About us:
You would have to be a great dreamer and an optimist, at the dawn of Bulgarian entrepreneurship, to start a business without a ‘briefcase stuffed with money’ or relatives [in the right places]. You would have to be slightly mad. Odysseia-In is exactly that – a crazy project for its time, which owes its conception to the efforts of half a dozen climbers and mountaineers: Lyubo, Slavi, Stefka, Roumen and Valentin – members of the Edelweiss Alpine Club, Sofia. Together, we had traversed the Bulgarian mountains, the Tatras and Pamir. Somehow, it seemed natural to try and make a living out of it. We weren’t short of ideas, but reality struck even before the end of the first year. Yes, we had some foreign guests already, who for some reason had placed their trust in us, but in 1991 the company was in unannounced bankruptcy.
In 1993, we added to our business the import of hiking and climbing equipment. We grew slowly, made mistakes, our services were substandard. We learned at the expense of our first clients, we learned while travelling, and the course I took in France in business development and marketing, supported by a programme of the French government, gave us our first corporate contacts. The rest was a matter of integrity, faith and perseverance, common sense, talent and creativity, determination. That’s the key to understanding Odysseia-in – a phenomenon in Bulgaria’s business history, whose team still holds in high regard the company’s mission, corporate ethics and vision.
We share our passion of Bulgaria and knowledge of its nature, history and people with our guests through providing sustainable travel that is beneficial to local communities and the environment. We recognize that the environment, communities and cultures within which we operate are vital to the success of our business.
This policy is a work in progress for everyone in our company. We therefore commit to the following objectives:
Internal management
- We ensure our employees understand our goals and are accountable for the implementation of our sustainable policies.
- We provide flexible working environment and all the team members can adapt their work plan on their needs.
- We respect our employees, their diversity and advance their wellbeing wherever we can.
- We support staff members in pursuing personal goals.
- All the staff members travel by public transport, cycling or walking to work.
- In the office: we purchase local products (tea, honey, jam, milk) or sustainable products when possible and limit the use of small packaging (hygienic articles, printing paper, etc.).
- We monitor, reduce and manage waste in a responsible way. In the office we аvoid harmful or hazardous products or products which need careful storage and handling, we use food materials with environmentally friendly packaging (e.g., re-useable) such as refillable bottles, paper/cardboard packaging, etc.;ñ we avoid drinks in paper cups, bottles, and cans, and give preference to (refillable) bottles, mugs etc..
Supplier chain
- We share best practices and raise awareness on sustainability among our team and partners.
- We prefer to work with locally owned businesses reflecting local cultures (hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, handicraft shops, arts and culture centers)
- We share experience and advice our local providers to implement sustainable practices in their business and lower their impact.
- In our communication with accommodation hosts, restaurant staff and other service providers we insist on reduce or no use of any single use plastic (water bottles, cups, and cutlery, cosmetic and food containers).
- Our guides are our ambassadors and during the trips, they monitor and ensure the services we provide are sustainable and alert when bad practices arise.
Cooperation with destination
- Run and support conservation projects and support charities and initiatives in the communities visited
- Promote tours that benefit the cultural heritage of communities visited and encourage them to maintain and protect their culture.
- We ensure that travels we organize do not have adverse effects on the environment or society, especially sensitive activities that may bring travellers into contact with animals, children or marginalized communities.
- Keep the money local through (as much as possible) buying locally, staying at family-run accommodations and hiring local services (guides, transfers, workshops, outdoor activities, etc.).
- Encourage our guests to buy local souvenirs, gifts and services
- We ensure that our activities in the nature preserve it and leave no trace.
- Raise awareness of the local communities about the importance of protecting the natural assets of Bulgaria.
- Support and initiate conservation projects
Customer relations
- We encourage positive interaction with local people through pre-trip briefings of our guests and guides.
- We communicate our sustainable aims before and during the tours and try to involve customers when possible.
- We encourage contribution from our guests towards protecting the natural assets of Bulgaria.
- All customers are invited to give their feedback and recommendations after the trip by completing our customer questionnaires.
Communities and culture
– Run and support conservation and education projects, and give to and support charities and initiatives in the communities visited
– Run tours to maximize the benefits of the cultural heritage of communities visited and incentivize them to maintain and protect their culture
– Develop the capacity of the host communities to earn a living through tourism by supporting them to be part of a tourism network, understand the industry, and get market access
Economic Responsibility
– Keep the money local through (as much as possible) buying locally and staying at family-run guesthouses and hotels.
– Provide income generation activities through hiring, training, and encouraging local people to be involved in the delivery of Odysseia-In tours and activities
– Encourage our guests to buy local crafts and services
Environmental Responsibility
– Provide high-quality, environmentally friendly tours through our leading approach to training our guides to meet international guiding standards
– Raise awareness of our accommodation providers about how they can improve their environmental performance
– Raise awareness in the local communities about the importance of protecting natural assets
– Support and initiate local reforestation and conservation projects
Tourism Industry
– Advocate for a responsible approach to tourism development (both institutions and service providers)
Our team
– Provide rewarding work experiences for our young Bulgarian employees.
– Personal goals: we continue to support staff in pursuing personal goals.
– Flexible Working: we continue to provide a flexible working environment and to date, all staff requests to amend their work patterns have been approved (ex).
Our customers
– Encourage positive interaction with local people through pre-trip briefings of our guests and specific training of our guides
– Improve communication around the responsible aspects of our tours
– Encourage contributions from our guests towards protecting the natural assets of Bulgaria. This year we didn’t collect contributions from guests through the existing “3 Euro Campaign” due to people feeling the pinch during the economic recession.
– Raise awareness on the preservation of nature and cultural heritage and how they can improve their impact