Asian Trails | 2022 Annual Sustainability Report

2022 ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

A NOTE ON SUSTAINABILITY AT ASIAN TRAILS FROM OUR CEO

“Sustainability is not an objective but a constant process. Asian Trails is committed to reducing its impact on the environment by constantly reviewing and improving operations, and in creating tours that support local communities, respect nature, adhere to our animal welfare policies and reduce carbon emissions.

Tourism leaves an impact on destinations – we cannot deny this. Asian Trails has strict internal guidelines to respect and contribute to the overall well-being of Asian tourism by following our three main principles for tourism longevity:

• Supporting responsible, economic growth through tourism

• Preserving and respecting local culture and heritage

• Minimising our footprint on the environment

After almost three years since the coronavirus pandemic brought international travel to a halt, most countries in South-East Asia have reopened their borders. With tourist arrivals rapidly soaring, we at Asian Trails recognise the need to strike a crucial balance between tourism and sustainability. In 2023 our efforts will be largely placed on revising and building upon our existing portfolio of responsible tourism products in alignment with global industry standards.”

Laurent Kuenzle | Chief Executive Officer

SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT AT ASIAN TRAILS

At Asian Trails we are determined to make sustainability part of the company culture. This is a long-term objective which involves clear internal processes and close collaboration with external partners on sustainability matters.

Every employee has specific responsibilities that contribute to the progress of the company’s sustainability agenda. In addition, specific employees (one Group Sustainability Coordinator and eight Country Sustainability Coordinators) are assigned greater responsibilities to lead and direct the process by providing information and inspiration to the rest of the team.

GROUP SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR

Based in our Bali, Indonesia office, Tara Hammond is our Group Sustainability Coordinator. Her role is to lead company-wide sustainability initiatives and manage our team of Country Sustainability Coordinators in each country.

COUNTRY SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATORS

Our Country Sustainability Coordinators are our destination-specific sustainability experts. They are actively involved in the development of the company’s sustainability plan and responsible for ensuring it is implemented successfully, in line with local conditions. They come from a wide range of departments, bringing a breadth and depth of knowledge to the company’s sustainability management team.

COUNTRY SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATORS

Cambodia

Kumar Kanchan

China

Justin Culkin

Indonesia

Lydia Lerry

Laos

Julie Beaufrère

Malaysia

Abu Fadzil

Myanmar

Saw Win

Thailand

Surapon

Vutivakinsakul

Vietnam

Alex Leven

TRAVELIFE FOR TOUR OPERATORS

Travelife is a leading training, management and certification initiative for tourism companies committed to sustainability. In early 2022, our Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand offices will be undergoing the ‘Partner’ renewal process after first being certified in 2021. Our Vietnam office has retained certification and is due renewal in 2023. The certification and renewal processes are very rigorous and cover the following main themes:

• Sustainability management

• Supply chain partners – accommodation, transport, activities

• Tour guides

• Destination management

• Sustainability communication

TRAINING AND CAPACITY

BUILDING ON SUSTAINABILITY

STAFF TRAINING

People are our passion, so we place a strong emphasis on their professional development. Our internal sustainability trainings in 2021 focused on the following main themes:

• Health & Safety

• Regenerative Tourism

• Accessible Tourism

• Creating and Measuring Impact

• Staff Engagement

• Sustainable Food & Beverage

TRAVELIFE TRAINING

Several of our team members across all countries took part in Travelife online trainings:

• COVID-19 resilience

• Animal welfare

• Child protection

• Environmental management

• Guides and sustainability

• Staff engagement

SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR SUPPLY CHAIN

The Asian Trails ESTEEM Principle

Creating unique travel experiences that maximise positive impacts on local communities and minimise negative impacts on the environment is one of our core objectives.

Therefore, in 2020 we put together a detailed evaluation process to identify and highlight our most sustainable day excursions and multi-day tours. Our process to evaluate products and identify those that can be considered ‘Sustainable Trails’ is based on our six ESTEEM principles. Our Sustainable Trails must meet the criteria for at least three of these to be classified as such.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS CRITERIA: OUR SIX ESTEEM PRINCIPLES

Eat locally

Local dishes using local ingredients from local suppliers are served during meals that are included in the itinerary.

Stay eco-friendly

Stay overnight at an Ecolodge, homestay, tent, or hotel which is classified by a third-party or Asian Trails as environmentally-responsible.

Transport alternatively

Environmentally-friendly activities or transport are included as part of the tour as an alternative to CO2-emitting activities or transport.

Empower viably

Taking part in community-led or community-managed activities or experiences where local people can improve their lives from an economic and/or professional development perspective.

Experience meaningfully

Organised cultural or environmental learning experiences where local providers receive direct income for specific services are included.

Make a difference

Financial or in-kind contributions to a social or environmental organization or cause are included as part of the tour.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS

An enlightened, meaningful way to explore, partaking in one of our crafted itineraries contributes to environmentally friendly causes and gives back to society and respectfully engages with local communities. We have joined forces with local players with a mutual interest in organising excursions and activities of a sustainable nature. Under the motto: ‘We aim to leave a place in a better condition as we found it’, these trails focus on a responsible approach of travel for the more conscious explorer. Our ‘Sustainable Trails’ products must meet the criteria of at least three of our ESTEEM Principles.

In the following slides we have showcased for each of our destinations one excursion and one tour from the many that we have classified as Sustainable Trails. Please contact our country teams for information about others.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS IN CAMBODIA

PHNOM PENH TOUR

Transport alternatively: Ride an electric tuktuk – this transport provides a unique view of the capital city whilst treading light.

Experience meaningfully: Support Cambodia’s arts and crafts to remain intact through their appreciation and support for the country’s traditions.

Empower viably: Visits to workshops –stimulate employment and training opportunities for locals and marginalised people and this approach provides a chance for them to earn a ‘living wage’.

SIEM REAP TOUR

Transport alternatively: Ride an e-bike. Experience meaningfully: You will get the chance to participate in hands-on workshops that enhance the livelihoods of local artisans.

Empower viably: Contribute towards preserving Cambodia’s rich heritage of arts and crafts by supporting and appreciating local artisans and providing employment and training to Cambodians from rural areas.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS IN CHINA

YANGSHUO BIKING

Eat Locally: Home-cooked meals.

Transport alternatively: Biking included. Experience meaningfully: You will have the chance to meet and chat with local villagers and better learn and understand their daily lives and livelihoods in the Yangshuo countryside.

KAYAKING QINGHAI

Eat Locally: Meals are cooked by the local community.

Stay eco-friendly: Tented camp accommodation.

Transport alternatively: Several hikes & kayaking activities included.

Experience meaningfully: Local expert Tibetan guides share stories and bring travelers to off-the-beaten-track places.

Empower viably: All services are outsourced to remote local communities where they receive a tangible monetary fee.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS IN INDONESIA

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS IN INDONESIA

2 DAY MENJANGAN CAMPING

Eat locally: Dinner at the tent camp features locally sourced ingredients.

Stay eco- friendly: All our accommodation has successfully passed our Hotel Sustainability Assessment and the Travelife certified accommodation benchmark.

Transport alternatively: A walking tour and snorkelling activity is included.

HIDDEN EAST BALI SUNRISE HIKING

Eat locally: Lunch is provided using locally sourced ingredients.

Transport Alternatively: Trekking tour.

Experience Meaningfully: A paid visit to a responsible wildlife excursion. Make a difference: A visit to an animal sanctuary helps fund conservation activities.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS IN LAOS

8 DAY FAMILY JOURNEY LAOS

Stay eco- friendly: Our accommodation has successfully passed our Hotel Sustainability Assessment and the Travelife certified accommodation benchmark.

Transport alternatively: Interprovincial transfers are on the new high-speed train.

Experience meaningfully: Visit a responsible wildlife centre (MandaLao Elephant Center & Free The Bear) with an expert guide. Make a difference: Visit an animal sanctuary where part of the entry fee funds conservation activities.

HALF DAY COPE VISITORS CENTRE AND MINNANO CAFÉ

Eat locally: Minnano Café is a local café serving ‘made in Laos’ coffee and homemade pastries and cookies.

Empower viably: Minnano Café is a community-led vocational business giving work opportunities to the hearing impaired in Laos. Therefore, local people can improve their lives from an economic and/or professional development perspective.

Make a difference: A financial contribution to COPE Visitors Centre is included in the tour.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS IN MALAYSIA

BEAUTIFUL BALIK PULAU

COUNTRYSIDE BICYCLE RIDE

Eat Locally: Lunch is made using locally sourced ingredients at a locally owned and run restaurant.

Transport alternatively: Limited vehicle usage – most of the excursion is spent on a bicycle.

3 DAY TABIN WILDLIFE SAFARI

Eat Locally: Meals are cooked using local ingredients.

Stay eco- friendly: Overnights are at a lodge with high standards of eco-friendly practices. Transport alternatively: Vehicle usage is only for transfers – the majority of activities include trekking hiking and walking activities.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS IN MYANMAR

Eat locally: Locally cooked meals enjoyed at local eateries.

Transport alternatively: Limited vehicle usage. Most of the tour is spent on a cycling adventure across country on small dirt tracks and walkways.

Eat locally: Eat local meals at selected social enterprises.

Empower viably: Visit a community-based tourism project.

Experience Meaningfully: : Experience the performances of traditional Myanmar dance and music in a contemporary setting.

2 DAY BAGAN BIKE TOUR

8 DAY CLASSIC MYANMAR TOUR

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS IN THAILAND

3 DAY RURAL IDYLL TOUR

Eat locally: Locally cooked meals enjoyed at local eateries.

Experience Meaningfully: Learn from local communities how humans, wild elephants and bees live in harmony and support the ecosystem in the community forest.

Transport alternatively: Limited vehicle usage. Bike ride though villages, stop at viewpoints and enjoy jungle trekking.

INTARA FARM VISIT TOUR

Eat locally: Local dishes using local ingredients from local suppliers are served. Transport alternatively: Paddle a kayak through mangrove forests.

Experience Meaningfully: Learn about the local lifestyle of the villagers living in harmony with the mangrove forest.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILS IN VIETNAM

Eat locally: Locally cooked and sourced meals.

Transport alternatively: Most of the day is spent on a bicycle.

Stay eco-friendly: Traditional homestay accommodation.

Experience meaningfully: Take part in an educational hands-on learning experience on rice farming.

Eat locally: Meals are made by local communities.

Transport alternatively: Trekking activities are included.

Stay eco-friendly: Homestays.

Experience meaningfully: Local community members receive valuable additional income for evening cultural performances.

RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL TOURISM AT ASIAN TRAILS

In 2020 we launched Our Actions on Animal Welfare, our official animal welfare policy. This document is based primarily around the internationally-recognised ‘Five Freedoms’.

THE PRACTICAL PURPOSE OF OUR POLICY

➢ To research and understand better responsible animal-related tourism.

➢ Raise awareness about key issues among our staff and supply chain partners.

➢ Use the policy as the basis of our animal excursions audit questionnaire – used to identify responsible animal experiences in all our destinations that are operated in line with our animal welfare policy. The following four slides showcase some of the many animal experiences we have classified as Responsible Animal Tourism.

RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL EXPERIENCES IN…

CAMBODIA | KULEN ELEPHANT

FOREST RESERVE

Spend an unforgettable day with the elephants at the Kulen Elephant Forest Reserve. The Reserve’s mission is to provide their resident elephants with a happy and comfortable retirement home and also to offer a fun, educational approach to elephant conservation and contribute as much as possible to preserving the remaining elephants of Cambodia.

CHINA | CHENGDU WEEKEND ESCAPE

This is a one-of-a-kind weekend escape. Visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding which is known as the best place to visit the rare giant panda and educate the public on key conservation programmes related to the pandas. You can closely observe the giant pandas of different ages resting, eating and playing together with the other pandas.

I

RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL EXPERIENCES IN…

NDONESIA | TURTLE CONSERVATION

An integrated educational programme dedicated to turtle, coral reef and ocean protection.

Immerse yourself with a visit to the TCEC on turtle island that educates both the local community and schoolkids to help end the turtle trade and support conservation. Participate in a hands-on workshop to create your own clay coral reef and learn about ocean conservation through an ‘escape room’ experience.

SANCTUARY

Spend an unforgettable day learning about sun and black bears native to South-East Asia. Meet the educational team and learn about the history and threats to these beautiful animals through the work of the NGO, Free the Bears. Finally, you will get up close and personal with the bears and help the local team with feeding chores under their expert guidance.

RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL EXPERIENCES IN…

A health-recovery farm for elephants, it's key focus is on education and preserving the Thai elephant population through four key focus areas: rescue, recovery, reproduction, and reintroduction. Visitors to the farm are educated on the threats elephants face in the wild and are then able to gain hands-on experience by caring for an elephant for the day under the guidance of in house experts.

PRIMATE SPECIES CENTRE

A purpose-built primate rescue and rehabilitation centre across a 560,000 sq-m island. This is an ideal place to learn how animals are nurtured back into the wild. Visitors can observe the animals in their enclosures and learn more about the organisation’s re-introduction work.

THAILAND | PATARA ELEPHANT FARM VIETNAM | DAO TIEN ENDANGERED

RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL EXPERIENCES IN…

MALAYSIA | HEART 2 HEART

WITH THE ORANGUTANS

A one-day programme which allows participants to actively participate in orangutan rehabilitation work at the Matang Wildlife Centre. Participants have a chance to learn from a dedicated team of experts from Sarawak Forestry about the challenges of orangutan rehabilitation and related work at the centre. All funds received are channelled to orangutan conservation programmes and orangutan, educational and awareness projects.

MYANMAR |MINSONETAUNG

SANCTUARY

Visit the Burmese Star Tortoise which is an endangered species originally from the dry zone in Myanmar. The sanctuary has been actively breeding tortoises to release into the wild – in total about 2,800 tortoises so far. Visitors can enjoy the centre and stroll through the natural setting of the sanctuary to see the tortoises.

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLES INITIATIVE

At Asian Trails we acknowledge that the activities we organise can have negative impacts on the environment. Regarding single-use plastic waste, we are committed to minimising our contribution as much as possible. In 2020 we officially launched our initiative to replace single-use plastic water bottles with reusable water bottles for all our travellers on multi-day package tours.

This involves close collaboration with all our suppliers to ensure clean, hygienic water refill stations are available for our travellers to refill their bottles regularly.

One US dollar from the inclusion of a reusable water bottle in a traveller’s itinerary will be donated to a local plastic reduction or clean water project.

CARBON OFFSETTING INITIATIVE

Our first priority is always to reduce actual carbon dioxide emissions and the overall environmental impact of the tours we conduct.

In 2020, we introduced a voluntary carbon offsetting initiative for our travellers to compensate for unavoidable emissions during their tours with us.

Emissions during multi-day package tours (not including international flights to our destinations) were set at a cost of US$1.50 per traveller per day. This amount is based on average daily emissions of travellers in our destinations. Our carbon offsetting partner is Gold Standard.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

NGOs and Social Enterprises

We believe visiting social enterprises and supporting reputable NGOs are two of the most effective ways we can make a difference to improving the lives of local communities.

In 2021, our teams undertook extensive research with the goal of compiling a directory of legitimate social enterprises offering meaningful products and services, as well as reputable NGOs to be included in our itineraries.

Most of the recommended social enterprises and NGOs support children and young adults. This makes them effective tools for youth development and this is a more beneficial approach than visiting schools and orphanages, which we do not consider to be tourist attractions.

INCLUSIVE TOURISM

Accessible Trails

We appreciate that for people with disabilities, the very act of travelling can pose more challenges than pleasure. In line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: ‘To make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’, we are committed to ensuring that ‘Accessibility’ is included as a central element in our responsible tourism practices.

In 2021, our Thailand office team introduced our newly developed pilot ‘Accessible trails wheelchair-friendly tours and excursions across Thailand’ as a group pilot project. In 2022, Asian Trails was proud to receive recognition for our work surrounding accessible tourism products at the World Travel Mart (WTM) under the category ‘Access for the Differently-Abled: as Travellers, Employees and Holidaymakers’.

SUPPLIER SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENTS

Food and Beverage

We recognise that the selection of food and beverage suppliers in our supply chains plays a pivotal role in promoting local sourcing, protecting local flora and fauna and contributing towards the economies of the local communities we operate in. In

2022, we created an Asian Trails’ food and beverage sustainability checklist based on three globally-recognised pillars (environment, society, sourcing) for our product teams to use as a guide and we conducted group-wide training.

Our long-term goal is to promote sustainable culinary options and highlight good, clean and fair food practices by celebrating sources such a local business owners farmers, fishermen, social enterprises and creating long-term sustainable relationships with them, whilst providing authentic experiences for our clients.

STAFF INVOLVEMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH CSR ACTIVITIES

Our staff are an integral part of the company’s drive to be sustainable and we endeavour to involve them in CSR activities on the ground. The purpose is to promote an ethos of ‘citizenship’ by providing opportunities for team members to make a difference to their local community and environment. Such opportunities also help them learn something new and develop skills. Below are some examples of social and environmental CSR activities organised by our offices in 2022:

Cambodia |Tree planting and donations of items to Hun Sen Preak Ta Kov Primary School.

Laos | Tree planting and donations of half a tonne of cement to Tha Ngon School.

Malaysia | Preparation of food pack donations and distribution for communities in need.

Myanmar | Monthly financial donation to Zee Oh Village.

Indonesia | Team blood donation and donation of items for victims of natural disasters in Jembrana and Karangasem.

Thailand |Sea grass and mangrove planting in Krabi and Phuket.

OUR CORE 2022 SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA

• Play an active role in strengthening and promoting a Child-safe Tourism environment.

• Reaffirm our commitment towards mitigating climate change by developing a group climate action plan.

• Increase the number of responsible tourism products in our portfolio.

• Promote responsible tourism practices within our destinations.

• Promote staff engagement.