Cuba music holidays

Planet

When in Cuba we encourage everyone to learn about the country, the culture of the local people and the places being visited. Our tour leaders hold briefing meetings to inform and discuss with our travellers all aspects of local life. This helps to have a better understanding of the area and a deeper appreciation of the people who live there.

It is our policy to carefully dispose of all waste whilst we are hiking in national parks and on visits and tours too. We encourage our clients to explore the natural environment in Cuba, and to learn about the wide range of flora, fauna and wildlife whilst they are there. The Cuban government is a firm supporter of sustainable development, re-forestation projects and conservation and Cuba has one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world - we aim to help keep it this way during our visit.

We recommend that our travellers bring a filtered water bottle for their trip to avoid buying single use plastic bottles for water.

In the cities, we encourage our clients to think about the amount of water they use for showering and washing and the use of air-conditioning units in their rooms.

People

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
100% of the people that we employ on our trips are not only local to Cuba, but also local to each region of Cuba where we operate.. We create a source of fair income and opportunities for professional development and are proud to have a core team comprised primarily of women.

Although we do not have activities or excursions directly linked with LGBTQI+ businesses or locations included in our itinerary, we are LGBTQI+ supporters and encourage and welcome people of all genders and sexualities to join us in Cuba.

LOCAL ECONOMY
We encourage everyone to stay in local homes whilst we are on tour so as to be able to communicate with local people, even at a basic level, and to learn something of local life. All accommodation that we arrange directly benefits locally owned homestays, and we always employ local guides, dancers, musicians and language teachers who are treated well and paid fairly.

Homestay accommodation also enables travellers to use their Spanish language skills, even at a basic level. Importantly, this also ensures that monies are spent at a very local level and go into the pockets of Cuban households.

We regularly provide donations to two youth theatre and drama companies in Santiago de Cuba, bringing material for costumes and stage make from the UK or buying essential items locally such as paint for props.

We support local Cuban businesses in every aspect of our trips - local accommodation, transport, meals, drinks and activities - thus contributing directly to the local economy and community.

We recommend that travellers consider donations of items such as toiletries, baby and childrens clothing, non prescription medicines and other useful items to the families they visit and projects we support.

On our dance and music holidays, we recommend that clients bring with them musical or dance items which they can leave for their tutors, such as shoes, strings, instruments or dancewear. On our hiking trips, we encourage the donation of appropriate items such as hiking shoes or boots, small rucksacks, water bottles, penknives and other such items for the specialist guides accompanying the tour.