MSC Cruises, the Geneva based cruise shipping company, said it has unveiled a series of carefully selected shore excursions specifically designed to help protect and preserve Earth’s natural beauty but also set specific objectives for local tour operator partners to become internationally certified under the Global Sustainable Tourism Council certification program.

“These unique excursions are an integral part of MSC Cruises’ mission to offer guests an environmentally conscious holiday. The new Protectours program offers MSC Cruises’ guests a chance to discover destinations like never before, while making a positive contribution to the planet through activities aimed to help protect and preserve through a growing list of 25+ tours,’ the company said in a statement.

“Protectours gives guests the chance to enjoy original insights into the natural world while at the same time preserving its beauty and helping to ensure a greener future, from the ultimate forest hike with rescued dogs in Jamaica in the Caribbean to meeting urban honey bees in Corfu or helping to keep Croatia’s beautiful bays and beaches clean during a snorkeling experience,” the company said.

MSC Cruises’ also stated that it became the first global cruise line to become carbon neutral across marine operations at the start of the year. “This commitment to the environment naturally extends to onshore activities too with Protectours.  These tours serve two purposes: firstly, they offer an opportunity for MSC Cruises to empower their tour partners to diversify their offering to include more sustainable activities and secondly influencing them to operate their business in a sustainable manner and become engaged in a Global Sustainable Tourism Council certification program by the end of 2020,” the company said.