According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, Sustainable tourism can be defined as:

Sustainability principles refer to the economic, environmental, and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and an appropriate balance ought to be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability.

1. We make optimal use of environmental resources. Our buses accommodate up to 20 guests and are efficiently managed in order to ensure the minimal waste of energy. At The Funky Cichlid you have the opportunity to merge with nature and be amazed at the beauty and fun to be found. In addition, all our food is locally produced, thus reducing the huge environmental impact that imported food creates, giving the best of tastes in each bite of food and most importantly, supporting local suppliers and producers. What’s more, the lodge is becoming increasingly eco-friendly; the water for bathroom amenities is heated using solar panels and there are plans to eventually use solar to power all appliances.
   
2. We respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, and aim to conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values. At Malawian Style you will get a taste of local culture, and engage actively with locals. We are always looking for ways to support Malawi and local volunteer organisations so please get in touch if you are looking for support by means of sponsorship, help, donations (be it financial, our time or a prize)- we would love to hear from you.
   
3. We ensure viable, long-term economic operations. All stakeholders at Malawian Style receive fairly distributed socio-economic benefits, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities. In our team we proudly employ 13 local people working at different levels within management, sales and operations, in addition, we utilise international experience to ensure inter-cultural understanding and guarantee the long-term viability of the business. Also, facilities used on our tours (accommodation, transportation, and services) employ mainly locals, as a result your presence directly benefits Malawi economically, and you get to support the local community with your trip.
   
4. On our safari tours we ensure the disruption of animals is kept to a minimum, so our presence goes practically unnoticed. We even arrange walking safaris, perhaps the most magical way to experience the beauty of Africa and become fully absorbed by the scenery as nothing stands between you and the wilderness. At the same time your ecological footprint is reduced to zero. We also have the strong belief that the best shot is that one taken by a camera and that our presence will help to preserve conservation of natural resources.

   Land-use intensity and climate change are predicted to influence temperature and precipitation patterns worldwide, and these changes in temperature will lead to far-distance migrations of species, and will also affect the richness of plants, which in consequence will eventually affect humans. Tourism also contributes to the acceleration of climate change by the fragmentation of land, contamination of oceans and fresh water, and pollution of the atmosphere. This is the reason why at Malawian Style we want to raise awareness about sustainability issues and promote sustainable tourism practices. We also want to maintain a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a meaningful experience to tourists.
   

5. Pack for a Purpose is a great initiative which encourages explorers to take along vitally needed equipment to places that need it most! Not sure what to bring – don’t worry! Visit their website, click on ‘select a destination‘ and you will be presented with a long list of lodges who have ongoing projects and see where you can help. Easy. 

   When travelling to Malawi you have up to 46kg on the international flight and in the country, you will probably be travelling by car, so make use of that ‘empty space’ and bring along supplies! Eco travelling at its best! If your lodge isn’t on the list let us know and we can make some great suggestions! 

6. We have decided the time for action is now! We support many lodges who have their own initiatives but we have decided to invest in our own project. We have teamed up with the Lion Recovery Fund a privately funded conservation project who help monitor and increase lion populations across Africa. Their aim is to re-stock what we have lost in the last 25 years in a short space of time. Founded in 2017 they have raised a whopping $5 million and funded over 55 projects and their mane (get it?) ambassador and funder is none other than, a Leo himself, Leonardo Di Caprio!
    
   They have been key to the increasing lion populations in Kafue and re-stocking Liwonde, two of our most favourite parks in. We have pledged to join them in the fight to protect one of Africa’s most iconic species! To find out more about the project or see how you can help us raise funds feel free to drop Chloe (our own Leo) an email at chloe@malawianstyle.com.