The Long Run is a membership organisation of nature-based tourism businesses committed
to driving sustainability. Set up in 2009 by Jochen Zeitz, The Long Run has quickly grown to
become one of the world’s largest sustainable development initiatives. Our goal is to protect
ecosystems around the world, leveraging the power of tourism business to drive positive
change. Our target is to help protect 20 Million Acres of biodiversity and touch the lives of
2 Million people by 2020 using tourism based conservation as a vehicle. This means trebling
our current network.
All our members commit to a journey of sustainable improvement through The Long Run’s
‘4C’ framework (encompassing Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce). The
Long Run provides ongoing support to members to drive sustainability, as well as helping
inform travellers about making positive choices which support responsible destinations. All
members strive to become recognised as Global Ecosphere Retreats (GER)®. The
GER® standard is one of the most rigorous sustainability standards in the tourism industry.
This standard was granted recognition by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council in
2015, and is only awarded to organisations that demonstrate a holistic balance of the ‘4C’s,
excel in conserving nature and improve the wellbeing of the communities they belong to.
Members of The Long Run are at the forefront of conservation and responsible tourism, be
that in Scotland or Sao Paulo, and prove that the planet and profit can co-exist and thrive
together. Through their membership these pioneering businesses become connected to a
global community of exceptional destinations and organisations who support and inspire each
other to expand their positive impact even further, as well as collectively influencing others
to take up best practices for a sustainable future.
