Walking, hiking, bicycling, canoeing and kayaking tours are among the excursions available
MSC Cruises will expand the availability of its Protectours to 90 destinations by the end of the summer, rising from 20 ports at the beginning of the season. It will also minimise the environmental impact of land-based tours and supporting nature-positive activities across its range of other excursions.
Up to 70% of Protectours, which were introduced by the line in 2020, will have a low environmental impact owing to an increase in the number of walking, hiking, bicycling, canoeing and kayaking excursions ashore. Examples of Protectours available include planting trees to replenish lost forests in the Greek island of Rhodes, collecting plastic waste from the beaches of the Adriatic sea, nature walking tours in the Bahamas, making eco-friendly jewellery in Helsinki, Finland, urban farming and beekeeping in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, organic rooftop farming in Copenhagen, Denmark and stone cleaning in Scotland.
Marialuisa Iaccarino, head of shore excursions, MSC Cruises, said, ‘Travel and tourism has a very significant role to play in global decarbonisation and we need to demonstrate leadership by ensuring that we meet the expectation of travellers who are more aware and engaged in sustainability matters and the protection and enhancement of the natural environment.
‘At MSC Cruises we are determined to prove that the industry is a positive and engaged player in driving sustainable tourism.’
Low carbon footprint excursions offered by the line will comprise 150 bicycle tours available in 21 countries; according to a spokesperson for the line, these are growing in popularity among passengers.
Low carbon tours
More electric and hybrid shuttle buses will be used for transporting passengers between ports to places of interest in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Spain and Sweden, with MSC Cruises looking to increase its use of green ground transportation in the future.
Largest number of shore excursions available
The line’s summer 2022 shore excursion programme will total nearly 1,400 tours – the largest amount offered by the line to date. Northern Europe will host 640 different excursions, the Mediterranean 550 and the Caribbean 200.
