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RCL confirms 70 operators provide verifiably sustainable tours

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Roberta Jacoby - 'We want to do our part to make sure destinations continue to thrive'
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and 70 of its tour operators have completed a multi-year program aimed at increasing the number of sustainable excursions available to the company’s five million annual passengers.

This commitment serves to protect the destinations the ships visit and raise awareness among travelers by designating tours whose operators have been verified to follow sustainable policies developed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

'We want to do our part to make sure that these destinations continue to thrive,' said Roberta Jacoby, managing director, Global Tour Operations, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 'We are incredibly proud of the 70 tour operators that have been with us on this journey which first started in 2010.'

RCL worked with Sustainable Travel International to develop the Sustainable Tourism Education Program’s Sustainable Shore Excursion Standard, a subset of criteria and indicators from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council standard selected by STI as being applicable to cruise line excursions. The standard is designed to help identify providers that offer high-quality shore excursions that also support local communities and conserve the environment.  

Sustainable shore excursions are more than just nature tours. They encompass a broader category including tours that responsibly manage environmental impacts, preserve local history and cultures, protect the rights and resources of the local community and have properly trained employees committed to quality service.