Adriatic DMC Renews Travelife Certified Sustainability Status

Adriatic DMC has successfully renewed its Travelife Certified award in recognition of its long-term efforts in sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) following an external audit process.

Adriatic DMC Managing Director, Srdjan Kristic says: "Operating responsibly with an ESG framework is a must for a professional destination management company like Adriatic DMC and is something our international partners value. We’re committed to continuously improving our business operations in this area as a pillar of our long-term strategy. Our partners know they can rely on us to deliver travel programs that offer authentic cultural experiences that are sensitive to our destinations’ communities."

Adriatic DMC had to comply with more than 200 criteria, related to its office management, product range, international business partners, and customer information. The Travelife standard covers the ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights, and labor relations; and is formally recognized as in full compliance with the UN-supported Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.

Operations Director, Ivan Gavranic who led the team through the recertification process, says: "We want the communities in which we operate to flourish and feel the economic benefits of tourism. Through the application of Travelife’s principles, we’re able to conscientiously design and develop travel programs that offer opportunities to small, family-run businesses and self-employed traders that would ordinarily have a limited market.

"We will continue to strive to fulfill our role as an industry leader and encourage and support our suppliers and partners to adopt more sustainable practices."

Adriatic DMC achieved Travelife Partner status in October 2018 and immediately began working towards certified status. The company first achieved Travelife Certified status in 2019.

Naut Kusters, general manager for tour operators at Travelife remarked: "The recertification for Adriatic DMC demonstrates that sustainability lies at both the core of its operations and development. I hope that Adriatic DMC’s certification journey will inspire other tour operators in the region to embark on their own."

Travelife, established with the support of the European Commission, is a leading international sustainability certification for the travel sector. More than 15 national travel associations, including UHPA, the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies, ABTA, the British Travel Association, and PATA, the Pacific Asian Travel Association, promote the scheme to their members.

The Travelife management requirements comply with ISO 14001 and EMAS III standards. The performance requirements include the full set of ISO 26000 and OECD Corporate Social Responsibility guidelines, including labor conditions, human rights, environment, biodiversity, and fair business practices.