Our Sustainability Policy
We love this country, and we intend to keep it worth loving. As a Travelife Partner, here is how we travel, and ask others to travel, through Portugal.
We're a small Lisbon studio, and Portugal is not just where we work. It's home. The coastlines, the vineyards, the old towns and the people who make them what they are: these are the very things our travellers come for, and the things we have a duty to protect. Responsible travel isn't a department for us; it's simply how we design.
As a certified Travelife Partner, we follow an internationally recognised sustainability standard for the travel industry, and we report on our progress. This policy sets out the commitments we hold ourselves to, across our own business, the partners we choose, and the journeys we craft.
Travelife is the leading international sustainability scheme for the travel industry. As a Travelife Partner, we're committed to its criteria across the environment, local communities, culture, wildlife and people, and we report on our progress.
How we travel through Portugal
A lighter footprint
We design journeys that tread gently, favouring slower, well-paced routes over needless transfers, choosing accommodation and partners who manage their energy, water and waste with care, and cutting single-use plastic wherever we can across our own operation.
Money that stays local
We work with Portuguese-owned hotels, guides, drivers and family-run experiences, so that what our travellers spend supports the communities they visit, rather than leaking away. Knowing the places we love stay alive is part of the point.
Respect for culture & heritage
We introduce travellers to Portugal as it truly is, with its traditions, craft and living culture, and we do it with respect. We brief our guests on local customs and sensitivities, and we design in a way that protects fragile sites rather than overwhelming them.
Wildlife, watched with care
Where a journey includes nature and wildlife (dolphins off the Sado, whales in the Azores, the wild Atlantic coast), we work only with operators who follow responsible codes of conduct. We never offer experiences that exploit, distress or harm animals.
Fair and human
We treat our team and our partners fairly, expect the same of those we work with, and have zero tolerance for the exploitation of anyone, adults or children. We are committed to protecting children from all forms of exploitation in tourism.
Partners who share our values
We choose suppliers who care as we do, and we encourage and support them towards better practice over time. Sustainability is one of the things we weigh when we decide who to work with on your behalf.
Travellers as allies
The most rewarding way to travel is also the most responsible one. We quietly guide our guests towards local choices, lighter habits and real encounters, so the trip gives something back to the places that gave so much to it.
Honest about progress
We don't claim to be perfect. We measure what we do, set ourselves goals, and report on them through the Travelife framework, improving year on year rather than greenwashing today.
A commitment, not a slogan
We follow the Travelife standards, measure what we do, and set ourselves goals to improve year on year. Responsibility for this policy sits with the owner and lead travel designer, one accountable person rather than a committee, and we review it at least once a year to keep it honest and current.
We'd welcome your thoughts
If you have a suggestion, a concern, or simply want to know more about how we work, we'd be glad to hear from you. Write to us at myinfo@mylisbonholidays.com.
Last reviewed: June 2026.
Questions, answered
What is Travelife?
Travelife is the leading international sustainability certification scheme for the travel industry, covering the environment, local communities, culture, wildlife, and fair treatment of people. As a Travelife Partner, we're assessed against its criteria and report on our progress. It's earned, not bought.
How can I travel more responsibly on my trip?
It's easier than most people think, and we'll help. Choosing locally owned places to stay and eat, travelling at an unhurried pace, respecting local customs and natural sites, and simply being curious about the people you meet all make a real difference. We build these choices into every journey we design.
Who is responsible for this policy?
Responsibility for our sustainability policy sits with the owner and lead travel designer of My Lisbon Holidays. If you'd like to know more about how we work, or have a suggestion, we'd be glad to hear it. Write to us at myinfo@mylisbonholidays.com.
Travel that gives something back
The most meaningful journeys are also the most responsible ones. Tell us a little about the trip you have in mind, and your travel designer will shape something around you, with a light footprint and your full attention.