Our timeline
![Anita Roddick](jpg/2001-anita-roddick-800x640.jpg)
2001
Launch with private investors including Anita & Gordon Roddick from The Body Shop.![Pioneers](jpg/2001-pioneers-video-800x640.jpg)
2001
Pioneers. We introduce the concept of responsible travel - better vacations, better for communities, better for nature.![Careful screening of holidays](jpg/2001-careful-screening-800x640.jpg)
2001
All of our vacations are carefully screened for responsible travel.![Carbon offset](jpg/2002-carbon-offset-800x640.jpg)
2001
Offered one of the first carbon offset schemes in tourism.![Responsible Tourism Awards](jpg/2004-rt-awards-800x640.jpg)
2004
Launched the world's first Responsible Tourism Awards![Had Enough campaign](jpg/2004-had-enough-800x640.jpg)
2004
Successfully campaigned to persuade Thomson Vacations, Thomas Cook and MyTravel to publish policies for responsible tourism.![Ethical entreprenuer video](jpg/2004-ethical-entreprenuer-800x640.jpg)
2004
Justin joined speakers including the founders of The Big Issue and Innocent Drinks to give a talk at the British Library on being an 'Ethical entreprenuer'.![Times 50 most influential people](jpg/2006-most-influential-800x640.jpg)
2006
Justin named one of The Times 50 most influential people in travel.![Michael Palin, Awards supporter](jpg/2008-awards-palin-800x640.jpg)
2008
Our Responsible Tourism Awards Attract nearly 2000 entries – Michael Palin says ‘the Awards are one of the most important ways we can learn to travel better’.![Carbon offsetting debate](jpg/2009-carbon-offsetting-800x640.jpg)
2009
Became one of the first travel organisations to remove CO2 offsetting, sparking a debate on carbon reduction with press in the Guardian, Independent and NY Times.![Charities](jpg/2012-charity-800x640.jpg)
2012
Donated 15% of profits to charity between 2006 and 2012, on average.![Orphanage tourism - not FOR SALE](jpg/2012-not-for-sale-800x640.jpg)
2013
Removed orphanage volunteering vacations from the site following concerns, sparking a conversation and coverage in The Telegraph.![Travel guides](jpg/2014-mini-guide-namibia-800x640.jpg)
2013
Launched the first of many honest and easy-to-read 2 minute guides to popular locations and activities.![Say NO to the orca circus](jpg/2014-stop-orca-circus-800x640.jpg)
2014
Launched say NO to orca circuses campaign with the World Cetacean Alliance to stop whales and dolphins being kept in captivity.![Accessible tourism](jpg/2015-accessible-800x640.jpg)
2015
Launched our guide to accessible travel.![Trip for a Trip](jpg/2017-trip-for-a-trip-800x640.jpg)
2017
Celebrated sending 1,000 disadvantaged children on day trips with our Trip for a Trip scheme.![Say no to zoos](jpg/2017-no-to-zoos-800x640.jpg)
2017
Said no to zoos by dropping them from all our vacations.![Overtourism](jpg/2018-overtourism-800x640.jpg)
2018
We release Crowded out: our first documentary about overtourism and its impacts on travelers and local communities.![Travel guides](jpg/2019-600th-guide-800x640.jpg)
2019
Increased our travel guide offering to 600, including guides as diverse as The Stans, Croatia cruising, Snow leopards and Women entrepreneurs.![Manifesto](jpg/2019-manifesto-video-800x640.jpg)
2019
Launched The Fork in the Road: A Manifesto for the Future of Tourism with the first chapter announcing a plan for the Green Flying Duty.![Carbon emissions](jpg/2019-co2-holiday-pages-800x640.jpg)
2019
Started publishing CO2 information and advice on every vacation page.![12,000 customer reviews, 94% rated 5 stars](jpg/2020-five-stars-800x640.jpg)
2020
We’ve always believed our vacations are more enjoyable because they do good - our customers agree!![Carbon emissions study](jpg/2020-carbon-study-800x640.jpg)
2020
We commission a ground breaking study to examine the carbon footprint of four of our vacations, and call for carbon labelling in tourism.![Carbon emissions study](jpg/2020-jet-zero-council-800x640.jpg)
2020
Our founder, Justin, helps make the case for the UK Government’s Jet Zero Council (decarbonising aviation) launched by the Prime Minister.![A photo of Justin Francis and Al Gore meeting](jpg/2021-justin-francis-and-al-gore-800x640.jpg)
2021
Justin launches GetNaturePostive.com – a nature handbook for the tourism industry and four other sectors at COP26.![A screenshot of the i paper's website showing Justins colomn](jpg/2022-justin-francis-i-coloumn-800x640.jpg)
2022
Justin starts writing a column in The i on ethical issues in tourism – the only one in the UK national press.![Kids on a Trip for a Trip day trip to Nicco Amusement Park, India](jpg/2022-trip-for-a-trip-800x640.jpg)
2023
Celebrated milestone of 5,000 disadvantaged children provided with day trips via our Trip for a Trip scheme.![Image of happy travellers sitting in a wicker seat in the jungle in Bali, Indonesia](jpg/2023-200-million-in-bookings-800x640.jpg)
2023
£200m of vacation bookings made since 2001. Not bad, given the tourism industry told us nobody was interested in responsible travel.