We are a small adventure travel company that prioritizes responsible travel and sustainable tourism, and we make every effort to ensure that the travel arrangements are all in the highest standards of Responsible travel. We cooperate very closely with local businesses who share the same goal of preserving the environment.

The island of Vis on the Adriatic Coast of Croatia offers an enchanting mix of amazing history and relaxed charm and with the oldest town in Croatia, Vis town, it has always been preserved as a gorgeous isle which is surrounded by the sparkling blue sea. The island was closed for tourism for almost 40 years being the military base for Yugoslav army (luckily no environmental contamination), it is now even more important for us to keep it clean in any means.

We are environmentally conscious on every step we take living on the island and showing the island to our guests.

Our mission is to help our guests experience the authentic island life: from all the secluded beaches to the beautiful and unforgettable places that few know about, to combine nature, cuisine and history. We help our guests explore all the natural beauty in a fun and active way and at the same time experience the local way of life with supporting local food and wine production with being environmentally conscious on all our path.

OUR RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL POLICY

Travelling to Croatia and to the island of Vis will allow you to discover some of the most amazing natural wonders and diverse ecosystems. We will be able to show you countless opportunities for exploration. At the same time, we want to conserve this fragile ecosystem of an island that tourism depends on and with this we take a special care to minimize our harmful impact. We take our guests to beautiful, unforgettable places off the typical tourist places immersing them into the local way of life and supporting the local communities. On all our day trips we inspire our guests to become actively involved in the preservation and conservation of the places they visit on the island of Vis.

Our responsible travel policy aims to the following and not only:

• We value local traditions and customs and minimize negative impacts on the natural environment.
• We support local communities and minimize negative social impact of tourism (we share, participate and are party of the community and we learn a few words in local language so you can establish a meaningful contact with the local community).
• We respect and protect all that make the island of Vis a unique destination.
• We support local economy.
• We buy food from family-owned businesses, small retail business and small producers of good and services on the island of Vis.
• We only do tours that are operated by inhabitants of the island of Vis.
• We respect the environment with reducing, re-using and recycling solid waste during all the activities. We bring water bottles, avoid buying products that have unnecessary packaging and containers and do not accept plastic bags when purchasing good.
• We reduce consumption of water and electricity.
• We choose the routes that cause the least impact on the landscape, favouring the existing roads and trails.
• We do not remove natural resources, such as stones, fossils, shells, plants, flowers or others from their original environment.
• We are an informed and respectful traveller.
• We take account of the local and national laws and regulations.

Our hotel on the island of Vis is committed to responsible travel and especially environmental responsibility of this precious island. Preserving the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the area for future generations is very important for us and with this we strive to minimize all our impacts.

By implementing eco-friendly practices in all aspects of our operations we provide our guests with special instructions of how to be environmentally friendly. For example, we use energy-efficient lighting and appliances, and we encourage our guests to conserve resources by turning off lights and air conditioning when they are not in the rooms. We also have a recycling program in place, although we do not use any plastic cutlery or plates. With cleaning we only use biodegradable cleaning products.

We also work closely with local communities to support sustainable development and preserve the unique culture of the island. We source our food and products from local farmers, fishermen, and artisans, and we hire staff from the local area to provide employment opportunities and support the local economy. We also organize cultural activities and tours for our guests to experience the rich history and tradition of the island.

In addition, we believe in being transparent about our policies and practices and welcome feedback from our guests. We have a dedicated Responsible Travel Team who is responsible for monitoring and improving our policies and practices. We encourage our guests to share their feedback and suggestions with us, so that we can continue to improve our responsible travel efforts.

Overall, our hotel on the island of Vis is dedicated to responsible travel and preserving the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the area for future generations. We believe that by working together with our guests, local communities, and other stakeholders, we can create a sustainable and enjoyable travel experience for all.

The most important tourism potential in Croatia is the Adriatic Sea with its 6,278 km – long coastline, 4,398 km of them island coastlines and 1,244 island, islets and cliffs, including 50 inhabited islands, combined with mild climate, have been recognized and promoted as the main advantages of Croatian tourism. As a travel company operating on one of those inhabited islands that was once closed for tourism, it is crucial that we minimize our environmental impact and work to build a sustainable future for the island of Vis and for Croatian tourism. The study by the Institute of Tourism of Croatia revealed that most tourist (over 90%) visit Croatia for the sun and sea and as the tourism in Croatia continues to grow year after year it is important for us to be aware of the tourism’s effects on the environment.

At VIScovery we are passionate about keeping our island clean and actively seek to protect and preserve the environments in which we recreate. All our guides are locals and are trained to reduce the environmental footprint from each member in the travel group. We practice and teach a “leave no trace” policy. At the beginning of each season, we join the local initiatives to clean up the area in which we are about to work in the coming season. We clean the beaches from the trash that is brought by the sea during the winter months, we join the local Mountain club to prepare the hiking paths, and during the summer months our guests join the “leaving no trace” policy.

• GROUP SIZE

Group sizes are typically set to maximum 10 pax in order to higher the experience for guests, to connect easier to the locals and to minimize any impact on the nature. We have a strict leave no trace policy on any of our daily excursions. Daily excursions have a low carbon footprint, and we use electric cars or walking.

• PREPARING MEALS

We buy all the vegetables, cheese, fish from the local partners to support local economy with our own bags and heat-coolers (to avoid the temperature shocks), and all the food served is organically produced. At least two days per week we cater vegetarian or vegan meals to cut the impact of meat and fish usage. We have our own small olive oil production and in time of harvesting we invite our guests to help with the harvest and preparation.

We organize visits to the local producers and workshops, and we do local walking, biking and hiking excursions to help guests get off the beaten track. We always avoid crowds (but there is really none on the island of Vis) as the island doesn’t have big hotels of any kind.

We don’t provide any straws or any of the disposable cups or cutlery. We do not use plastic of any kind. We provide our tourists with reusable glass water bottles, and we are happy that the tap water is drinkable and free anywhere guests go. With tap water drinkable we always use pitchers with tap water on the table.

• WASTE REDUCTION

In addition to reducing our own wate through thoughtful meal planning, we separate waste according to all the standards in Croatia and more – we take bio-gradable waste to the local goat breeder and glass is taken to the local glass collection.

• ROOMS

We do not use plastic cards for the key locks and check-ins are always done automatically via the email, so no paper has been printed for the receipts, confirmations and similar.  In the rooms we have installed all LED energy saving light bulbs.

• WATER HEATING AND AIR CONDITION

The house has a modern cooling system via the electric pump that uses almost no electricity, and it also allows guests to personalize temperature schedules. The system turns off while the guests are not in rooms.  With lowering the electricity consumption, we have also left trees around the house for the shade to shade and to reduce the need for the air-conditioning.

We have a small solar panel on the roof for the heating of all the hot water needs. We use rainwater for all the toilet flushing which is collected in the bigger tank under the parking.

• CLEANING AND WASHING LINEN

We wash all the beddings and towels ourselves with our small washing machines and we dry all the textiles on air (we do not own a dryer!). With that in mind we ask the guests to re-use the towels and we only exchange them when we are asked to do so.

In the last some years, the total contribution of tourism to GDP in Croatia was estimated at a little bit less than 20% (19.6% in 2018) with tourism revenues increasing each year. Tourism industries directly employed 86 600 people, representing around 7% of total employment. With that in mind, tourism is set to remain a key sector of the Croatian economy, however, our company is trying to overcome the excessive reliance on the “sun and sea” model. We are differencing tourism services to “experience the local” and reduce congestion only during the summer months and environmental costs.

Having that in mind, we contribute to the local community in numerous ways.

• EMPLOYING LOCAL PEOPLE

It is six of us, all locals, that work for maximum of twelve guests per week. We have a local chef, a local tour guide, a local activity guide, a local cleaning lady, a local person for everything lady and a local “overlooking everything” manager. So, the salary stays locally.

• WORKING WITH LOCAL PARTNERS

We are partnering with local suppliers from the island who share our mission of giving back to the community and employing local people. For food, we buy it from our neighbours and all our meals are from locally produced products as of the season. We buy at the local farmers shop, at the local fishing market or directly from the local fishing boat to minimize the food miles. We also go and catch fish with the locals at the sunset if the guests prefer to catch their own dinner. All our partners have committed to our Responsible Travel Policy.

• SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISANAL SHOPS

We encourage guests to support the community by buying local products for gifts rather than imported souvenirs and goods.

• DEVELOPING LESS-VISITED DESTINATION

Some parts of Croatia are widely known and overvisited during the peak holiday times. As the island of Vis is one of the less developed tourist destinations, we are proud to be going beyond the typical tourist itinerary. We try to go beaten track. With that in mind, this gives our guests a richer experience of Croatian life and culture and at the same time providing the economic benefit to the community of Vis islanders and locations that fewer tourists see.

• YEAR-ROUND OPERATION

We are all employed year round. With this we prevent the issues seasonality creates for any kind of sustainability.

At Viscovery we are committed to have a positive relationship among our guests and local community and our core issue is always responsibility – that of the individual tourist as well as of the us, the tourism operator. We understand that we need environmentally sound travel destinations and hospitable local communities. Here are a few of our biggest projects.

• INTERACTION WITH LOCAL PEOPLE

We visit and recommend trips to local markets, artisanal shops with handmade products where our guests can buy foods, drinks, gifts and more. This is an excellent way for the collective wellbeing of society, environment and economy in the long run.

• LOCAL GUIDES

We are all local. Our guests eat like we all eat. We have activities when local usually have them (we always relax after lunch), so everything like we do is like locals do it.

• STRONG COMMUNITY BONDAGE

All our family and friends are locals and that include the farms, wineries, shops, restaurants and locally owned business. Everything stays locally.

• IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF TOURISM JOBS

Most of the job in tourism in Croatia are seasonally done, and so the workers are only half employed throughout the year. We maintain a full year insurance and employment for all our personal and making tourism as a tool in the island sustainable development.

• TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

We communicate all our values to our guests, employees, partners and the community. We promote dialogue about best practices.

• OTHER SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

As part of the commitment to responsible travel and social responsibility we are reducing the seasonality of the tourism demand and maintaining and enhancing community prosperity and quality of life in the face of change. We actively seek to combat over-tourism in the summer months by choosing off-the-beaten path locations on the island. We are also conserving and giving value to natural and cultural heritage with making holidays available to all and using tourism as a tool in the island’s sustainable development.

• SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS

BLUE WORLD INSTITUTE

As part of the nature help, we support the Blue World Institute, which is a science- based non-profit organisation dedicated to marine research, education, and conservation in the Adriatic Sea and has an office in our village. One of the projects is “The dolphin adoption”, where we help raise money support for their ongoing activities.

While we do our beach hopping sometimes, we see the dolphins, so we encourage our guests to adopt dolphins the same way as we do.

GEOPARK VIS

As our island has some special geological specialities the official organisation along with various figures of local communities’ function in the way of local laws and traditions mainly to protect the nature. Geopark VIS is an organisation which is part of the European and Global UNESCO Geoparks Network, and we help organise different activities to the public, like founding and creating points of interests, information’s centres and educational materials and seminars – also using GEOTOURISM.

Our company visits the reserved places of the Geopark of Vis on the travels around the island with no impact – walking or taking paddle boats, kayaks, and electric bikes.

Traveling to Croatia and to the island of Vis is easy. To prepare for your stay with us and to travel more responsibly, here are some suggestions on how we can all minimize our impact on the nature and environment, marine ecosystems and any kind of wildlife.

Nature is not only virgin forests and unattainable places, but it is also all the way around us, from the air we breathe, food and water that we take, nature is everywhere. When you are going to come and visit us, it is not going to be just knowing Croatia and the island of Vis, but you will be becoming a guest of a culture, a landscape, an environment and you will be open to knowing, respecting and learning about it.

This is your pre-trip information and with this we would like to prepare you for your stay with us and travel more responsibly. Its addition to general information about Croatia, we provide you a few suggestions how we can all minimize our impact on the nature and environment, marine ecosystems and any kind of wildlife during our travels.

Recommended packing list

Here is a packing list for an active holiday on the seaside during the summer:

Clothing:

• Swimwear (bring at least two pairs)
• UV protection T-shirt for kayaking or walking – also great for the water activities as snorkelling
• Sun hat or baseball cap
• Sunglasses
• Light, breathable clothing (shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, dresses)
• Flip-flops or sandals
• Comfortable walking or hiking shoes
• Light jacket or hoodie (for cooler evenings or windy days)

Beach Gear: 

We will provide beach towels for you. Some other things well worth bringing:

• Beach bag or tote to carry your gear
• Sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher)
• Aloe vera or other after-sun lotion
• Water bottle

Sports and Activities Gear:

We will provide you with snorkels and masks. Also we will provide yoga mats.

Other things to bring:

• Running shoes and workout clothes

Other Essentials:

• Camera or phone with waterproof case
• Cash or credit card
• Passport or ID
• First aid kit (including band-aids, antiseptic, pain relievers, insect repellent)
• Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap)
• Insect repellent
• Portable charger
• Book or magazine

Remember to pack light and only bring what you need for your active holiday.

Additional trip-specific information

Your passport needs to have validations to at least three months prior to the after the planned date of departure. One page of passport is required for an entry stamp. Currently there are no tourist visa requirements but please check with the local authorities for your entry requirements before your arrival. The majority of foreign visitors don’t need a visa to enter Croatia, including, but not limited to, EU countries, the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

Travelers checks, or personal checks are no longer accepted in Croatia. ATMs are common, and credit cards are generally accepted. Facilities are available for wiring or transferring money.

Water quality

Croatia has an abundance of fresh water and the public drinking water systems cover around 87% of the population. Water quality is tested daily throughout the country. Tests are performed according to internationally accepted standards. Water in Croatia is of high quality with potable tap water being available in most places. Some rural areas rely on private wells that may not be subject to quality testing standards.

Health and safety

Injuries related to travel have occurred around the world. Verify that you bring appropriate protective gear, equipment, and that training for any activity is available. Many accidents have occurred due to participants’ pre-existing health conditions. You may wish to make sure that you are healthy enough to engage in planned activities by consulting with your doctor. We encourage travellers to purchase medical evacuation insurance.

Medical Emergency

For emergency services in Croatia, dial 112. Ambulance services are widely available and there is one in Vis town and one in Komiža town on the island of Vis. Credit card payment is not always available. Some hospitals and medical professionals require cash payment. Travelers should make efforts to obtain complete information on billing, pricing, and proposed medical procedures before agreeing to any medical care.

We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation.