AIDA introduces new National Geographic Day Tours

Their focus will be on education and sustainable tourism, with National Geographic-trained guides leading small groups to discover spots less common on cruise ship itineraries, in France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the Canary Islands and Madeira.

The tours can already be booked on all AIDA cruises in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and Madeira, online and on board. 

National Geographic Day Tours

All National Geographic Day Tours meet the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria, which focuses on sustainable management, socio-economic-, cultural-, and environmental impact. Additionally, when passengers book a National Geographic Day Tour, they support research and sustainability programs around the world by donating a portion of the proceeds to the non-profit National Geographic Society.

‘For more and more guests, unforgettable and responsible vacation experiences are part of a successful cruise,’ said Frank Bönsch, VP guest commerce, AIDA Cruises. ‘Therefore, it is essential for us to be sustainable in all areas of our product.’ 

He added, ‘In the area of shore excursions, we are continuously developing our offerings for a variety of groups and ages, focusing on local immersion and environmental protection, so we are pleased to be able to expand our portfolio of sustainable excursions with the National Geographic Day Tours.’ 

Highlights 

The new shore excursions include a geologist-led hike to Barcelona's sacred Montserrat mountain. 

In Rome will be a tour of life below the city, with an archaeologist offering a unique perspective on the architectural and archaeological heritage, while the terraced houses of Ephesus will be brought to life in Kusadasi through special demonstrations and workshops, for instance, pottery or tile painting. 

Passengers will walk in the footsteps of the birth of democracy and get a special behind-the-scenes look through historical and educational storytelling in Athens, while in Santorini, an archaeologist will take passengers on an exploration of the excavation site of Akrotiri - the ‘Greek Pompeii.’ 

In Ibiza, a herbalist will discuss the island’s wild herbs and a beekeeper will talk about the life of bees and their importance to the ecosystem and food stability. 

Sustainable shore excursions from AIDA 

AIDA currently offers 5,750 shore excursions worldwide, around 780 of those with a connection to sustainable tourism. The selection is made according to criteria developed with sustainability initiative, Futouris. All offers that meet the social, ecological and cultural standards are specially marked with a tree symbol. The four main criteria relate to transport services, content/focus of the excursion, gastronomy, and the sustainability commitment of the local partner agency. There are numerous sub-items also included in the evaluation (for example, in the area of transportation, the focus is on avoiding CO2 emissions.)