SUSTAINABILITY & POSITIVE IMPACT
Small tours. Local businesses. More time actually experiencing Tasmania.
At Off The Leash Tours, sustainable tourism in Tasmania isn't about claiming to be perfect. It's about making thoughtful choices about how I operate, who I work with and the kind of tourism I want to contribute to in Tasmania.
As a small, locally owned tour business, I have the opportunity to keep things personal, support other Tasmanian businesses and create experiences that encourage visitors to slow down, connect with a place and spend locally.
Keeping it local
Local businesses are a huge part of the Off The Leash experience.
My Private Tours connect guests with Tasmanian wineries, distilleries, cafés, restaurants, producers and attractions, with a particular focus on small and independently owned businesses.
Rather than trying to fit as many stops as possible into a day, itineraries are designed to give guests time to enjoy each place, meet the people behind it and actually experience where they are.
Where possible, I also look for opportunities to work with and promote women-owned and operated Tasmanian businesses.
For me, positive impact means tourism dollars don't just pass through a destination — they stay in the communities we're visiting..
Small by design
Off The Leash Tours was deliberately created around small, personalised experiences.
Private Tours are just that — private. Guests aren't being moved around Tasmania on large coaches as part of my regular touring model, and itineraries can be designed around what the group genuinely wants to experience.
Keeping groups small also means I can be more flexible with where we visit, including businesses that may not have the capacity to accommodate large tour groups.
It's tourism on a smaller scale, with a bigger focus on connection.
Slowing things down
I don't believe a great tour needs to squeeze twelve stops into one day.
Off The Leash Tours encourages a slower style of travel — fewer places, more time and less rushing from one photo opportunity to the next.
It creates a better guest experience, but it also allows visitors to engage more meaningfully with the businesses and communities they're visiting.
Sometimes doing less actually means experiencing more.
Exploring Hobart on foot
The introduction of Silent Disco Walking Tours added a completely different kind of experience to Off The Leash Tours — one that doesn't require a touring vehicle at all.
Guests explore Hobart and other locations on foot while listening to music through reusable wireless headphones.
The headsets are used across multiple tours, charged and maintained between experiences, and the walking format creates a fun tourism experience with minimal transport requirements.
Turns out you can see a city without looking at it through a bus window.
Making thoughtful choices
As a small business, even little operational choices add up.
Where practical, Off The Leash Tours aims to:
Use digital booking confirmations, itineraries, waivers and guest information rather than unnecessary printing.
Reuse tour and event equipment across experiences.
Maintain equipment to extend its usable life.
Avoid unnecessary single-use items.
Consolidate purchasing and business travel where practical.
Work with local suppliers and businesses.
Plan efficient touring routes.
Encourage guests to spend directly with the Tasmanian businesses we visit.
I know there will always be more that can be done, so sustainability is something I intend to keep reviewing as the business grows.
Building a tourism business that gives something back
Positive impact isn't only environmental.
For Off The Leash Tours, it also means contributing to Tasmania's visitor economy in a way that supports local people and businesses.
That includes introducing visitors to smaller operators, creating partnerships within the tourism industry, recommending other local experiences and encouraging guests to explore beyond the obvious stops.
It also means creating experiences that locals can enjoy themselves. Silent Disco Walking Tours, pop-ups and special events give Tasmanians another way to experience their own city and community.
Sustainable Tourism
Off The Leash Tours has completed Sustainable Tourism accreditation, providing a framework to review the environmental, cultural, social and economic impact of the business and identify areas for continued improvement.
Sustainability isn't something I consider finished because I've received an accreditation. It's an ongoing part of how I want Off The Leash Tours to grow.
What's next?
As the business grows, I want to make sure growth doesn't mean losing the things that make this model work.
That means continuing to:
Review the environmental impact of tour operations.
Measure and better understand business emissions.
Increase the number of local and sustainable suppliers used.
Look for practical ways to reduce waste.
Continue developing low-impact experiences.
Build partnerships that keep visitor spending within Tasmania.
Review progress and set new sustainability goals each year.
Our Sustainability Plan
Want to know more about what we're doing now and where we're heading?
Our Sustainability Plan outlines the actions, goals and measures we're using to keep improving the environmental, social and economic impact of Off The Leash Tours. Sustainability Plan
Check out my Emissions Reduction Plan here