Knowledge Networking Portal for Sustainable & Responsible Tourism
TOFTigers PUG and Footprint
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TOFT is a global travel trade alliance founded by visionary leaders Julian Matthews (Founder & Ambassador) and Vishal Singh (Co-Founder & Director, TOFT), TOFT has been working as a changemaker with governments, communities, and the private sector, to advocate, plan, support and fund the protection, conservation and rewilding of natural wilderness and their wild inhabitants, especially tiger habitats. TOFT began as a campaign twenty years back against unchecked, profit-driven tourism, striving to create a sustainable balance between tourism and conservation. Despite early challenges and limited awareness, TOFT persevered with strategic initiatives and an unwavering commitment to its mission, evolving into a powerful force for sustainable travel that champions conservation while empowering local communities. TOFT was established with a clear mission: to reform tourism in fragile ecosystems. Recognizing the delicate interplay between tourism and conservation, TOFT has collaborated extensively with accommodation providers, tour operators, and conservationists to establish best practices that set the benchmark for responsible tourism. The compilation of same is found in the Best Practices Toolkit((https://www.toftigers.org/best-practice/introduction/) , which offers structured guidance across nine key themes. These themes cover essential aspects of sustainability, providing businesses with practical strategies through Easy Wins and Going for Gold recommendations, along with real-world case studies and expert insights. A central strand in TOFT Operation is the PUG and Footprint eco-rating certification for accommodation providers in wild & nature destination, a gold standard, the first of its kind in South Asia. Already covering more than 70 places to stay in India and Nepal, TOFT aims to extend the PUG & Footprint -mark’s to reach across the continent to ensure a sustainable future not only for nature and local communities but also for all our futures. TOFT PUG and FOOTPRINT certification are now Travalyst Compliant. TOFT has also been recognised as Sustainable Travel Innovator for the Global Vision Awards 2025 in Travel +Leisure (http://bit.ly/4bJqGyE). Every year, Travel + Leisure presents its Global Vision Awards, where they acknowledge visionaries who are focused on the future of travel—and are dedicated to ensuring that we, as humans, can continue to explore the world without damaging it as we go along. |
| Certifying Organisation | Travel Operators for Tigers - TOFTigers |
| Partner Organisation/s |
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| License Period (years) | 3 |
| Certified Tourism (nr) |  more than 40 |
| Services | Online certification form |
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Membership - https://www.toftigers.org/supporters-directory-business/ Certification - https://www.toftigers.org/certification/ Trainings - https://www.toftigers.org/training-business/ Third Party Audit - https://www.toftigers.org/pug-audit-process-2/ Campaigns - https://www.toftigers.org/what-we-do-campaign/ Publications - https://www.toftigers.org/publications-resources/ |
| Organisation | Travel Operators for Tigers |
|---|---|
| Postal Address | Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi 110029, India |
| Phone Number | +91-11-41652410 |
| Webpage | https://www.toftigers.org/certification/ |
| Released | 10/02/2025 |
| Country | Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Netherlands, Nepal, Sweden, United Kingdom, USA |
| Certified categories |
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| Operational level | Sub-Global |
| Sustainability | Comprehensive |
| Credibility | 3rd party audit |
| Services |
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