Mautourco: More than ever committed to Sustainable and Responsible Tourism

Mautourco: More than ever committed to Sustainable and Responsible Tourism

Would you please be ready to spare a few minutes of your time so we can share some insights into a subject we truly value?

For the past 70 years, Mautourco has been committed to helping people experience the true essence of Mauritius. Aware of tourism’s impact on both our environment and society, sustainability has become our priority for many years now. Our initiatives with regards to responsible tourism are centered around six key pillars: Authentic Experience, Biodiversity and Coral Health, Equal Opportunities, Minimal Waste, Less Resource Use, and Contribution to the Local Community.

Authentic Experience: Our excursions are designed to minimise environmental impact while maximising encounters with locals and featuring our cultural heritage. We prioritise responsible tours with professional guides trained in eco-friendly practices. Each itinerary is carefully crafted to showcase the island’s natural and cultural treasures while respecting our ecosystems. The Mauritian Lifestyle, our culinary delights, our local music, supporting our local artisans, and our rich history—these are just some of the avenues through which we invite our guests to explore our unique heritage.

Promoting our Local Artisans: Aware that authenticity and traditional craftsmanship are increasingly sought after, promoting local artisans is a top priority for us. This is part of a sustainable and responsible approach aimed at preserving a rich cultural heritage while supporting the local economy. That is why we shine a spotlight on Mauritian artisans such as Beautiful LocalHands—mainly women—who generate income from traditional Mauritian techniques using vacoas and coconut fiber; Outgrowing, a craftsman specializing in a recycling project using palm leaves; and Takamaka Winery, a unique product from a family-run business, among others.

We are proud to play an active role in promoting Mauritian craftsmanship and to offer our clients an experience deeply rooted in authenticity and the passing down of traditions.
Supporting our artisans means keeping the soul of our island alive!

Biodiversity and Coral Health: Biodiversity and coral health are crucial worldwide concerns, including in Mauritius, where coral reefs play a key role in coastal protection and marine life preservation. Faced with threats such as climate change, erosion, and marine pollution, it was important for Mautourco to fully support this cause.

Deyna Marianen, our Commercial & Operations Manager, shares Mautourco’s involvement in several key projects:

“Indeed, Mautourco works closely with Reef Conservation Mauritius, an NGO dedicated to the conservation and restoration of the marine ecosystem in Mauritius. We also actively promote the conservation and protection of endangered plant and animal species by supporting NGOs such as the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation and Ebony Forest. Our collaboration with Ebony Forest includes the ‘Plant a Tree’ activity (with endemic species) as part of our excursions. Additionally, we are committed to Mission Verte, a Mauritian association actively working for environmental protection through awareness campaigns and positive action. For instance, we organised a campaign under the theme Pa zet plastik dan lamer (Don’t throw away plastic in the sea) with catamaran company skippers to fight against plastic waste in the ocean. “

By following our partners’ footsteps, we actively join in many initiatives to preserve and restore our vital ecosystems. At the same time, we ensure that the suppliers we work with share the same philosophy and adhere to transparent animal welfare standards. We prioritise dolphin watching over swimming experiences for our guests and collaborate exclusively with a carefully selected group of suppliers who have received training from recognized associations dedicated to the protection of cetaceans.

Equal Opportunity: In a world where inequalities persist, we consider equal opportunities as a crucial issue in building a fairer and more inclusive Mauritian society. This is why we take concrete actions in empowering young people of our local community and supporting women entrepreneurs.

We organise awareness campaigns for young people in the region — one of which focused on drug prevention, while 300 children were trained in environmental protection. Mautourco’s participation in the Job Fairs of the Mauritius Institute of Training & Development and the University of Technology of Mauritius gives us the opportunity to showcase our company, share our knowledge with the younger generation, and explore potential collaborations through internship and employment opportunities.

Sophie Legrand, our People & Culture Manager, explains that the focus is on youth empowerment, offering employment opportunities for younger generations (Gen Y and Gen Z), some of whom have had the chance to complete internships within various departments at Mautourco.

“It is important to highlight that we place great value on gender inclusion, with a high percentage of women among our employees, including in leadership positions such as Supervisors, Managers, and Assistant Managers at Mautourco. Several women have been promoted to mid-management roles, and we are proud to have hired our first female driver as well as several female car rental agents. It is worth noting that the overall male-to-female ratio within the company remains only slightly male-dominant,” she adds.

Minimal Waste: Reducing waste is a key priority for us, as we acknowledge the increasing scarcity of resources and the significant environmental impact of overconsumption. Whether it’s food, energy, or material waste, every small effort counts in reducing our ecological footprint and adopting a more responsible lifestyle. We are committed to lowering our carbon emissions through the acquisition of electric and hybrid vehicles, and we have installed charging stations at our premises. By adopting responsible practices and promoting recycling—such as purchasing office supplies made from recycled materials—we have significantly reduced our paper consumption. Along with similar initiatives, we have implemented electronic vouchers for our clients and partners, renovated our airport counters with digital screens for welcoming guests, and invested in software and equipment for our hotel representatives (including information displays and booking systems).

We collaborate with Mafta International Ltd Mauritius and Mission Verte for paper recycling, and our used brochures are repurposed into recycled jewelry. A zero single-use plastic policy has been established both within the company and with our suppliers. We’ve also installed dedicated bins for plastic bottles, which are collected and recycled by the NGO Mission Verte. As for our guests, they are offered Be Eau biodegradable water bottles and we even provide personalized reusable bottles to our VIP guests.

All of these initiatives help us minimise our environmental footprint.

Less Resource Use: We have made the conscious choice to work towards preserving our planet for future generations, with a focus on reduced fuel and energy consumption. Through concrete daily actions, we are minimising our use of water, electricity, and hazardous waste. The installation of photovoltaic panels has allowed us to cut our electricity usage by 30%, while an employee awareness campaign on energy consumption, along with the installation of motion sensors in our building, has further contributed to these efforts.

We have provided eco-driving training focused on driver behavior to reduce fuel usage. In addition, the optimisation of our fleet through our automatic planning software—particularly by cutting down on non-productive mileage—is one of our key strategies. We have also introduced sustainable practice guidelines for all our suppliers.

On another note, we have implemented a reduction in the frequency of car washes for employee vehicles and installed a rainwater recovery tank to clean part of our fleet. The recycling of motor oil and used tyres, and the disposal of used car batteries is handled by an authorised collector.

Through these measures, we hope to contribute—on our scale—to a more sustainable future, by encouraging responsible behavior among all our employees.

Contribution to the Local Community: Our involvement with the local community dates way back long before the concept of sustainable tourism became mainstream. We have always made it a priority to actively support nearby communities by sponsoring educational projects, promoting inclusion, and facilitating training programs. Every year, we launch new initiatives to strengthen the local economy and improve the quality of life for those in need.

Pascale Madelon, our Learning & Sustainability Manager, provides more insights:

“We supported the sponsorship of school supplies for underprivileged children through a MICE company and collaborated with Ste Therese R.C.A Primary School on several projects. We regularly engage with local youth about career opportunities and sponsored a full-day excursion for a small group of senior citizens. A partnership with the Sir Gaëtan Duval Hotel School and the University of Technology, Mauritius, enabled students to work with Mautourco on a Sustainability Audit of our suppliers. We also organised educational visits for students from      St Joseph College and Vatel Mauritius. It is worth noting that we can always rely on the involvement of our employees for most initiatives as well as for cleaning up our local community. “

Our support to the local community is always carried out with the active contribution of our employees, who in turn benefit from a comprehensive year-round wellness program, promoting a harmonious and balanced work environment.

Sophie Legrand speaks about the initiatives led by Mautourco’s People & Culture department:

“We have just completed our Health Week, which included medical check-ups for all our employees. This gives them access to free medical exams and other benefits. Mautourco also contributes partially to medical insurance and personal accident coverage for its employees. We provide counselling services with a psychologist, along with benefits at a selected private hospital. Celebrations for special events such as Years of Service, Independence Day, International Women’s Day, World Music Day, and the End-of-Year party are just a few examples of initiatives aimed at our teams’ wellbeing. Ongoing training through the Mautourco Learning Academy, along with external trainers, and a cultural development program including regular team-building sessions, all contribute to positioning Mautourco as a Great Place To Work.”

Our long-standing commitment and unwavering dedication to sustainable tourism have earned us recognition from multiple institutions, resulting in numerous awards.

Sustainable Tourism Mauritius Gold Award 2023

Sustainable Tourism Mauritius Gold Award 2024

Certified Great Place To Work in 2024 (5^TH place)

Certified Great Place To Work in 2025

These accolades inspire us to always push forward, explore new avenues, and promote a more responsible form of tourism.

Please kindly join us though our mission—together, let’s make every visit to Mauritius an ethical and sustainable experience!