Expedition Cruise Network Launches New Industry Standard Around Responsible Tourism Practices

The Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) has today unveiled the ECN Responsible Expedition Framework, a new industry initiative designed to give travel advisors a clearer and more consistent way to understand and communicate the responsible tourism practices of expedition cruise operators.

ECN made the announcement at its third annual conference in London this week.

The voluntary industry communications framework has evaluated participating operators across six areas of responsible expedition cruising and provides each operator with a current stage, an accompanying badge and a detailed report identifying its strengths and opportunities for further improvement.

The framework has been created in response to research conducted among ECN travel advisor members, who have highlighted the difficulty of interpreting lengthy sustainability and ESG reports, comparing the approach of different cruise operators and then being able to explain responsible tourism practices confidently to clients.

Akvile Marozaite, CEO and Co-Founder of the Expedition Cruise Network, said: “Expedition cruising takes place in some of the world’s most environmentally sensitive destinations and brings travellers into contact with remote communities, wildlife, and fragile ecosystems. It is in the interests of our entire sector that these places are visited carefully, respectfully, and responsibly.

“Travel advisors told us that they wanted a clearer way to understand the work expedition cruise operators are undertaking. Sustainability is an extremely complex subject, particularly within expedition cruising, where an operator can simultaneously function as a hotel, transport provider, tour operator, and educational platform. This new framework brings these different responsibilities together and gives the sector a common language. It will help travel advisors have more informed conversations with their clients while giving participating operators a practical roadmap for continued improvement.

“This framework is, to my knowledge, the first of its kind in our sector, and bringing it to life has been one of the most challenging and rewarding projects I have undertaken through ECN. I am immensely proud of what ECN has achieved and grateful to every advisor, operator, and independent expert* who helped us create it.”

An evidence-based annual assessment

Participating expedition cruise operators completed a 35-question self-assessment form examining six key areas:

• Certifications and external validation

• Sustainable management and governance

• Environmental stewardship

• Community, cultural and destination stewardship

• Guest education and expedition ethos

• Positive impact and conservation contribution

Operators completing the survey provided evidence to support their responses and answers were weighted and submissions evaluated through a review process that included an independent judging panel.

To ensure the framework is robust, it draws on recognised global sustainability principles, including those of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, alongside considerations specific to expedition cruising, including biosecurity, wildlife encounters, guest education, citizen science, conservation partnerships and contributions to local communities and destinations.

Five stages of progress

Following the assessment, each participating operator has been placed at one of five stages:

Emerging – Building the Foundations of Responsible Expedition Cruising - Operators in this category are at an early stage of developing and formalising their responsible tourism approach. Positive initiatives may already be in place, with policies, partnerships and programmes being developed to support longer-term progress.

Developing – Demonstrating Growing Commitment - Operators in this group have established responsible tourism initiatives and are actively expanding their work across areas such as environmental responsibility, community engagement, and guest education.

Integrated – Responsible Practices Across the Business  - These operators have already integrated responsible expedition principles across many areas of the organisation, including operational decision-making, guest experiences, conservation, research, and community partnerships.

Embedded – Leading Through Action - These operators are already demonstrating measurable and consistent commitments to environmental stewardship, community engagement, and long-term destination protection throughout their organisation.

Contributing – Creating Positive Impact Beyond the Voyage - These operators are helping to advance responsible expedition cruising through leadership, innovation and meaningful contributions to support conservation, scientific research, communities, and wider industry practice.

The five stages show where an operator currently stands and provide a route for continued development. Operators will repeat the assessment annually, allowing them to demonstrate progress over time.

Each operator will receive a detailed report highlighting areas of strength and opportunities to strengthen policies, measurement, partnerships, guest education and contributions to conservation or research. They will also receive a supporting badge which they can put on their website and use in collateral, helping to articulate their current standing and commitment to the initiative.

The ECN Responsible Expedition Framework is a voluntary self-assessment, development and communications tool and does not constitute official certification.

Founding operator participants include

Eleven expedition cruise operators have completed the inaugural assessment and become the first participants in the ECN Responsible Expedition Framework:

• HX Expeditions

• PONANT

• Golden Galapagos

• Poseidon Expeditions

• Australis Cruises

• Scenic Eclipse

• UnCruise Adventures

• 60South

• Aranui Cruises

• Oceanwide Expeditions

• Aqua Expeditions

Marozaite added: “These operators committed considerable time and resources to completing the inaugural assessment and providing evidence of their work. Their willingness to participate has enabled ECN to establish the framework and take an important first step towards clearer, more informed conversations about responsible expedition cruising. We hope the framework will become a trusted reference point for travel advisors, a valuable improvement tool for operators and a catalyst for further progress across the expedition cruise sector.”

Travel advisors will be able to review participating operators and their framework stages through a dedicated section of the ECN website, with further operators expected to participate in future annual assessment cycles.