Sustainability at Holiday Bazaar

Why we report this

We are a Nairobi travel company, family-run, with a team of under twenty-five people. We sell safaris, cruises, flights and tailor-made trips, mostly across Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Tourism pays for a great deal of conservation in this part of the world, and it also puts pressure on the places people come to see. We would rather be honest about which of those we are doing, and where we still fall short, than publish a page of claims.

We are a Travelife Partner, and we are working towards Travelife Certified. Travelife is an independent sustainability certification for tour operators, based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria. Reaching Partner status meant reporting against the full standard and being reviewed by a Travelife coach. Certification requires an independent on-site audit, which is the stage we are working through now.

What we actually do

In our office

Almost all our printing is done on paper that has already been used once. We print on the reverse of old documents, and we still have files from 2010 that we are printing on the blank side today. When a sheet has been used twice it becomes note paper, and only then does it go for recycling. We buy new paper rarely enough that a single ream lasts a long time.

Paper, plastic and cardboard are separated at labelled bins and collected by a recycling company. Organic waste is collected separately. Batteries, cables and small electronic waste go into a central box and then to an electronics recycler rather than into the bin.

Drinking water comes from a dispenser and reusable glasses, not from plastic bottles. The toilets are dual-flush. Lighting is LED throughout. Equipment is switched off at the end of the day rather than left on standby, and the generator runs only during power cuts.

We are currently installing solar at our office. We own the building, so the decision is ours to make, and we have quotations in hand.

In what we sell

We give preference to transport suppliers with valid operating licences, maintained and inspected vehicles, and properly licensed drivers, and we give them guidance on fuel-efficient and safe driving.

The gifts we give clients are bought from Kenyan artisans: beaded work by local women's groups, soapstone carved in Kisii, hats made in Kenya.

In our community

We support school libraries in underserved communities with books, furniture and supplies. We plant trees in several parts of Kenya each year. During the COVID-19 pandemic we supplied clinics with medicines, PPE and logistical support.

Where we fall short

This is the part most companies leave out, so it is the part we want to be clearest about.

We do not yet measure enough. We do not calculate the carbon emissions of our office energy use or our staff travel. That means our tree planting, which is real and which we will continue, cannot honestly be described as a carbon offset — we have never measured what it sequesters against what we emit. We are not going to call it an offset until we can show the arithmetic.

We do not track our waste by weight. We can describe what we reuse and recycle, and we do a lot of both, but we cannot yet put a number on what leaves the building.

We do not have a supplier sustainability register. We collect information about our accommodation and transport partners case by case, but not in one consistent place, and we cannot currently say what proportion of the properties we sell hold a recognised sustainability certification.

We do not publish enough. This page is the first time we have reported our sustainability results publicly. That was overdue.

What we are doing about it

Over the next reporting period we are committing to:

1. Complete the solar installation at our office and publish what it displaces.
2. Calculate the carbon emissions of our office energy use, so there is a real figure to work against.
3. Record staff business travel by type and distance, and calculate its emissions.
4. Decide, once both are measured, whether our tree planting covers them or whether we also need a recognised offsetting scheme.
5. Record every tree we plant by number, species and location, and check survival at sites already planted.
6. Build a supplier sustainability register for accommodation and transport partners, recording which hold recognised certifications.
7. Set a measurable waste reduction target with a baseline we can actually track.
8. Switch the small volume of new paper we buy to FSC-certified stock.
9. Put our staff travel and commuting practices into a written mobility policy.
10. Complete Travelife certification, including the independent on-site audit.

We will report against this list in our next update rather than quietly replacing it.

Questions, or telling us we have got something wrong

Sustainability questions, comments and complaints all go to the same place, and a person reads them.

Aman Shah — Sustainability Coordinator
aman@holidaybazaar.com
Holiday Bazaar Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya

If you think something on this page is inaccurate, or that our practice does not match what we have written, we would genuinely rather hear it.

Holiday Bazaar Ltd is committed to operating as a responsible, ethical, and sustainable travel company. As a family-owned business with over 30 years of experience, we recognise our responsibility to reduce negative social, cultural, economic, and environmental impacts while enhancing the positive benefits of tourism for our clients, communities, partners, and the natural environment.

1. Purpose of the Policy

This Sustainability Policy establishes the principles, commitments, and responsibilities that guide Holiday Bazaar’s decisions and daily operations. It ensures our activities align with internationally recognised sustainability practices, Travelife certification standards, and our own company values.

2. Environmental Commitments

• Reduce the company’s environmental footprint through responsible resource use.
• Minimise waste by reducing single-use materials and increasing recycling.
• Reduce energy and water consumption across all office operations.
• Support reforestation, conservation, and wildlife-protection initiatives across Kenya.
• Encourage clients to choose eco-friendly accommodation and activities.
• Promote low-impact travel practices and carbon-conscious travel options.

3. Social & Community Commitments

• Support local communities through donations, partnerships, and capacity-building projects.
• Promote respect for local cultures, traditions, and heritage.
• Continue family-led initiatives such as library construction, community support, and health-aid programmes.
• Collaborate with Kenyan partners, schools, and NGOs on social-impact activities.
• Ensure that all tours and activities safeguard the dignity and rights of local communities.

4. Employee Welfare, Health & Safety

• Provide safe, healthy, and supportive working conditions for all staff members.
• Comply with national labour laws, employment rights, and health & safety regulations.
• Provide regular training on customer care, sustainability, safety, and workplace well-being.
• Promote equality, non-discrimination, and respect in the workplace.
• Ensure emergency procedures, first-aid access, and risk-aware practices in the office and during travel operations.

5. Ethical Business Practices

• Maintain honest, transparent, and fair communication with clients and partners.
• Work only with suppliers who align with responsible, ethical and lawful practices.
• Uphold anti-corruption and anti-bribery principles in all business engagements.
• Ensure marketing material and travel information is accurate and respectful.
• Protect customer data in accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act.

6. Supplier Responsibility

• Prioritise partnerships with suppliers who demonstrate environmental and social responsibility.
• Encourage accommodation providers, transport partners, and activity operators to meet sustainability standards.
• Communicate our expectations on ethical conduct, safety, fair labour practices, and environmental management.

7. Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

Holiday Bazaar is committed to regularly monitoring its sustainability practices, documenting progress, and improving performance every year. The Sustainability Coordinator (Aman Shah) oversees implementation, tracking, reporting, and updates to this policy in coordination with top management.

8. Approval & Review

This policy is approved by top management and will be reviewed annually or whenever operational changes require updates to sustainability commitments. Approved by Jinal Shah, Director, on 26 November 2025.

For any sustainability-related questions or feedback, please contact our Sustainability Coordinator at aman@holidaybazaar.com.