Explore and restore with Ecoventures

As divers, we love to explore. Pushing further to discover new places, encounter new creatures, and work through that ever-growing bucket-list. But, with the ocean covering around 70% of our planet, we often find ourselves travelling long distances to far-flung destinations - posing a complicated ethical dilemma when we consider our role as ocean ambassadors and champions of sustainable travel.

But now, with ZuBlu’s Ecoventures, travellers can give more and get more out of every trip, as they explore and restore the ocean through volunteer conservation projects around the world. 

Read on to find out how...

It’s safe to say, the majority of divers love the ocean - it comes with the territory. Why else would you want to devote so much time - and money - towards exploring the blue? And if they love the ocean so much, it figures that they’d also want to protect it. But, while the vast majority of scuba divers are passionate about conserving the environment, most still struggle to discover and book more sustainable options for a dive holiday. 

A recent survey of the ZuBlu community revealed that 92% of people want to dive more sustainably and 85% prefer to book eco-friendly options when travelling. Unfortunately, 75% struggled to find the information they needed to make a more informed choice - information such as where they should travel to, and who they should book their holiday with. This highlights a disconnect between scuba divers’ desire to ‘travel green’, and their ability to actually do so.

This so-called ‘eco gap’ between eco-aware travellers and environmentally-responsible operators, is one of the reasons why the dive travel industry has yet to reach its full sustainability potential. Luckily, that’s about to change...

Ecoventures is a unique selection of experiences chosen to help bridge the ‘eco gap’ - bringing together marine conservation programmes and willing sustainable travellers. A core part of ZuBlu's mission is to promote and connect conservation communities around the world, opening up possibilities for collaboration and communication. And, by providing travellers with a selection of hand-picked conservation initiatives, Ecoventures ultimately hopes to increase the adoption of conscious travel behaviour within the dive industry. 

Frustrated at their inability to balance a passion for diving with an appreciation for the environment and its protection, the dive community is in need of a simple, transparent, and authentic tool for booking sustainable travel options. And with Ecoventures, that’s exactly what they get.

Ecoventures allows environmentally-conscious travellers to browse a hand-picked selection of marine biology internships, volunteering opportunities, marine conservation initiatives, and more, from all corners of the globe. And, using our unique search tool, guests can easily filter by country, date, and type of marine life, making finding the perfect programme a breeze. Want to cross a particular place off your bucket list? No sweat. Pick your dream destination and we’ll show you the available options. Or, maybe you want to work with sharks? Easy. Just hit the ‘sharks’ filter, and we’ll show you the best possible opportunities, and the ultimate time to go.

ZuBlu will then put you in touch with your chosen Ecoventure organisation, so you can get straight down to planning the details of your trip with the people on the ground. And before long, you’ll be participating in unique and vitally important research and conservation activities, whilst diving in some of the world’s most sought after scuba destinations. By turning a typical dive holiday into an ocean conservation opportunity, you’ll get more, and give more, with every trip. More diving, more skills, more reward, and more chance that these delicate habitats and impressive marine animals will survive into the future.

Unfortunately, that sad day will eventually come when your time on the programme ends. But, you’ll be pleased to know, your contributions to conservation don’t have to. You can continue to support the organisation of your choice - and the environment - every time you travel. That’s because, when you book with ZuBlu, we donate part of the cost back to your chosen programme, so you can keep giving back just by doing what you love - travelling and diving. And, with over 600 sustainable resorts and liveaboards to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find more eco-conscious holiday opportunities to enjoy. You can rest assured that your trip won’t cost the earth, it’ll protect it.

At ZuBlu, we’re committed to sustainable travel and are determined to bridge the gap between travellers and the best eco-conscious resorts, liveaboards and unique experiences throughout the world. With a hand-picked portfolio of sustainable operators, alongside up-to-date, expert advice on how to travel more sustainably, we strive to help guests make more informed choices at every stage of their journey.

Our new Ecoventures platform unites the two sides of our community in support of a more sustainable dive travel industry. Through Ecoventures, we take the hassle out of sustainable travel, and help guests give-back to the oceans and organisations that they love through conservation opportunities - or simply by booking their next dive holiday. And the benefits of Ecoventures reach well beyond one individual trip. These incredible volunteer opportunities will also improve guests’ dive skills and knowledge of the marine environment, increasing their enjoyment and reducing their impact when underwater on all future dives.

To get more from and give more with your next dive trip, check out our hand-picked selection of Ecoventures. With all kinds of incredible volunteer and internship opportunities, you’re guaranteed to find the perfect one to help you explore and restore the ocean you love.