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Silk Tour: Real Steps Towards Sustainability

At SILK TOUR , sustainability is at the core of everything we do. From reducing environmental impact to supporting local communities and preserving cultural heritage, we are committed to ensuring our travel experiences leave a positive legacy.

Environmental Initiatives

We have made significant strides in reducing our environmental footprint. Plastic waste is a major concern in tourism, and we’ve taken action to minimize it. On our tours, we replaced single-use plastic bottles with reusable thermoses, offering large 35-50L water containers with pumps for easy refills. In our hotels, we eliminated plastic bottles entirely, replacing them with elegant glass decanters.

Transportation is another area where we’ve made progress. In cities like Bukhara, Khiva, and Samarkand, over 60% of our group tours now rely on walking and electric golf carts, reducing emissions in areas with concentrated attractions. In addition, we’ve introduced energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling systems across our office and hotels to further lessen our environmental impact.

We’ve also focused on reducing waste in our operations, achieving a 40% reduction in paper usage by reusing materials for internal documents and implementing double-sided printing practices.

Empowering Communities

We believe in supporting the communities we work with, and this commitment is reflected in our practices. To ensure ethical treatment of animals, we conducted two inspection tours to Aydarkul and the Nurata Mountains, evaluating the state of wildlife and camel-riding services offered by local bases.

Our dedication to sustainability extends to education and training. Recently, our manager completed the Travelife Partners sustainability course, equipping us with tools and strategies to implement more sustainable practices across our operations. We continue to collaborate with local businesses, artisans, and guides, ensuring that the economic benefits of tourism flow directly to the communities we serve.

Cultural and Traveler Engagement

Preserving cultural heritage is a vital part of our mission. Through curated tours to lesser-known sites, we engage travelers in meaningful experiences that also contribute to the conservation of local landmarks and traditions.

Education plays a key role in our sustainability efforts. We provide travelers with practical tips on reducing waste, using reusable bottles, and respecting wildlife and local customs. Moreover, we actively collect and analyze feedback from online and offline channels, using these insights to improve our services and address any shortcomings.

Looking to the Future

Sustainability is a journey, and we are committed to doing more. In the coming years, we plan to expand the use of eco-friendly transportation, integrate renewable energy into our operations, and deepen our collaborations with community-led initiatives.

Together with our travelers, we aim to create experiences that not only delight but also leave a lasting positive impact on the environment, the communities we touch, and the cultural heritage we treasure.

Silk Tour, January 2025