en faveur de l’environnement via notre propre projet de protection de la forêt tropicale, Forest Guardians.

Pour plus d’informations sur notre engagement climatique et environnemental : https://www.venturatravel.org/impact