There’s no denying that the travel industry has suffered over the past eighteen months, with ongoing lockdowns, restrictions and mask mandates putting paid to our usual array of luxurious world adventures and adding an extra layer of tedium when we do manage to get away.
But as some of the world’s most popular destinations begin to open their borders once again, many are hopeful that tourists will feel confident enough to return – and as restrictions also finally begin to ease here in the UK, things are looking hopeful.
The paradise island of Mauritius, which has a population of just over 1.2 million, finally threw open its doors on the 1st October, and with more than 25 percent of the nation’s population employed directly within the tourism industry, suffice it to say that it’s been a long time coming. Locals have breathed a collective sigh of relief at the prospect of a return to normality, and the Mauritian Tourism Authority is confident that, thanks to the careful measures it has implemented to ensure travellers feel safe during their visits to the island, its economy – and its people – can slowly but surely begin to recover.
Currently, mask-wearing is still mandatory in public areas and a negative PCR test is required within 72 hours pre-departure. Visitors to the country are also required to take lateral flow tests on arrival and then again on day five.
Of course, the onus isn’t solely on individual destinations like Mauritius to encourage tourists to return, and international travel companies also have a role to play in facilitating the process. Ethical tailor-made travel company Pure Breaks is only too aware of the need for a return to normality for islands like Mauritius, and is making it its mission to encourage tourists to start planning their next big trip.
Having begun its journey back in 2019 with the aim of redefining how people holiday, it encourages travellers not just to visit resorts and hotels and luxuriate on paradise beaches, but to fully immerse themselves in a destination’s culture and natural world, doing so in an ethical and responsible way that makes tourism a force for good.
Currently, the need is greater than ever, and Chief Operating Officer Darren Taylor wants people to know that travelling in the current climate isn’t selfish – and that, when done right, can serve to positively benefit both people and the planet. At a time when many jobs and livelihoods are dependent on the return of international travel, visiting destinations like Mauritius could make more of a positive difference than you might think. But with the island’s natural environment having been given a year and a half to recover from the usual impacts of tourism, is there a way to strike the perfect balance so that both benefit, and neither one suffers?
Darren believes that the answer is yes. “Our focus is on working with accommodations and local tour operators that employ responsible operations, supporting local communities and actively contributing to environmental conservation practices – all whilst providing a memorable cultural experience that will stay with our customers for life. This includes operators that employ locally, donate to charity and run their own initiatives. Our research has been two years in the making, and we strongly believe that when done right and responsibly, everyone can benefit from travel,” he explains.
“Unfortunately, not all operators within the industry are doing as much as they can in this respect. At Pure Breaks, we meticulously hand-select those that we choose to work with based on a rigorous set of criteria, ensuring that each has been Green Globe certified, and then support those operators so that together, we can create an even greater impact.”
The Green Globe certification is a structured assessment of the sustainability performance of travel and tourism businesses and their suppliers, and allows businesses to monitor improvements and document achievements leading to certification of their sustainable operation and management.
As well as creating bespoke, tailor-made and niche luxury experiences designed to cater to each individual’s needs – whether it’s a romantic getaway, a luxury cruise, an adventure safari or a lavish beach break – Pure Breaks, which is under the umbrella of the Working Travel Group, is facilitating volunteer programmes in developing countries and connecting them to mainstream tourism in a bid to positively impact communities and the environment.
With some exciting plans already underway in Mauritius, the company has also set up a registered charity – United Through Sport – which works with participants from the ages of five to 35 within disadvantaged communities, and uses the power of sport to help children and young people on their pathway to success. Projects aim to support them on a holistic basis, and encompass health, education and personal development.
And just recently, Darren has received confirmation from the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation that it will partner with Darren and the Pure Breaks charity arm to conduct research on a pilot rewilding project in Mauritius – with the aim of working with the island’s Ebony Forest to rewild its east coast. The project will be the first for the Working Travel Group (WTG) Foundation, dedicated to the preservation and protection of island nations, and those countries considered developing nations, still with severe poverty and in immediate danger due to climate change – with the new charity currently being formed and with a number of exciting plans for Mauritius it hopes to bring to fruition.
One of the greatest barriers, historically, preventing ethical travel from becoming the go-to choice for some is the demand amongst high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals for luxury – but Pure Breaks has successfully managed to combine the two so that its customers never have to compromise on indulgence.
In Mauritius, it works with five-star hotels like the breath-taking Heritage Le Telfair, in Bel Ombre, which sits on a spectacular stretch of white sand beach on the island’s south coast, and the Constance Belle Mare Plage, in Belle Mare, in the east – both of which offer up opulent lodgings in sprawling suites, with a flurry of high-end facilities including trendy bars and restaurants, lavish spas and wellness centres and championship golf courses. And groups like Attitude Hotels – which has nine different properties around Mauritius – will often feature in itineraries, having impressed Darren and the Pure Breaks team with its commitment to sustainable practices.
And to facilitate tours of the island, it works with chosen provider Coquille Bonheur – an independent operator which shares the Pure Breaks ethos of providing incredible and immersive experiences in a more sustainable and conscious way.
With extensive travel experience of his own that included a seven year-long journey of discovery taking him across multiple countries and continents, Darren certainly knows what it takes to create a memorable and immersive travel experience. And the work Pure Breaks is doing in Mauritius – both from a charitable and a tourism perspective – is particularly close to his heart.
Having grown up in a dual heritage family in which his mother is Mauritian, he spent much of his childhood living on the island.
“My mother came over to the UK from Mauritius to work as a NHS Nurse at the age of 19 in 1974 for the Royal Berkshire Hospital, after Mauritius gained independence in 1968. She cared for people in hospitals on the wards in their hours of most need, and it was her dedication to giving back that inspired me to follow suit and do what I can to make a difference. To be able to do that in Mauritius in particular, which means a lot to both of us, is a privilege,” he says.
“Both James and I have a joint vision of what it takes to be an ethical travel company, with a passionate team determined to set a new course for the travel and tourism industry and providing responsible travel that is immersive into cultures and communities whilst being sustainable for future generations.
“My aim now is to showcase Mauritius as a responsible destination, a leader in environmental protection and a sustainable island destination.”
Operating in numerous other countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australasia, suffice it to say that forward-thinking companies like Pure Breaks – and the passionate teams behind them – are changing the way we travel for the better, and at a time when the health of our world and the people that live in it is more of a focus than ever, it’s heartening to know that that next luxury getaway we book could be a force for good.
The Pure Breaks team – who carbon offset every single person who travels with them – are only just getting started, and have some exciting plans ahead for the coming months and years. And with such a passion for what they do, here at LLM, we can’t wait to see it all unfold.
All imagery supplied by Pure Breaks
