When you travel with us on an EF Explore America class trip, know that we’re dedicated to benefiting the world—both now and for years to come. Our EF Responsible Travel initiatives focus on three specific commitments: to support local communities, to promote animal welfare, and to protect the environment. Each commitment helps us work toward a more sustainable world and fulfill our mission of Opening the World Through Education.
Supporting local communities
Travel has always been about more than “seeing a place.” We’re committed to creating experiences on tour that give students a fuller and more inclusive picture of a destination by connecting them to people of all different backgrounds.
Firsthand learning
At EF, we believe that experiential education is one of the best ways to learn. We partner with local organizations who introduce travelers to an area’s customs or connect them with people who’ve experienced important moments in history. Through these activities, students gain a more nuanced understanding of a place.
Experience it on tour: Participate in an Honor Flight Network experience, where you can celebrate veterans at the memorials that honor them and help bring more veterans to our nation’s capital.
Cultural perspectives
We give students the opportunity to explore other cultures by engaging with communities they might not usually have the chance to connect with.
Experience it on tour: Dive deep into new cultures on any of our Cultural Perspectives class trips. You’ll meet locals, make personal connections, and gain a whole new vantage point that will allow you to broaden your outlook on life. Afterwards, you’ll have deepened your appreciation for a wide variety of cultures.
A movement for good
We seek to make a long-term impact on the communities where we travel by investing in the local economy.
Experience it on tour: Sample some of the best street food in New York City, like empanadas, bahn mi, and more, on a food cart tour through Turnstile Tours. You’ll also meet these street food vendors and learn more about their small businesses. Plus, a portion of your ticket will be donated to the Street Vendor Project, an organization devoted to creating permanent change for vendors.
Celebrating wildlife
At EF, we’re proud to work with the nonprofit organization World Animal Protection to implement animal welfare guidelines throughout all our travel programs worldwide.
Improving lives of animals
Rescue and conservancy visits not only fund organizations creating positive change, but also allow us to learn about vulnerable animal populations.
Experience it on tour: Learn about rescuing, rehabilitating, and researching marine mammals at The Marine Mammal Center on STEM Discovery: San Francisco.
Observing with respect
When we’re out exploring our world, we’re there to watch—never disrupt—animals in their natural habitat.
Experience it on tour: Observe the various species of marine life that live in Plymouth Harbor during a Lobster Tales boat cruise on Historic Boston.
Protecting the environment
We’re taking steps toward sustainability by embracing eco-friendly practices that are kind to our planet. Our tours include experiences that get you out in nature learning about traditional land use, conservation efforts, the protection of iconic sites, and more.
Putting the planet first
We collaborate with the UN Foundation team to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and train Tour Directors on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Supporting conservation
Appreciation and preservation go hand in hand. We prioritize the health of our environment by providing no-impact tourism in fragile ecosystems and learning opportunities at protected sites.
Experience it on tour: Visit the California Academy of Sciences and learn about their mission of regeneration on STEM Discovery: San Francisco.
Going green
We’ve partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects to restore healthy forests and support economic opportunities in rural communities worldwide. Since the launch of the EF Forest Initiative in 2021, local community members have planted more than 7 million mangrove trees on our behalf in Kenya, Madagascar, and Mozambique.
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