AITO

Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO)

What is AITO?

The AITO Quality Charter - taken from www.aito.co.uk

AITO is the Association for independent and specialist holiday companies. Our member companies, usually owner-managed, strive to create overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern for quality and personal service. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating.

EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP
AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which encourages high operational standards and conduct.

FINANCIAL SECURITY
An AITO member is required to protect money paid by customers to the member for any holiday sold under the AITO logo. This protection applies to customers who are in the UK at the time of booking or to overseas customers who have booked directly with the member. Members have to comply with the UK Government Regulations in this respect. Members submit details of their bonding or guarantee arrangements to the Association on a regular basis.

ACCURATE BROCHURES AND WEB SITES
All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic, clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS
All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers and always welcome suggestions for improving standards.

MONITORING STANDARDS
AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a post-holiday questionnaire, the results of which are scrutinised by the Association.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
All members acknowledge the importance of AITO's Sustainable Tourism guidelines, which recognise the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating. Those demonstrating their achievements beyond the pure acceptance of this principle are recognised by the award of 2 to 5 star status.

CUSTOMER RELATIONS
All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably, AITO's low-cost Independent Dispute Settlement Service may be called upon by either side to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion.

AITO Sustainable Tourism Award

Pure Crete has been awarded the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) outstanding 4 Star Status for sustainable Tourism. This reflects our commitment to sustainability, responsible tourism and ecotourism.

In 2007 we introduced a carbon offest scheme.We add a £3.50 carbon offset charge per passenger, per return flight on each invoice that clients can pay or opt out of.

Since 2007 Pure Crete clients have raised over £3000. This has been donated to the Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Service, TICOS. TICOS uses offset funds to develop projects that make both carbon savings and have wider sustainable development benefits. The offset income is generated by voluntary contributions from customers of its service users. These are travel and tourism companies committed to offsetting and improving both the quality of the environment and the quality of life for local communities at tourism destinations.

Pure Crete's contributions have gone towards SunFire Solar Solutions Solar Stoves in South Africa. The main objective of the project is to help reduce poverty and alleviate the difficult energy situation that South Africa is currently experiencing. The project provides subsidised solar and fuel-efficient stoves to poor communities, allowing families to move away from open-fire cooking which requires enormous amounts of wood fuel and often leads to smoke-related illnesses. The project provides immediate environmental, economic, health and social benefits and is based on a business model that engages local communities and encourages grass-roots entrepreneurship.

Pure Crete has helped restore stone-built Cretan houses and villas and has helped to protect endangered species in Crete. This means that our clients can enjoy the rural tranquillity of traditional houses safe in the knowledge that their holidays help to conserve Crete’s natural and physical environment.

Houses are owned by local families so that the economic benefits go to local communities who engage in restoration and environmental work. In all these locations we encourage the restoration of disused Cretan houses and the use of traditional building methods.We are not involved in modern building or ownership but instead work in friendship with local communities to protect and enhance the environment.

We encourage recycling and the local production of organic foods. We have sponsored a loggerhead turtle hatchery, contributed to the protection of the bearded vulture and we subsidise the installation of solar energy in the houses we rent. Our customer loyalty is linked to our environmental approach as well as the enjoyment of a holiday in Crete.

All our team in Crete live there permanently so enabling us to sponsor recycling and the use of solar energy. As conservation of the local culture and environment is central to Pure Crete we are pleased to have been a founder member of Green Flag International - now Green Globe - an organisation set up to promote environmentally responsible tourism within the travel industry.

Unlike most holiday companies featuring Crete Pure Crete is still an independent company after 23 years. It is not owned by a large conglomorate. As an alternative to large companies try Pure Crete's unique range of locally owned village houses many of which we've helped to restore. So if you want to visit the quiet tranquility of Western Crete and enjoy the Spring flowers or warm Autumn of Crete there's no better company than Pure Crete for independent holidays.

If you have travelled with independent companies in the past we are sure you will appreciate Pure Crete's holidays in the future, as we are a company that values Crete's environment and culture and specialise in locally owned village houses, some with pools and others near the sea. So if you appreciate a more indendent approach we look forward to welcoming you to Pure Crete.

Pure Crete,
Bolney Place,
Cowfold Road,
Haywards Heath,
West Sussex
RH17 5QT

Tel: ++44 (0)1444 881 402

Fax: ++44 (0)1444 880 405