Great Wall Care
Responsible Tourism
Sustainable Travel
Our responsible tourism and environmental policies form an integral part of the Great Wall Adventure Club's philosophy and operating procedures. Our overseas clients and student/charity groups visit some of the world's most wondrous places. We want to leave those places in better condition than when we found it to ensure that future generations get the same thrill visiting as you do!
We are committed to ensuring that all our clients have a positive environmental and cultural impact on the places they go and the people they meet. We endeavor to emphasize China's countryside, a much-overlooked area where poverty is still the norm. By aiding the local economy in terms of jobs and stability, we strive to improve the lives of these hard-working and wonderful people.
We believe that it is the people around you who really make an adventure special more than anything. That's why we think we go further than any other company in aiding the people living in China, especially in this country's rural areas. Responsible tourism means treating all our local employees and associates fairly and ensuring they are appropriately compensated for their hard work while being committed to every adventure you embark upon. The following are the set of guidelines we have designed to ensure that we enrich all of the lives we come into contact with during our adventures:
- In many of our Great Wall destinations, we have local partners who are incredibly knowledgeable about the Great Wall's terrain, hiking routes, paths, military areas. This is done to make sure our hiking is safe and well-operated.
- We hire local guides who are usually peasants and farmers from low-income families. We use them to help us with the activity setup, for example, prepare our camping. We also use their facilities, such as their accommodation and dining facilities, to make a valuable year-round contribution to the local economy. Also, our local partners earn precious extra income to support their families. That is the additional income they wouldn't ordinarily receive.
- In addition to our guides, all of our personnel (all office staff, cooks, porters, drivers, etc.) are local to the area where your program is located, providing much-needed jobs and stability to the local economy.
- Our guides are paid significantly more than the government-controlled tour agencies and our competitors.
- We do not use tips as a substitute for salaries, as we pay our staff a fair and generous wage. The distribution of tips is carefully monitored by us to ensure fairness and transparency. Again, this is something you rarely see in locally-owned Chinese travel agencies.
- We take pride in our staff and local partners, and the invaluable contributions they make to ensuring all our clients have the best possible experience. We run an annual reward and incentive program for the locally-operated staff who have received positive feedback from trip participants.
- We have personally evaluated every single one of the local hostels and guesthouses that we use. Great Wall Adventure Club's certification program is the first of its kind in China. This certification program is meant to ensure quality control and is yet another way GWAC is making sure that our clients can get the most satisfying experience possible.
- We adhere to strict guidelines regarding the vehicles we use to meet the strict standards of environmental protection and the People's Republic of China's safety.