MSC Cruises launches sustainability tour programme, Protectours

Image via MSC Cruises

These excursions are part of MSC Cruises’ mission to offer guests an environmentally-conscious holiday. The new Protectours programme, which currently offers over 25 tours, gives MSC Cruises’ guests a chance to discover destinations, while making a positive contribution to the planet through activities aimed to help protect and preserve.

Protectours gives guests insights into the natural world while also preserving its beauty and helping to ensure a greener future, from forest hikes with rescued dogs in Jamaica to meeting urban honey bees in Corfu.

At the beginning of 2020, MSC Cruises became the first global cruise line to become carbon neutral across marine operations. This commitment to the environment naturally extends to onshore activities with Protectours.

The tours serve two purposes: firstly, they offer an opportunity for MSC Cruises to empower their tour partners to diversify their offering to include more sustainable activities, and secondly influence these partners to operate their businesses in a sustainable manner and become engaged in a Global Sustainable Tourism Council certification programme by the end of 2020.

According to a new MSC Cruises' trend report, The Future of the Guest Experience, as the climate changes, guests are seeking more efficient and eco-conscious holiday options, with sustainability, social impact and civic engagement at the forefront of people’s minds. More than half of Generation Z consumers (54%) say that the environmental impact of travelling is an important factor when deciding where to travel. Offering opportunities for civic engagement will not only help the destination in question, but help eliminate the guilt that guests may feel when travelling.

The Protectours will be offered across multiple regions around the world, with highlights including:

Animal haven rescued dogs forest hike, Jamaica

This half-day experience allows guests to hike with rescued dogs from the Montego Bay Animal Haven.

A magical world of bees in Corfu, Greece

Guests are able to immerse themselves in the magic world of bees, learning all about these vital insects.

Desert conservation in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Guests seeking a desert adventure will want to opt for the desert conservation tour, where, over the course of six hours, they will help preserve the unique landscape of the United Arab Emirates.

Iceland on horseback with tree planting in Reykjavik, Iceland

Guest will have a chance to discover the countryside for themselves, as they trek into the scenic wilderness of lava fields and green hillsides, which are rich with birdlife, where they will be met by a forester who will guide them in planting a tree.