Studiosus

Studiosus, a TOI member since June 2000, has two subsidiaries: Studiosus Gruppenreisen and Marco Polo Reisen. The group is a leading tour operator in educational tours, catering to about 100,000 clients in 2007. It offers outbound guided tours mainly to Italy, Spain, France, Greece, the UK, Ireland, but to Southeast Asia, Far East, Africa and the Americas as well.

By the early 1970s Studiosus had already launched activities on responsible tourism in line with its mission to contribute to international understanding and to abolish prejudice between cultures. All its products are intended to be compatible with the environment, as well as distinguished by a sense of social awareness.

In 1996 - on the way to the first EMAS certification - all Studiosus employees signed a Declaration of Commitment on environmental and social responsibility. The Declaration is implemented through specific actions in all fields of operations.

"To keep the world in balance": Support (financially and spiritually) is given to more than 70 projects around the world, like a whale information center Husavik (Iceland); reforestation projects in Iceland and Israel; an environmental information center in Malta; a project against child prostitution (ECPAT) and for primary school for ethnic minorities, both in Northern Thailand; a project on the international center of encounter in Bethlehem; a project for orphans and gutter children in Cuzco (Peru); and projects on education in India and Israel/Palestine.

Support is also given to different cultural heritage, restoration and archeological excavation projects in Italy, Lebanon, Turkey, Cambodia, Nepal and Bhutan.

In 2005 the tour operator built up the charitable and non-commercial Studiosus Foundation which cares for the projects since. And last but not least the company cares for the climate protection financing a windpower station in Southern India. 

Summary table of actions

Supply chain management

	Training sessions for hotel partners ("Environmental management in the hotel").
	"Don't wash" hotel campaign: towels are changed only on guest's request.
	Worldwide campaign for coach drivers: "Stop the engine whenever possible" (see case study).
	Transport by public means and trains to point of departure is included in travel costs.
	Increased use of train travel is promoted within the EU as an energy-saving measure.
	Questionnaires are used for hotels, coaches and airlines to identify good performers.
	Monitoring material is given out to tour guides after each tour (questionnaire on the sustainability of accommodations, transportation, excursions and customers behavior).

Customer awareness

	"Sympathie Magazine" is given out with travel documents for all customers (since 1972).
	Trained guides give Studiosus' customers information on environmental and social issues.
	Questionnaires for tourists include questions on environmental issues.

Internal Management

	Validation and registration following an ISO 14001 eco-audit in 1998.
	Yearly recertification following ISO 14001 rsp. EMAS II since 2001.
	A first environmental report published in 1992 ("Journey sustainability at destinations").
	Reduced use of paper and energy at headquarters.
	Catalogues printed on environmentally-friendly paper, with environmental information included in the catalogue text.
	Training sessions for Studiosus tour guides on all aspects of socially conscious travelling (since 1971).
	Local training programs for local guides in Israel, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, South Africa and Namibia.
	Intercultural seminar with Turkish and Greek tourist guides in partnership with VASCO Travel.