Responsible Ecotourism

Committed to Sustainability

Orca Spirit has made a long term commitment to protect and preserve the spectacular natural setting we are fortunate to do business in, by actively practicing the principles of eco-tourism and sustainability.

In fact, we have been taking UNWTO and TIES definitions to heart, using them to guide decision-making across every aspect of our business for many years.

For us, that translates into taking a leadership role in our community by developing and implementing eco-tourism awareness programs, and continually monitoring of our use of natural resources for areas of improvement.

A Culture of Sustainability

Every day, our employees take thousands of small actions that contribute in a big way to the sustainability of our environment.

Responsible Whale Watching Practices

From the very beginning, we’ve understood the importance of minimizing our impact on the ocean habitat that whales call home.

Supporting Research & Conservation

It’s our duty to take a leadership role in supporting the research and conservation of transient and resident whale communities.

Leaders in Responsible Eco-Tourism

We’ve been protecting our natural surroundings and improving the social and economic well being of local communities for over 20 years.

Proudly Providing Carbon Neutral Tours

Carbon Neutral Tours

We as an organization, now have a unique opportunity to protect this valuable resource by investing in a conservation economy through the purchase of carbon offsets. We have selected to support The Great Bear Rainforest initiative, which is focusing on protecting an area that is so crucial to the purity of our inland waterways that filter into our coastal marine environment.

The Great Bear Rainforest Carbon Project is an Improved Forest Management initiative, which generates emission reductions by protecting forest areas that were previously designated, sanctioned or approved for commercial logging. It is a landmark project for balancing human well-being and ecological integrity through carbon finance, and is the first carbon project in North America on traditional territory with unextinguished aboriginal rights and title.

We believe taking the first step towards conserving our backyard is by recognizing our carbon emissions, and finding ways to reduce our footprint. We all make an impact on our environment and we are doing whatever it takes to educate and plan for a better future for our oceans. We are so fortunate to call this piece of paradise home and would like to see it remain this way, if not better, for generations to come.

Join us on a carbon neutral trip and allow our marine naturalists to introduce you to the Salish Sea we are so fortunate to call home, and learn how you too can make a difference to protect our natural environment.

Sustainability Initiatives

Sustainable tourism aims to minimize the environmental and cultural impact of tourist activity, and support the local economy by employing people from within the region.

From carbon neutral tours to proactive waste management and the on-going recruitment, training and employment of community members, Orca Spirit Adventures works hard to ensure that our whale and wildlife watching services have a positive social, economic and environmental impact.

Sustainable Daily Operations

We continually look for new ways to operate sustainability — from purchasing locally sourced product, to rewarding employees for using sustainable modes of transportation to volunteering with local organizations focused on conservation and sustainability.

Green Management Plan

Our “go greener” plan includes no longer selling bottled water to guests in offices and during regular tour schedule, saying goodbye to plastic bags, monitoring water consumption and vehicle use, purchasing only environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, and so much more.

Wildlife Conservation Fee

Every Orca Spirit Adventures guest contributes a $2 conservation fee, 100% of which goes towards the restoration of the salmon in the Salish Sea.

Orca Spirit Beach Clean Ups

We participate in the annual Earth Day Power Hour beach cleanup, removing plastics and other non-biodegradable materials from our shoreline. We even hauled an old boat off the beach!