Who we are
Our vision
Well-being for the people, nature and culture of Laos.
Our Mission
Making Laos the eco-tourism paradise.
Our values
Sustainability, Empathy, Innovation , Curiosity, Excitement, Family
Safety is our priority
Green Discovery Laos is committed to safety. We are proud of our safety record of zero critical incidents throughout our twenty years of operations. We are constantly evolving our safety procedures to ensure they are in line with international best practice.
All our activities
have undergone a risk assessment procedure and have management systems in place. These risk assessments and management systems (RAMS) have been developed to follow international best practice for individual activities. We have also implemented a systems-based approach to risk mitigation, in line with the latest trends in risk management research. From the first enquiry to post-tour feedback, safety is at the forefront of our mind.
All our activities have standard operating procedures and our guides are trained to implement these procedures. These have been developed in consultation with international experts and following international best practice and reviewed by our full time Risk Management Officer, who oversees our operations.
Our safety
procedures are backed up by the highest quality international equipment. From mountain bikes and helmets, to ropes and harness, all our safety equipment is of the highest quality. We use internationally recognised brands and industry leaders in safety to offer clients peace of mind as well as the highest degree of safety.
Our guides are trained by Lao activity experts, with many years’ experience. They are the face of our organisation and embody our commitment to safety. All our guides hold internationally recognised First Aid certificates and carry industry appropriate first aid kits.
Responsibility
Green Discovery is more than just a successful travel company. We are proud of our record of social, cultural, and environmental responsibility. Wherever possible, Green Discovery employs people from all the regions where tours are offered. Through its operations and a largely participatory approach, the company supports more than 2000 families all over the country.
The same sense of social, cultural and environmental awareness is part of our tour philosophy: to guide, educate and encourage our customers to partner with us in our commitment to protecting the local ecology.
All clients participating in a Green Discovery tour get the opportunity to learn more about the history and the cultural significance of the region. We also limit the size of our touring groups in order to no exceed the carrying capacity of the culturally sensitive places we visit. Our hope is that we can preserve the natural beauty of Laos for locals and travellers alike.
Green Discovery also maintains close ties with renowned international organizations operating in Laos, such as ElefantAsia, IUCN, WCS, and WWF. We are also a strong advocate and active supporter of the Illegal Trade in Wildlife Action Group, a team of professionals dedicated to stopping the illegal capture and trade of endangered species in Laos.
Our Sustainability Projects
Welcome To The rECOlution Of Travelling
We invite you to join rECOlution, which is an initiative aiming to promote sustainable way of travelling in Laos. We strongly believe that all tourism should be eco-tourism and by a series of different projects we hope to engage all our shareholders into leading Laos to become the most eco- friendly destination in South-East Asia. Our initiatives are funded through our Green Discovery Sustainability Fund, a non-profit side of the company that supports the welfare of Laos’ environment and people, involving both tourists and locals in the search of a greener future.
Plastic is a major enemy of our beloved ecosystem. In our belief the tourist industry has to be a driver for plastic reduction, we are committed to becoming a plastic-free company.
Refillable bottles
GDL is now collaborating with Refill not Landfill and Refill my Bottle, promoting the use of refillable water bottles in order to reduce single use of plastic. We have installed drinking water stations in all our branches, where people can refill their refillable bottles free of charge. In addition to that, we have made the GDL refillable bottles, which can be bought at any of our offices. Our goal is to fully reduce single use plastic from all our tours.
Abundant water
Even when it is still a challenge to provide clean drinking water in nature, where many of our experiences take place, it is even more complex to involve local villages, many of which are located in remote areas.
To provide drinking water both to tourists and villagers in the areas we visit, we work closely with Abundant Water, a non-profit enterprise that created a system to filter and store water, making it safe to drink. Our goal is to provide all GDL related villages with the filtering and storing mechanism, so both tourists and locals have easy access to clean water, reducing plastic and energy used to purify water.
Revived Eco Bags
To fight both plastic waste and clothing pollution, we have created the definitive reusable eco-bags, made from recycled clothes that everyone can donate. It is a joint project between GDL and the Lao Disabled Women Development Center (LDWDC), who provide training and employment to many disabled girls and women in Laos. The center, run by and for disabled women, is specialized in handicrafts, almost entirely made from recycled materials.
With the Revived Eco Bags, we want to encourage both locals and tourists to discover creative ways to avoid plastic in their daily life. We are using our eco-bags on all our tours, and they are on sale in our offices and the LDWDC shop.
Green Discovery Sustainability Fund
We are proud to introduce our Sustainability Fund, a non-profit fund under Green Discovery’s umbrella that supports all the projects mentioned above. This initiative takes over our former Green Care Fund, that helped to spread sustainable values among local communities.
Green Care conducted several projects, such as helping Lao school kids with urban backgrounds to discover their country’s biodiversity and ecosystem through excursions in National Parks or trees planting sessions.
With the Green Discovery Sustainability Fund, we will continue to improve local communities’ lives in a sustainable way. That’s why one dollar of each tour’s profit will be earmarked for the Fund, which projects are hoped to grow every year.
Ananta
“A World Where Poverty Is In The Past”
“ANANTA” is a social enterprise that provides Business Incubator and Accelerator Programs to the target groups in the early or ongoing stage of business through its mind to market model and assists them during all stages of the business life cycle.
“ANANTA” also acts as an ecosystems builder to help entrepreneurs bring their ideas, technologies, and products into the marketplace and ideally lead entrepreneurs to develop viable businesses.
“ANANTA” is a leader in social entrepreneurship. We are committed to creating social enterprises that uplift communities out of poverty.
