Responsible tourism in Andalusia

It isn’t strange to see guides with speakers walking the streets. Just think how you would feel if they stopped right by your window on a summer afternoon, In all historic quarters we implement a high quality wireless group guide system starting from groups with 6 people. With these devices the guide can speak in a low voice and the visitors can hear correctly.

We don’t offer activities related to so- called “get drunk” tourism. Bachelor’s Parties is one of the hot issues in the historical centers of the Andalusian capitals. We bet on culture, gastronomy, nature and adventure.

We don’t work with noisy establishments or businesses. We don’t exercise our right on the complaint of one person, but on the public outcry of the neighbors.

We will avoid routes between 14:00 and 16:00 hours and between 00:00 and 08:00 if it concerns urban surroundings to respect the neighbors rest.

We don’t work with Segway in historical quarters. Many of the neighbors’ complaints are motivated by the invasion of the pedestrian space by motor vehicles. To us Segway seems an interesting proposal to get to know the city, but sometimes it comes into conflict with the pedestrians.

We don’t work with businesses that invade the thoroughfare. There are pedestrian streets in Andalusia that have been taken over completely by bars and restaurants.

Our groups journeys are not carried out by public transport in saturated areas. Sometimes the inhabitants cannot use the buses because they are full of tourist.

The historical quarters of the Andalusian capitals need less road traffic, there exists circulation problems. In saturated zones we will not use private buses, since they generate traffic, noise and pollution.

We can’t stop from showing you the most popular places. However we design alternative routes and we make an effort to design touristic experiences in the least crowded places of the city. Check our special products.

Sometimes it’s as easy as using Google Maps, or apps as Where is Public Toilet, to find one. Our guides will urge the participants to use public or private bathrooms.

In most cases our activities don’t require the consumption of packed products in the thoroughfare. Should it be necessary, the tasting menus and sample tastes will always be carried out in controlled areas and our guides will guarantee the recovery of any waste.

We don’t work with to rent tourist flats in the so-called conflict zones, which basically are the historical centers of the Andalusian capitals. Apart from them we cooperate with legal dealers.

We don’t go into the courtyards of private homes to show you daily life, unless we have express consent from the owner or the community.

Not everybody likes to be photographed, in consequence it’s convenient to ask permission to do it, especially in the event of children. Andalucía’s 360 good practice rule book for its guides considers recommending the participants to take photographs respectfully.

Andalucía 360’s guides always have a regulated training in history, art history and tourism and are also holders, if asked for, of the Tourism Board’s Official Interpreter or Guide identity card. Unqualified professional practice harms tourism.

Until not very long ago historians and art historians were demanding their right to obtain an Official Tourism Guide Diploma. Nowadays, it’s possible. From Andalucía we always look for the best professional historians.

Cooperation with the local suppliers that carry out their activity in Andalusia. With this measure the consumption of local products is stimulated and CO2 emissions due to transport are reduced.

With the use of wireless group guide systems we can reduce noise between 20 and 25 decibels. We reduce acoustic contamination considerably.

We promote the use of public water fountains and basins to reduce the consumption of bottled water. Our routes are,whenever possible, designed having these water spots in mind. And our guides will inform you of their location.

We use the least paper possible, but what we use is recycled or comes from responsible sources certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The paper we use is also qualified as TCF, “totally free of chlorine” which uses alternative products as oxygen and ozone. It’s not necessary to carry the booking receipt, bring it along digitally on your phone.

Recycling. When we need to buy equipment we always make sure that they have the least plastic possible and have been produced nearby. But when we have the possibility, we look for old equipment and give them a new life. Discover the story behind our stools.

The umbrellas are made of recycled plastic, metal and wood. The headphone bags are linen, and for every one of our organic material backpacks a tree has been planted. And this is just the beginning.

We make up part of the Andalusian Network against Climate Change. Our commitment with the environment has a place in this network of companies and institutions that fight to build a better Andalusia.

Andalucia 360 is an on-line travel agency that almost exclusively works digitally. All our communication with our clients and suppliers is carried out through email or telephone so we can reduce the use of paper to the minimum necessary. Administration and accounting is done with management software on which invoices and other documents are only issued and kept in digital format.

Our activities in the historical quarters are made to develop pedestrian activity or with means of transportation that are less invasive and don’t pollute, like bicycles.

Amongst our services we don’t consider activities where interaction with animal for entertainment is carried out. We respect the value and validity of the Andalusian traditions, but we steer our company forward with future vision.