Our Commitment to the SDGS
Contributing to the SDG's (Sustainable Development Goals), local communities, and people's health as a travel agency specializing in wellness tourism
In order to actively promote the SDG's proposed by the United Nations, we have completed the training program of GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) sponsored by the Japan Tourism Agency in June 2022. We have been working on this every day.
In collaboration with Professor Masashi Arakawa of Ryukyu University, Japan's leading wellness tourism expert in the field of wellness research, we have been actively incorporating Okinawa's food and traditional culture into our tours, and through contact with local people and nature, we have been creating tours that enable people to return to their origins, heal their body and soul, and grow in awareness and self-growth while traveling (=wellness tours).
From 2020, due to the global spread of the new coronavirus, people will be forced to refrain from going out of their homes for an extended period of time, and this will lead to a weakening of human ties, making it imperative to address mental health issues. We hope to improve people's physical and mental health through connecting with local communities, the people who live there, new encounters during travel, and nature, and to contribute to the reduction of medical costs in Japan in the future.
Our new initiatives include a golf tour in collaboration with a company that is currently advocating rehabilitation tourism, and we are planning and developing a tour related to longevity in Japan in response to requests from overseas customers, in collaboration with the University of the Ryukyu.
As a travel agency, we will continue to fulfill our role and responsibility to contribute to sustainable development goals and local communities.
Our Philosophy
We, Wellness Tours, are committed to contributing to our clients' physical and mental improvement, personal growth, and community revitalization by creating tours that value local communities, the people who live there, their culture, daily life, and nature, while at the same time valuing "connections with people". We will also create a checklist for monitoring continuous improvement of performance and publish the results on our website.
Our SDG's Goals
We have identified 9 of the 17 SDG's goals (3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 17) as issues we should address.
3. Good Health and Well-Being
4. Quality Education
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
10. Reduced Inequalities
11. Sustainable cities and Communities
12. Responsible Consumpution and Production
14. Life Below Water
15. Life on Land
17. partnership
Specific guidelines for SDG's initiatives and future goals
3. Good Health and Well-Being
We are working with Professor Masashi Arakawa of the Wellness Research Area at the University of the Ryukyu, Japan's leading authority on wellness tourism, in an industry-academia collaboration to create the tours.
The wellness tours actively incorporate evidence-based programs that contribute to physical and mental health, including marine and natural therapies.
4. Qutality Education
Our tours are led by high quality local guides who provide in-depth explanations of local history and culture. Gaining new knowledge and understanding of the local community is a great opportunity for personal growth.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
12. Responsible Cosumption and Production
By incorporating local services, traditions, and local products into our tours, Wellness Tours provides travel pleasure to our participating guests and contributes to the economic growth and cultural heritage of local communities.
11. Sustainable cities and Communities
17. Partnership
Tourism is an industry that is prone to buying and selling.
We conduct our business through fair trade because we believe it is important that the people involved in creating tours with us are also enriched.
Likewise, we will give preference to fair trade suppliers.
12. Responsible Consumpution and Production
For places of lodging that do not provide amenities, such as guest houses, we will offer our guests the choice of bringing their own or paying for them, in order to protect the environment.
14. Life Below Water
15. Life on Land
We believe in the importance of nature and environmental conservation.
When going to the ocean or other natural areas on our tours, we will follow the instructions of local guides and make every effort to preserve the environment. In areas where endangered species such as the Okinawa rail are present, we will take all possible precautions in accordance with local ordinances.
Contributing to the SDGs through our business
■Environmental Initiative
(1) Use renewable resources as much as possible for consumables used in the office
(2) Actively practicing the "Cool Biz" campaign recommended by the Ministry of the Environment
(3) Cleaner and more efficient methods are used when moving
(4) Aiming for zero printed materials, all itineraries and other materials will be distributed online.
(5) Tours are conducted by guides who are well versed in local culture and history, and contribute to understanding local culture, environmental conservation, and the local economy.
■Customer Safety and Security (Risk Management System)
Enrolled in the "Serious Accident Support Program" through the ANTA（All Nippon Travel agents Association)