Partner
Partner
Nobody changes the world alone. That is why we work with reliable partners who support us with their expertise, experience, professional structures, drive and passion. Because only together can we make a difference!
Futouris e.V. – The Sustainability Initiative
As a sustainability initiative of the German travel industry, Futouris has set itself the goal of preserving holiday destinations and making the travel industry fit for the future. All around the world, members of Futouris are committed to improving living conditions as well as preserving biological diversity and protecting the environment and climate.
The measures and help provided by Futouris are therefore comprehensive, sustainable and geared towards the long-term. Moreover, they are planned and implemented in close collaboration with local communities.
DERTOUR Group joined Futouris in 2015. In doing so, it pursues the goal of promoting tourist destinations in the long-term and by supporting projects in the areas of ecology, biodiversity and responsibility towards society and culture. Since then, DERTOUR Group has been engaging in a wide range of Futouris projects. Since 2018, DERTOUR Group has also been involved in the association’s work as a member of the Futouris board.
ECPAT Deutschland e.V. – Working Group for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation
ECPAT is dedicated to the protection of children from all forms of commercial exploitation and sexual abuse. In Germany, 28 nationwide institutions and groups have merged to form ECPAT Deutschland e.V. – Arbeitsgemeinschaft zum Schutz der Kinder vor sexueller Ausbeutung (Working Group for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation).
The association is also a member of ECPAT International, an international children’s rights organisation based in Bangkok/Thailand. As a global network, it can now draw on the support of 122 members in 104 countries (as of September 2021).
ECPAT Deutschland e.V. is committed to ensuring that the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child is respected. The association reveals the causes of non-compliance and pursues violations with all available means. In doing so, it engages in the fields of politics, justice, economy and education. Together with governmental and non-governmental organisations, it conducts campaigns and projects
- that will raise public awareness about the complex and often still taboo subject area
- develop prevention measures and
- create a legal basis for the protection of children.
For many years, DERTOUR Group has been working with ECPAT on the issue of child protection. The association advises and supports us in the development and implementation of our measures. Among others, an ECPAT trainer trains our employees and partners on child protection and the implementation of the code of conduct to protect children against sexual exploitation, or (The Code) for short.
The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism – The Code
The Code is a consortium of governmental and non-governmental organisations, associations and initiatives. They jointly pursue the goal of preventing sexual exploitation of children in the travel and tourism industry.
Its members undertake to comply with a voluntary catalogue of criteria to protect children. Across the globe, local organisations support The Code in raising the awareness of and making tools available to the local travel and tourism industry, and assisting them to prevent sexual exploitation of children.
For many years, DERTOUR Group has taken a firm stance against all forms of sexual violence against children in tourism. In 2016, we also signed the code of conduct, “The Code”, to protect children against sexual exploitation in tourism. In doing so, we have committed ourselves to implementing the criteria of The Code.
Deutscher Reiseverband
As a leading representative of the German travel industry, the Deutscher Reiseverband (DRV) is committed to the diverse concerns of tour operators, travel agencies, tourism service providers in politics and the public. Important topics include child protection and sustainability.
In the DRV Working Group on Child Protection, its members, non-governmental as well as governmental actors fight against the sexual exploitation of minors in tourism. The activities focus on raising awareness and providing information to travellers, but also to employees of the travel industry, in order to protect children against sexual assault. Since 2010, DERTOUR Group has been an active member of the Working Group on Child Protection.
It is also vice-chair within the DRV Sustainability Committee. Its agenda includes topics such as environmental and climate protection, human rights and social responsibility. It considers itself to be a driving force in the travel industry and therefore networks closely with other organisations that deal with the issue in the industry.
Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism
The Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism e.V. (RTHR) is a non-profit association and international multi-stakeholder initiative to promote human rights in the travel and tourism industry.
As an open network, it supports tourism companies on their way towards respecting human rights in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The aim is to prevent, address and remedy human rights violations along the value chain in business operations.
In their core values, members of the Roundtable commit to international agreements on the respect for human rights and pledge themselves to their legally binding implementation instruments in tourism. Through training, webinars, events and regular evaluation, members actively work to improve the human rights situation in corporate policy, culture and governance.
DERTOUR Group is involved in the Roundtable through its memberships of DERTOUR Suisse and in the Deutscher Reiseverband (DRV). Employees of DERTOUR Suisse also contribute to the content as board members of the RTHR. It is through them that we jointly implement projects with RTHR, for example the Human Rights Impact Assessment Thailand.
Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung
The Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V. acknowledges its responsibility arising from the fact that tourism is one of the largest economic sectors in the world. It is especially committed to a sustainable social and environmentally responsible tourism development. In numerous projects, it critically and constructively analyses the opportunities, risks and responsibility of tourism developments.
Here the focus is on development-related information and education work in tourism To that end, it publishes the “SympathieMagazine” and other publications and organises international competitions. What is more, it organises training seminars for those employed in tourism, is active in the areas of tourism research and consultancy and engages in dialogue on tourism development issues.
The local population of the tourist destinations should also benefit from the economic power of tourism. That is why the Studienkreis launched the international competition “TO DO Award” as early as 1995. It honours initiatives that enable locals to participate and have a say in tourist projects and products.
DERTOUR Group is both a member of the Studienkreis and on the jury of the TO DO Award.
Travelife for Tour Operators and Travel Agents
The Travelife Sustainability System has been committed to promoting sustainable practices in the travel and tourism industry since 2007. As a training, management and certification initiative, Travelife helps tour operators and travel agencies in monitoring and improving the social and ecological impact of their business operations. The initiative therefore aims to play a role in the sustainable development and protection of environment and culture in the holiday destinations.
On the path towards consistently sustainable business practices, Travelife provides the industry with a wide range of services. This includes training or a sustainability management system that can be used to manage the entire sustainability activities, ranging from the current status to the action plan and its implementation right through to monitoring and reporting. What is more, Travelife enables corporate certification based on international sustainability standards.
The Destination Management Companies of DERTOUR DMC GmbH are a Travelife member. That provides us access to Travelife’s expertise and resources.
Travelife Stay Better (Travelife Accommodation Sustainability)
Travelife Stay Better is an internationally recognised sustainability programme that is specifically tailored towards accommodation. Some 1,500 members in over 50 countries use the Travelife tools and resources to improve the ecological and social impact of their business operations.
To that end, verifiable criteria were developed for evaluating the performance of accommodation in the areas of human rights, working conditions, social engagement and environmental impact. A global team of independent assessors visits each accommodation to audit them based on the Travelife standard, which is also recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
Accommodation that meets this standard receives a Travelife Gold certification in the form of a logo and a certificate for responsible tourism. Sustainably certified hotels are labelled with a Green Leaf in the DERTOUR Group catalogues. Among the hotels labelled with the Green Leaf, there are also those that are certified with the Travelife Accommodation Sustainability Standard. Currently, hotels of the DERTOUR Hotels & Resorts are also applying for certification with the Travelife standard.
