Everything that Ethical Travel Portal does has responsible tourism at its heart. Our story began back in 2007 when we were established around core ethical travel principles, with the goal of using tourism as a tool for development. A constant part of our decision-making process, this is the key to how we have evolved over time.


We believe in creating better places where the focus is on what these destinations need — not only what visitors want. We inspire and encourage mindful travellers who appreciate authentic experiences, and that is what we create by working hand-in-hand with local communities.


We first hit the road in January 2008, when eight excited travellers departed Oslo. Destination: The Gambia. Heading into the unknown, this adventurous bunch took the very first trip organised by ETP. That journey, and the many that came after, reflected precisely what we believe in — offering transformative experiences and creating a better understanding of the world we all share.


At the same time, wherever we go our trips support the communities we visit, fulfilling our mission as a company — to build bridges between people and contribute positively. Meaningful travel is one way to achieve that, by way of our very special immersive journeys curated with responsible tourism in mind.


We’ve come a long way, and not just in the miles we’ve travelled. Through our STOMP sustainability measurement tool, we’re creating transparency and innovating travel tech; via ETP Consult, we’re sharing our considerable knowledge in consulting on destination and product development; and most of all, we’re giving back — through handpicked projects around the world and our own charity.


To tell our stories and share what we’ve learned, we’re also building a community around responsible travel: Resonate. The Resonate Community is a collective of writers, readers, travellers, activists, and destinations, all committed to empowering and benefiting local people through tourism.


ETP is global in every respect; it’s not unusual for us to have team meetings spanning four continents. But though we may be working in different corners of the world as many nationalities with a diverse array of perspectives, we all have one goal in common — giving locals centre stage. We’ve come together as a large network of talented, committed people who fully embrace ETP’s core concept of responsible tourism.