Meet our team

I. Happy Trails Kosovo Sustainable Tourism Policy

Happy Trails Kosovo is a local company based in Kosovo, collaborating cross-border with regional partners. Founded by friends active in an environmental NGO, the company was created to serve local and international tourists. Environmental friendliness is embedded in our roots, making sustainable policy a natural fit.

II. Environment, Creatures, and People – Principles

  1. Humans are part of nature, not aliens to Earth.
  2. As the most sophisticated organisms on Earth, humans have a responsibility to care for other creatures and manage their environmental impact.
  3. Human efforts to protect the environment and other creatures must not compromise the wellbeing of their own families.
  4. All creatures—whether rats, bears, or dogs—have an equal right to exist. Policies for care and culling must treat all animals equally.

III. Business Environment and Priorities

Happy Trails Kosovo specializes in adventure tourism, operating primarily in national parks, protected areas, and natural environments. Recognizing the need to preserve these areas for future enjoyment, the company goes beyond legal requirements in its conservation efforts. Our environmental priorities, in order, are:

  1. Waste management and litter reduction
  2. Water management and pollution prevention
  3. Minimizing visual pollution
  4. Reducing CO2 impact

IV. Office Practices

Despite having a small number of employees, our office adheres to environmentally friendly practices:

  1. Separate recyclable and non-recyclable waste; food waste is fed to animals.
  2. Maintain cleanliness around the office by picking up litter.
  3. Minimize printing and use a printer with refillable cartridges.
  4. Install water-saving caps and fix any leaking taps.
  5. Encourage staff to use bicycles for city travel and lunch breaks.
  6. Use environmentally friendly detergents whenever available.

V. Transport Provider Selection

Recognizing that environmental protection can be secondary when human wellbeing is at risk, we prioritize working with local transport providers, even if their vehicles are older and less environmentally friendly. Our transport policies include:

  1. Selecting the smallest vehicle that meets client comfort standards.
  2. Encouraging clients to share vehicles and offering price reductions as incentives.
  3. Advising clients on the best balance of tour quality, transport, and environmental protection.
  4. Offering transport providers prepayments up to €5000 for investments in more efficient vehicles.
  5. Considering efficiency and pollution when purchasing company vehicles.

VI. Accommodation Provider Selection

We choose accommodation providers based on the following criteria:

  1. Meeting basic client requirements.
  2. Proper waste management.
  3. Sourcing local products for food.
  4. Price.

We support accommodation providers by offering:

  1. Advance payments for environmental investments.
  2. Expertise and knowledge for grant applications and sustainable investment solutions.
  3. Free advertising for environmentally conscious providers.

Our goal is for 80% of our accommodations to have a 3 or 4-star rating by 2025.

VII. Sustainable Purchasing

Happy Trails Kosovo prioritizes local products to minimize transportation. Gifts for clients must be:

  1. Produced in Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, or North Macedonia.
  2. Made by small, family-owned businesses.
  3. From companies without a reputation for pollution.
  4. Certified sustainable.

Current sustainable purchases include:

  • Wine from Eko, a small family producer in Kosovo.
  • Woolen socks from the Women’s Association in Deçan, Kosovo.
  • Tea and cheese directly from city market gatherers and producers.
  • Self-produced honey.
  • Fruits directly from producers.

VIII. Employment and Staff Treatment

As an equal opportunity employer, we make job postings public without reference to gender or ethnicity. We recruit through our training programs, selecting the best students for admin, sales, or guide positions. We prioritize hiring women in mountain guiding roles and provide them with media exposure opportunities. Contracts comply with local laws, offer health insurance, and include regular bonuses. Guides work as independent contractors, responsible for their own tax registrations.

IX. Health and Safety

We adhere to Kosovo’s health and safety standards, offering health insurance to all employees. We approve sick leave if employees’ children are ill and provide comprehensive training for all staff and guides, ensuring the highest standards for rented equipment.