TRAVEL ELEVATES TRAVEL
landscape of opportunity
We are grateful you are holding this publication in your hands, because it means two things: You are as passionate about travel as we are, and you aim to explore with intention. Travel Elevates was created to foster global enrichment through travel. How so? By educating, empowering, and elevating the very communities we visit. Within these pages, you will meet and learn about the global change makers, visionaries, and leaders that are working hard to help us move the needle toward increased societal collaboration and positive impact.
As travel advisors, our responsibility—and our passion—is to develop unique and powerful connections, and to craft itineraries that encourage travelers to make a positive impact in the destinations they visit. Read on to discover the exciting initiatives and hands-on experiences designed to inspire you to make a difference. Perhaps it’s by visiting a local school in need, assisting at a wildlife reserve, or funding a specific economic project to sustain local artisans. And our Pack for a Purpose story shows you how just five extra pounds in your suitcase can create lasting change. Together, we can generate global shifts. Here’s to upleveling our efforts, and to a world well-traveled!
Happy Exploring!
The sense of warmth and camaraderie from dedicated staff.
The thrill of becoming awestruck as you arrive at a fabled destination for the first time. The joy of celebrating life, with indulgent cuisine.
It’s the personal experiences that will last a lifetime.
CONTACT YOUR PREFERRED TRAVEL ADVISOR TO BOOK TODAY.
THE FINEST CUISINE AT SEA® CURATED TRAVEL EXPERIENCES SMALL SHIP LUXURY
Oranjestad, Aruba
TURNING THE TIDE
As one of the world’s leading travel companies in conservation, Wilderness spreads positive impact throughout eight countries across six million acres in Africa. From its origin in Botswana (pictured here), the aim of Wilderness is to tread lightly on the beautiful lands and communities it works to protect. By simply visiting one of its properties, you are supporting a collective effort to uplift local villagers and sustain wildlife (see page 42).
From Africa to Antarctica, Peru to Vietnam, mindful travel abounds among our countless connections in all corners of the world. As curious and conscious adventurists, together we can make a difference. Call, email, or visit the website found on the back cover to learn how.
GIVE & GET
Pack for a Purpose makes big change wth small essentials; Micato Safaris supports African communities.
TRANSFORM
A conservation journey with &Beyond and Kristine McDivitt Tompkins; how Abercrombie & Kent is uplifting the next generation; preserving a longtime Peruvian craft with G Adventures and Planeterra Foundation.
HORIZON
Seven cruise companies are making big waves in their efforts toward sustainability, conservation, and community improvement.
from the field.
LITTLE MOMENTS, BIG MEMORIES
WHEN I was planning my first trip to East Africa, I was excited to check it off the top of my travel wish list, and assumed that I could finally stop dreaming about visiting the magical continent. Little did I know, the incredible experience would make me want to return, quick like.
While there, I did all the things: witnessed the Big 5 and the Great Migration, soared over the Maasai Mara in a hot-air balloon, and, to my astonishment, watched the rare birth of an elephant in the wild. It was indeed the trip of a lifetime. And while those magnificent wildlife encounters will forever stick with me, what I most remember is a young girl, whose name I’ll never know. I spent time with her in her tiny Kenyan village for all of 30 minutes. We delivered food from a local market to her family, and I learned how her parents made a living sourcing goat milk. She asked to try on my sunglasses, and after I told her she could keep them, she grabbed my hands and we danced together for the villagers. Later that afternoon, I ran behind a young Maasai warrior who was training for a marathon. I was frightened as we sprinted through the bush, past packs of hyenas and curious Cape buffalo. The warrior released a guttural roar, then gestured for my friend and me to do the same. We looked at each other, tearful and elated, and joined in on the wild chorus.
Within these pages, we celebrate the conservation efforts of Wilderness (page 42), whose impact affects so many African communities. We show you how easy it is to make a difference, just by what you pack (page 10). We celebrate the 2024 Travel Elevates grant recipients, a group of organizations on a mission to foster positive impact (page 38). And we showcase how the cruise industry is also vowing to uplevel its sustainability and community impact (page 22). The mission of Travel Elevates is to educate, empower, and elevate. When I think of the sprinting warrior and my young friend back in Kenya, I know that together we are better. Brighter. And dancing with opportunity.
Enjoy the read!
ERIN LENTZ, EDITOR IN CHIEF
From top: My young friend in Kenya; a mama elephant and her calf in Tanzania.
EDITORIAL
EDITOR IN CHIEF Erin Lentz
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Taylor Chamberlain
MANAGING EDITOR Amanda Merz
SENIOR EDITOR Sarah Taylor Asquith
PHOTO DIRECTOR Lisa Rosenthal Bader
2024 TAG Media. Travel Elevates Magazine is published on behalf of Signature Travel Network. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any material in this publication without publisher’s permission is strictly prohibited. For copies, customer service, or to exhibit or distribute at a business, please inquire at hello@tagmediaco.com.
TAG MEDIA
0133 Prospector Road, Suite 4012R Aspen, CO 81611
The non-profit charitable arm of Signature Travel Network, Travel Elevates was born when a donation-based project in Kenya continued until it was self-sustained. Today, Travel Elevates’ mission is to connect travelers to various projects poised to empower global communities via education and economic growth.
Signature Travel Network is comprised of top-tier travel agencies that share one common objective: serve the personal needs of the discerning traveler. The network’s buying power translates into the ability to leverage worldwide partnerships to provide you the best value and ensure the best service before and during your travels.
WRITER
Amy Roberts lives in Park City, Utah, with her two rescued Dalmatians, Clyde and Willis. Her wanderlust has taken her to more than 100 countries across all seven continents. For this issue of Travel Elevates , Amy wrote about the powerful philanthropic arms of both Micato Safaris and Abercrombie & Kent, plus how several cruise lines are making a positive impact on local communities.
LIFE-CHANGING TRIP: When I volunteered at the Moholoholo Animal Rehabilitation Centre in South Africa, we participated in critical hands-on tasks like darting and moving a brown hyena that had been caught in a poacher’s snare, bottle feeding a baby honey badger, and releasing a leopard back into the wild once it was rehabilitated after being hit by a car.
WHERE TO NEXT: Tonga, to swim with humpback whales!
SENIOR EDITOR
The new Senior Editor of TAG Media, Sarah Taylor Asquith has held positions at W magazine , Women‘s Wear Daily , People StyleWatch , and more. After living in New York City for 15 years, she now calls Savannah, Georgia home. Sarah helped edit this issue of Travel Elevates , and contributed to stories about sustainable travel, local artisans, and the 2024 Travel Elevates grant recipients.
HIGHLIGHT OF THIS ISSUE: My interview with naturalist Aura Banda (page 28) was so inspiring. As a resident of the Galápagos Islands (her grandfather was one of the archipelago’s first settlers), she’s lived at one with nature her whole life, so she has this incredibly innate respect for the environment. And she gets to hang out with Galápagos penguins all the time!
WISH LIST: A family road trip through Portugal and Spain, stopping in all the places to swim, hike, eat, and visit local ceramic studios.
Amy Roberts
Sarah Taylor Asquith
DRIVING A POSITIVE IMPACT
Our global sustainability program, Sail & Sustain, is centered around our commitment to drive a positive impact on society and the environment, while delivering on our vision to be the vacation of choice for everyone around the world. The future of our business is closely intertwined with the health of our planet and the communities we visit. Our strategy is focused on five pillars, prioritizing efforts that meaningfully serve both our business and our stakeholders.
REDUCING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
We are committed to addressing climate change by pursuing net zero by 2050 and doing our part to protect and preserve the environment.
SAILING SAFELY
Maintaining the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit through our stringent public health and safety program is a top priority.
EMPOWERING PEOPLE
We value and continue to support our team members worldwide with opportunities to grow and develop and comprehensive benefits that empower them to thrive.
STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES
It is our responsibility and privilege to give back to the communities around the world where we live, work, visit and serve.
OPERATING WITH INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Our strong corporate governance system provides high standards of transparency and accountability for ethical and responsible business practices.
CONTACT YOUR TRAVEL ADVISOR TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NCL’S GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM
PAY IT FORWARD
Pack for a Purpose by Travel Elevates is helping change the world, one suitcase at a time.
IT started with a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope. When Rebecca Rothney, a longtime schoolteacher, coordinated a trip to Kenya in 2008, she had an a-ha moment. As she corresponded with the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy on her itinerary, the company mentioned that it supported a nearby clinic and school. She asked what supplies were needed. Their response? A blood pressure cuff and stethoscope. The fact that a clinic didn’t have these simple basics inspired action.
Sixteen years later, Pack for a Purpose has gained impressive momentum. Now operating under the Travel Elevates umbrella, Pack for a Purpose perpetuates Rothney’s vision and is poised for further growth. The process to make an impact as an individual, however, remains simple: Travelers go to Travel Elevates’ website, search for the region and country they are visiting, access the “Essential Needs” list, and then pack up a recommended five pounds of necessities (you can pack more if desired).
From left: Simply saving suitcase space can help change lives; Pack for a Purpose delivers school necessities in Curaçao. Opposite, from top: A conference group makes a difference; it's easy for children to also get involved in the mission.
The lists of needs are provided directly by the community-based projects that receive and use the supplies, enabling travelers to make informed decisions and only bring items that meet the needs of those who will be using them. Once travelers arrive at their destination, the hotel or tour company coordinates the drop off for them—simple, easy, and highly effective. If travelers wish to visit the organization they are supporting, it can be arranged through the appropriate contacts.
After the 2023 wildfires in Maui, for example, medical and baby supplies were packed in suitcases and delivered to those in need on the island. Meanwhile, malaria testing kits and surgical Oxford handbooks were gathered for Helena Goldie Hospital in the Solomon Islands, in conjunction with Dive Munda, and guests staying at the Fairmont Mayakoba have helped Playa Animal Rescue by simply packing chew toys and leashes, among other needs.
After arranging for a supply drop off and school visit through her travel advisor, Susan Sachs Lipman took school supplies to children in Costa Rica. “The school visit turned out to be one of the most special and memorable experiences of our whole trip,” she says. One boy wasn’t attending school because he had to share footwear with his brother—a reminder that supplying a simple pair of shoes can change a young child’s education.
Gratitude is at the heart of Pack for a Purpose. When you express a pay-it-forward attitude while discovering new destinations, you also help people in need and impact local communities—one suitcase at a time. — ERIN LENTZ
SMALL EFFORT.
BIG IMPACT.
5 SIMPLE STEPS TO PACK FOR A PURPOSE
1. Visit travelelevates.org and select your destination.
2. Find an accommodation or tour company and a project it supports.
3. Choose the supplies you wish to take from the specific items requested.
4. Drop off the supplies at the accommodation or tour company.
5. The supplies will be delivered to the project.
It’s that easy!
SCAN TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN PACK FOR A PURPOSE.
A SAFARI THAT gives back
Micato Safaris and its philanthropic arm, Micato-AmericaShare, are elevating local communities in Africa.
WHAT’S the most profound way to make a difference in the places we visit, and to uplift the people who live there? For Micato Safaris, it all comes back to education. Its philanthropic arm, Micato-AmericaShare, has, for more than 30 years, been working to elevate vulnerable and underserved communities, especially those in the Mukuru slum of Nairobi, Kenya.
The Micato One for One Commitment puts that dedication front and center: Micato Safaris pays for an African child’s education for every guest on safari. That includes all fees that families are expected to pay for, including school uniforms, books, supplies, and salaries for lunch cooks. This simple act has so far helped thousands of families living in extreme poverty who otherwise couldn’t afford the cost of education.
Micato-AmericaShare also works closely with Huru International, a nonprofit dedicated to supplying young women with access to menstrual education and products so they do not have to miss school. Huru International manufactures reusable sanitary pads, and its partnership with Micato-AmericaShare has helped distribute them to more than 300,000 girls in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, saving them over 5.5 million days of absences. During the pandemic, the partnership between the two nonprofits expanded, and together they provided upwards of 100,000 reusable face masks to those in need, and distributed smartphones loaded with learning resources and necessary data to over 400 students in Micato’s school sponsorship program, making remote learning accessible.
Also with the generous support of Micato Safaris guests, the Micato-AmericaShare Harambee Community Centre opened in 2007 in the Mukuru shantytown. Serving as a shared living room of sorts, it houses a library and computer center, and provides educational and healthcare resources that improve the quality of life in rural Eastern Africa. While on safari, Micato guests are invited to visit the Harambee Centre and experience the direct impact these educational and outreach programs have on the lives of local children and their families. The success of the Harambee Community Centre was a catalyst for expansion, leading Micato-AmericaShare to establish the Red Hill Library and Community Centre near Cape Town, South Africa. Many Micato Safaris travelers choose to visit the library, where they can read to local children and connect with their families. — AMY ROBERTS
From Safari to Schools. Enter OFFER M27597 on the website found on the back cover and discover more African itineraries that can create positive change in local communities.
Clockwise from top: Schoolgirls at MicatoAmericaShare's Harambee Community Centre; the center serves as a library for young students; a Micato Safaris traveler uplifts a child—in more ways than one.
TRAVERSING THE EARTH
A conservation journey with &Beyond and Kristine McDivitt Tompkins brings travelers deep into Chilean Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula.
FEW places still feel as wild as Patagonia and the polar regions. Home to jagged, snow-crowned mountains, golden grasslands, and massive glaciers that glow an iridescent blue, the landscape embodies raw beauty. And yet as rugged as it looks, this land at the end of the earth is remarkably fragile. Kristine McDivitt Tompkins is acutely aware of what’s at risk if these places aren’t protected. As the president and co-founder of Tompkins Conservation and former CEO of Patagonia, Inc., Kris (as she prefers to be called), along with her late husband, Douglas Tompkins, have worked for three decades to preserve and restore approximately 15 million acres of parklands in Chile and Argentina.
And now, a new collaboration with sustainability-focused, luxury travel company &Beyond invites guests to journey across Chilean Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park and the Antarctic Peninsula’s waters with Kris to experience those rewilding efforts firsthand.
In 2018, &Beyond introduced its first Impact Journeys: intimate trips that allow travelers to not just observe but participate in conservation efforts. In February 2025, a maximum of 14 guests will embark on the special excursion, named A Taste of the Wild Life: a Masterclass with Kris Tompkins. They will visit the newest park project from Tompkins Conservation, in collaboration with its offspring organization, Rewilding Chile, and also cruise the waters of Antarctica with Quark Expeditions. As with all Impact Journeys, a portion of the cost of each trip goes toward the partner organization's project. In this case, a $10,000 group contribution will be given in support of the Tompkins Conservation Project Fund at Re:Wild.
Over 18 nights, guests will experience the innovative and sustainable livestock management program at Estancia Cerro Guido, a working ranch in Torres del Paine National Park. They’ll also accompany researchers and trackers who study the pumas living on the estancias, and spend a day in remote Cape Froward. Located at the tip of the South American continent on the Brunswick Peninsula, this area is home to highly endangered species, like the Huemul deer, and abundant marine life including Magellanic penguins and Peale’s dolphins. “The proposed park will be commensurate in size to Grand Teton National Park—about 300,000 acres,” says Kris. “Subantarctic forest covers nearly half of the proposed donation area, which also features vast peatlands and offshore kelp forests, two ecosystems that are critical to carbon storage and climate change mitigation.”
Kris will join guests on the entire trip, including 12 nights aboard Quark Expeditions’ Ultramarine, an extraordinary polar exploration vessel. In between zodiac excursions to penguin rookeries and kayak outings past calving glaciers, guests will be treated to an exclusive viewing of Wild Life, a documentary that chronicles Kris and her late husband’s fight to preserve one of the last truly wild places on earth, followed by dinner and a Q&A session. “Vast wild spaces give me tremendous perspective—that I am a small part of this world,” says Kris. “But it’s also hard not to love a place once you live it, and once you love it, you are far more inclined to protect it. So, I hope people come away with an understanding of the importance of these vast landscapes and waterways and get motivated to preserve them.”
JEN MURPHY
Raw Beauty. Enter OFFER M27592 on the website found on the back cover and learn how you can help protect your favorite untrammeled destinations throughout the world.
Opposite: A sunrise view of the Chilean Andes in Torres del Paine National Park. From top: Conservationist and philanthropist Kristine McDivitt Tompkins; on the &Beyond journey, travelers will explore Antarctica with Quark Expeditions.
altruistic ADVENTURES
Travel experiences with Abercrombie & Kent help uplift the next generation.
WHEN a person journeys on a safari with Abercrombie & Kent, the moments spent within the local villages often prove to be as profound as the safari itself. Indeed, philanthropy is at the crux of the A&K experience, as guests are invited to preserve and invest in communities across more than 20 countries on all seven continents via Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy (AKP), the philanthropic arm of A&K. The 50-plus local programs are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and committed to positively influencing both people and planet. AKP’s initiatives focus on education, enterprise, health, and environment—and oftentimes all of the above, as demonstrated with these two youth-oriented projects.
SAFE WATER FOR SCHOOLS
When on safari in Tanzania or Kenya, travelers can contribute to AKP’s Safe Water for Schools Initiative, which aims to secure and improve access to safe, clean drinking water for school children. In 2017, AKP began partnering with LifeStraw—makers of an accessible water filtering and purification device that removes 99.99 percent of bacteria, viruses, and parasites in water—to install filtration systems in schools. The program started in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, but has since expanded to India, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zambia. To date, AKP has supplied 958 water filters to schools and communities, preventing water-borne diseases and ensuring more than 85,000 people have access to clean drinking water.
On Tailor Made or Luxury Small Group journeys, A&K travelers are invited to visit these LifeStraw projects. Those who wish to deepen their impact can work with AKP to cover the cost of a system, and even help install one during their visit.
FAVELA INC
Rio de Janeiro’s favelas are known for their poor infrastructure and other challenges rooted in poverty. But the local nonprofit, Favela Inc, aims to provide creative and entrepreneurial opportunities to the some 40,000 residents of the Vidigal neighborhood and favela. Social programs are accessible from the community’s well-equipped co-working space where job training, technology, and English lessons are available. Since 2019, AKP has provided financial support for this entrepreneurial incubator program, leading to the creation of five new businesses that benefit the residents. One offers free capoeira classes to youth as an extracurricular activity, while another teaches local students how to create traditional AfroBrazilian music with donated drums and other instruments. An eco-park was also created to enhance the neighborhood, which helped launch another business that employs the favela’s young adults, many who provide tours of the area. These tours have helped generate income for the guides and provide hundreds of visitors unique insight into the neighborhood. A visit can be added to Tailor Made journeys to Rio de Janeiro.
— AMY ROBERTS
Make an impact with your next A&K journey. Enter OFFER M27595 on the website found on the back cover and see how your global adventures can make a difference.
The
for Schools
Opposite:
Safe Water
Initiative brings smiles to children in Tanzania. From top: Favela Inc provides educational opportunities to the Rio de Janeiro community; LifeStraw's filtering and purification device; local childen learn how to play instruments in Rio de Janeiro's Vidigal favela neighborhood.
REVIVING A LOST TRADITION
G Adventures and Planeterra Foundation are supporting an Indigenous Peruvian community and its longtime craft.
PERCHED high on a lush ridge of the Andes Mountains, the tiny Indigenous village of Ccaccaccollo looks out over Peru’s Sacred Valley. Here, the art of weaving dates back to Inca times, as local women craft textiles with age-old techniques and tools, and dyes derived from plants and insects. But as travelers increasingly bypassed Ccaccaccollo en route to Machu Picchu, the weaving tradition declined with every year. That all changed when the Planeterra Foundation, the philanthropic partner of G Adventures, stepped in and developed a collaboration with the community. Nearly 20 years later, the Ccaccaccollo Women’s Weaving Co-Op is thriving, bringing travelers to the historic village and empowering the artisans to pay for their children’s education and improve their overall quality of life.
— SARAH TAYLOR ASQUITH
>> DID YOU KNOW?
In 2023, G Adventures and the Planeterra Foundation launched Trees For Days, an initiative that plants a tree for every day a traveler journeys with G Adventures. So far, more than 2 million trees have been planted in forests around the world.
Opposite: A member of the Ccaccaccollo Women’s Weaving Co-Op. Above: Travelers visit with a local craftsperson in Ccaccaccollo, Peru. Artisan Empowerment. Would you like your travels to help support local communities? Enter OFFER M27596 on the website found on the back cover and learn how visits to small villages can create big change.
2005
The year the Planeterra Foundation developed a weaving cooperative with the women of Ccaccaccollo to create economic opportunities for their community.
150
People currently employed by the Ccaccaccollo Women’s Weaving Co-Op, selling clothing, hats, blankets, and more to travelers.
300
Approximate number of families in Ccaccaccollo who speak Quechua, an Indigenous, pre-Colombian language that originated in central Peru.
46
Women now own the Ccaccaccollo Women’s Weaving Co-Op—a number that’s grown from three at its inception.
$10 Million+
Funds from travel company partners that the Planeterra Foundation funneled into local communities in need between 2015 and 2019.
560
Approximate number of community members who now partner with the Planeterra Foundation.
80
Length in miles from Ccaccaccollo to Machu Picchu.
COMMITTED TO
MEANINGFUL SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION
Expedition voyages designed for research and discovery.
Together with scientific partners, Viking contributes to meaningful scientific research while exploring the world. The research collected on Viking expedition voyages help our partners improve the understanding of marine life and underwater species in places such as Antarctica, North America’s Great Lakes and everywhere in between. During each expedition, visiting researchers from partner institutions are part of the multidisciplinary 36-person expedition team, leading guests through meaningful scientific research and new discoveries.
THE SCIENCE LAB
Our 380-square-foot lab allows our scientists to conduct meaningful research. The lab was recently used to add real-time environmental DNA (eDNA) sequencing of phytoplankton on May 24, 2024.
SUBMARINE
Our uniquely designed submarines recently encountered the rare giant phantom jellyfish and published the company’s first scientific paper on February 15, 2023.
CHINSTRAP PENGUIN DISCOVERY Viking’s expedition team, in partnership with Oceanites, discovered a new colony of chinstrap penguins during a visit on the Viking Octantis on March 5, 2024.
CHANGE CRUISE FOR
How global adventures are making a positive effect on local life.
Supporting Communities IN THE AMAZON
The most biodiverse rainforest on the planet, the Amazon is home to one out of every 10 species in the world, including more than 40,000 plants, 3,000 types of fish, 1,300 species of birds, and 430 mammals. It’s also a community of thousands of Indigenous peoples, steadfastly committed to their villages and the precious natural resources that surround them. Many are located in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, one of the world's last and largest roadless areas.
LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS-NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC supports these local communities through its Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic (LEX-NG) Fund, working closely with Minga Peru, a nonprofit organization and regional partner of the LEX-NG Fund that promotes social justice and human dignity. With financial support from the LEX-NG Fund, Minga Peru connects and equips rural Indigenous communities with essential resources to conserve their forests, improve their standard of living, and empower women.
Since its inception, Minga Peru has made an impact with successful programs, including its trademark radio show, Bienvenida Salud, which translates to “Welcome Health” in English. On air for more than two decades, each broadcast addresses issues and answers questions delivered by letters (often by canoe) from scattered communities, providing expert insight on topics including racism, discrimination, gender equality, and bio-cultural preservation. The radio show is more than entertaining education— it’s a catalyst for positive social change by way of public discourse.
Minga Peru also empowers women to inspire change in their communities. Female leadership training efforts have sprouted across five generations, teaching upwards of 1,200 women how to create and lead income-generating projects that protect and sustain natural resources while also increasing food and economic security. AMY ROBERTS
>> GIVE BACK
With support from its travelers, the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund in 2023 invested more than $2.2 million in 26 projects around the world, including ocean health, marine coastal habitats, and environmental stewardship in local communities.
Opposite: Peru's Amazon River Basin. This page: Rural Indigenous communities throughout the Amazon are supported by Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic travelers.
THE MEKONG CONNECTION
As more and more travelers seek out vacations with a purpose, AMAWATERWAYS is customizing river cruises that delve deep into the communities they visit, especially in rural villages along the Mekong River. Here, the welcoming spirit of Cambodia and Vietnam is on full display as friendly local residents greet passengers with excitement, Buddhist monks offer water blessings, and local children perform and dance for visitors.
On a journey from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City, for instance, guests can relish a simpler time, a slower pace, and centuries-old traditions. Learn new skills and support the local economy by visiting a rice paper-making workshop, discover keepsakes handcrafted by skilled artisans, and hop in an oxcart or tuk tuk for a tour of the village. During a stop in Tan Chau, an authentic Mekong River town unspoiled by tourism, try your hand at silkmaking or weaving a rattan mat. And as you cross the border into Phnom Penh, you’ll visit Cambodia’s infamous killing fields and genocide museum—poignant experiences that kindle both reflection and hope.
While in Siem Reap, AmaWaterways can arrange a visit to one of the local Opportunities of Development Thru Art (ODA) schools, which provide free English language and computer classes for children living in the city’s outlying villages. AmaWaterways financially supports ODA and encourages guests to bring along some school supplies, which will be distributed among more than 1,450 students enrolled in the ODA schools. — A.R.
From top: Monks at the Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia; harvesting marigolds in the Sa Dec Flower Village in Vietnam; The National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh; a floating village in Hạ Long Bay, Vietnam.
weaving a DIFFERENCE
An ample shawl hand-woven in supple cashmere is a generous gift for anyone, perhaps most notably yourself. Yet when the proceeds give back to people in need throughout the world, the gift’s significance is tenfold. That's the impetus behind Pink Maharani, one of more than 30 brands featured at The Journey, the luxury boutique aboard every EXPLORA JOURNEYS ship. Indeed, each item—from beachy dresses to puffer jackets, fragrances to travel books—is curated through a do-good lens, prioritizing sustainability and celebrating local artisans.
For Pink Maharani, its philanthropy supports upwards of 150 families across India, Peru, Bhutan, Nepal, and Cambodia who work as goat herders and craftspeople (cashmere yarn spinners, dyers, embroiderers, and more). In addition, the Pink Maharani team has sponsored underprivileged children in India through a one-to-one program. For every purchase of a shawl, a solarpaneled backpack was distributed to kindergarten students who live with little to no electricity. The bags charge in the sunlight, providing an LED lamp in the evening for up to five hours. Also with a single purchase, Pink Maharani was able to sponsor one school girl, educating her about menstrual hygiene and providing sanitary products for one full year. In another program, Pink Maharani worked with the Protsahan India Foundation to offer healing art and music therapy workshops to adolescent girls who have experienced trauma.
Pink Maharani is only one of the brands at The Journey with an uplifting story to share. Explora Journeys has designed these boutiques as so much more than a place to shop, extending altruism for the planet and its people with every voyage.
SARAH TAYLOR ASQUITH
Each Pink Maharani shawl is created by a local craftsperson.
EDUCATE, ENRICH & RENEW
When traveling the world, do you want to see, or do you want to see and do? REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES has curated an imaginative collection of Eco-Connect Tours that provide enriching opportunities for guests to interact with local groups and businesses, experiencing how they’re working to make the world a better place. The impact? A ripple effect of learning, support, and goodwill that permeates both the traveler and the community. While there are currently more than 150 Eco-Connect Tours to choose from, we’ve selected three of our favorites.
Bordeaux Wines & Sustainability
Spend time in the beautiful wine region of Bordeaux, France and visit with the Labrune family who operate Château de La Dauphine, a 350-year-old vineyard with 173 acres of vines. Specializing in biodynamic and organic farming, the Labrunes are dedicated to producing the highest quality of biodynamic wines with the smallest effect on the environment.
A Sloth Paradise: Give Back to Nature
Near Puntarenas, Costa Rica, travel to a sloth sanctuary that replicates the animals’ natural habitat, where they’re rehabilitated after being injured, orphaned, or have lost their habitat due to deforestation. Guests are given an up-close look at the fascinating animals and meet with experts to learn all about them. You can also visit the organic farm that supplies food for the sloths, and plant a tree at a nearby reserve to help reverse the effects of deforestation.
Bạch Mã National Park Ecosystem
Just outside of Hue, Vietnam, Bạch Mã National Park is considered one of the wettest regions in Vietnam. Located in the Annamite Mountains and, in some parts, only a few miles from the coast, the park is home to a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. Travelers will learn about the plants and animals first-hand by hiking through the park with a local naturalist. If you’re lucky, you might spot the rare Golden monkey or Indochinese tiger. S.T.A.
From top: Château de La Dauphine Rosé, a biodynamic wine from the family vineyard in Bordeaux, France; Vietnam's Bạch Mã National Park is home to thousands of flora and fauna species.
The Greenland Effect
While Greenland is the world’s largest island, it’s the least populated country on Earth with some 56,000 residents, most who live in its rugged coastal towns and remote villages. The awe-inspiring Arctic region has long been a beloved destination for guests traveling with HX-HURTIGRUTEN EXPEDITIONS, yet along with its vast tundra and stunning fjords, it’s the Inuit communities that make Greenland so remarkable. Now, in partnership with the Hurtigruten Foundation, HX has launched a collection of Greenland itineraries that brings guests into four vibrant communities, connecting them with locals to work toward a positive impact on their life and the environment.
Uummannaq
With a name that translates to “heart-like” in Greenlandic, it’s clear that Uummannaq is a special place. Named after the towering heartshaped mountain that overlooks the North Greenland town, it’s also the place that many local children believe is the home of Santa Claus. HX travelers will quickly fall in love with this area, visiting the Uummannaq Museum (home of the famed Qilaktisog mummies), discovering the area’s stone churches and well-preserved peat houses, and interacting with the community.
Ittoqqortoormiit
Celebrated as the only permanent settlement in the Scoresby Sound region of eastern Greenland, this picturesque town is one of the island’s most remote—with a population of less than 400. Located above the Arctic Circle at the opening of the largest fjord in the world, Ittoqqortoormiit offers a way of life like no other. Guests will visit with local residents, sample regional dishes (reindeer is a delicacy), and take in a traditional music performance.
Maniitsoq
Nestled in the shores of western Greenland, Maniitsoq translates to “uneven place”—and for good reason. Jagged mountains hug this region that’s known for exquisite hiking on the top of the world. (Fun fact: the hottest temperature ever recorded in Greenland was here—a balmy 78 degrees Fahrenheit.) When spending time in Maniitsoq, travelers will visit the homes of locals, learning about their crafts, cuisine, and culture, and experiencing a performance by the Inuusuit Nipaat choir, which formed in Maniitsoq in 1918.
Sisimiut
The second-largest city in Greenland, and the largest Arctic city in North America (population: about 5,500), Sisimiut is best known for its fishing industry: cod, salmon, flounder, and halibut. In the old town center of Sisimiut, HX travelers can learn about the city's history and culture at the Sisimiut Museum, which houses artifacts from the Saqqaq people, who are believed to be Greenland's earliest inhabitants. — S.T.A.
>> GIVE BACK
With a focus on three areas—preserving endangered wildlife, cleaning up plastic waste and marine litter, and supporting local communities—the Hurtigruten Foundation has donated nearly $1 million to 150-plus projects in 23 countries since 2015, creating a positive impact around the world.
for the good of THE GALÁPAGOS
A third-generation resident of the Galápagos Islands, Aura Banda is a naturalist, an avid photographer, and a Galápagos penguin specialist. She joined SILVERSEA in 2017—first as a naturalist guide, then an expedition leader, and is now an Expedition and Development Manager, working closely with the Silversea Fund for the Galápagos, a program that supports conservation and youth education on the remote archipelago. Here, Banda talks about her kinship with nature, her homeland, and its people. — S.T.A.
“When I walk on the main street of Santa Cruz Island, I have to be careful not to get too close to the sea lions or step over a marine iguana. My grandmother and uncle live two blocks from me. It’s a very calm, slow, safe, healthy, and happy life.”
“The Silversea Fund for the Galápagos supports formal and informal educational projects such as the Scout Océanicos Galápagos, and we are giving scholarships to children in public schools to be able to attend a private school on Santa Cruz Island that has a focus on sustainability. We are also supporting the building of a library on Floreana Island.”
“Last year, Silversea supported a diving course for several Scouts from San Cristóbal Island. They got to discover an underwater world and develop skills that make them more aware of their environment and also provide future job opportunities. It’s an open door that probably wasn’t open before—it’s youth empowerment.”
“For my thesis, I visited the same nesting site of Galápagos penguins every 15 days at the same time for a year and photographed them. To this day, we’re still learning more and more about them. Look at their feet and cheeks and you can tell if they are adults or juveniles. If their feathers are puffy, they are molting. If there is a lot of algae covering their plumage, that means their food is scarce. I hope to be involved in this project forever.”
“Sometimes guests tell me they were worried about visiting Galápagos because they didn't want to add their impact to the area. But many of the programs here exist because of tourism support. The solution is not to stop visiting, but to visit in a responsible way, to learn, and to share so more people can be aware.”
Along with Galápagos penguins, blue-footed boobies are a common and wonderful sight on the archipelago.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER
For UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES, a carefully curated shore excursion is just the beginning of a traveler’s never-forget journey. With the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences, guests provide a positive and direct impact on the communities they explore, helping protect the world’s land, rivers, and wildlife. The multilayered program also works in tandem with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which were established as a call to action to address today’s most pressing issues and strive for positive change. The United Nations lists 17 Sustainable Development Goals specifically around climate action, sustainability, conservation, quality education, gender equality, poverty, sanitation, and community health.
An ever-growing number of Uniworld itineraries are designed with MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences that align with the UN goals, including these two purpose-driven journeys.
Private Doktorenhof Vinegar Estate Visit & Tasting
Supporting the United Nations Global Goal #12 of Responsible Consumption and Production, this experience is featured on three Uniworld voyages including Castles Along the Rhine, Remarkable Rhine & Historic Holland, and Rhine Holiday Markets.
While Germany’s Rhineland-Palatinate region might be best known for its wine production, a visit to the Weinessiggut Doktorenhof estate in Venningen will leave you with a new appreciation for a byproduct of wine. Enjoy a special vinegar
tasting on this family owned and operated vineyard and learn how the small farm works to reduce environmental impact and supports community enterprises that strengthen local supply chains.
Refugee Canal Cruise
For travelers who journey on the European Jewels and Tulips & Windmills cruises, this beautiful canal trip advances United Nations Global Goal #10 (Reduce Inequalities), encompassed by providing economic opportunities, enabling education, and offering job training to minority groups.
In Amsterdam, guests can board a colorful wooden boat, once used by refugees as they crossed the Mediterranean, and hear stories from their refugee guide, including how immigrants have helped influence Amsterdam over the centuries, helping to make it the vibrant, cultural, and welcoming hotspot it is today. — A.R.
From top: A refugee canal cruise in Amsterdam, Netherlands; vinegar tasting at the Weinessiggut Doktorenhof estate in Venningen, Germany.
Savor sustainability
Princess is proud to partner with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) to bring you the highest quality sustainable seafood as you explore the Great Land. All seafood from Alaska is wild-caught and sustainable — good for you and good for the planet. And with our celebrated chefs, we’re creating exciting menus that add an entirely new dimension to your Alaska experience. We support the communities of fishermen who respect the environment and ensure the ecosystem replenishes year after year. We’ll continue to celebrate Alaska’s rich fishing heritage and fascinating local culture, all while enriching your adventures at sea and ashore.
In Vietnam, traditional sampan boats are the primary mode of transportation on the Mekong River. Opposite: A cacao harvest in AltaGracia, Costa Rica.
JOURNEY with Intent
While traveling to new communities throughout the world, discover unique experiences designed for positive impact.
BY ERIN LENTZ
As the year began,
one of the most predicted travel trends was vacations that held meaning: slower-paced trips, time spent with loved ones, wellness retreats that last way beyond checkout, and, topping the list, deeper experiences that leave a positive impact. Today’s socio-cultural currency involves authentic adventures that engage and uplift the local communities we visit. Here, we share nine global travel experiences poised to support future growth.
ASIA
When traveling to Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region, you’ll quickly discover that riverboats are the preferred means of water transport. Traditional sampans deliver goods to and from local markets, shuttle children to school, and even serve as floating retail shops. Yet for families unable to afford a sampan, life is challenging. Help remedy those in need by participating in a specially arranged ceremony to personally deliver a boat during a celebration with villagers and local authorities. When exploring other rural areas of Vietnam, visitors can foster lasting change by supporting a cow donation—cattle, its milk, and meat are essential to the country’s farming outposts. Travel to the outskirts of Hue and participate in a cow-gifting ceremony, in which you’ll meet the family of farmers and learn about their daily life and future, all made brighter by your donation.
DID YOU KNOW? After visiting the Calico Museum of Textiles in Ahmedabad, India, you can tour Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch, a non-profit organization designed to empower nomadic communities and help support citizenship rights, education, health facilities, and housing.
AFRICA
In East Africa, many families in remote areas are unable to properly feed their children. As a result, kids often attend school with nothing more than a cup of tea for breakfast— leading to malnourishment and the inability to concentrate in class. Certain philanthropy initiatives tackle this problem in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda by arranging school lunch programs at selected primary schools. While on safari in the Maasai Mara, take a tour of a school and help cook and serve the children. The School Lunch Feeding Program provides a daily meal for a child for just 21 U.S. cents, significantly impacting their lives.
CANADA
Explore Indigenous Canada's art and culture and discover how British Columbia’s West Coast First Nations are distinct from the rest of Canada’s First Nations. Your journey begins with a scenic drive through Stanley Park and a visit to the Totem Pole Gardens, where a private guide trained in Indigenous art and culture will reveal regional history and knowledge. Next up, visit the Bill Reid Gallery, a non-profit art gallery showcasing Pacific Northwest Indigenous Art. Discover the story behind Reid himself, a BC local who's famous for Canadian Indigenous art. Lastly, meet celebrated Haida artist Corey Bulpitt at his studio, an experience designed to connect you with the local community while gaining further knowledge on an integral part of the region’s history.
MEXICO
When journeying to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, you’ll discover colorful hammocks in many local shops. Considered one of the most valued handicrafts among its Indigenous communities, most hammocks are handmade in local workshops, fueling the income of more than 700 families in the area. En route to Izamal and Chichen Itza, stop at Tixkokob, a rural village located 30 minutes east of Merida that’s well-known for high-quality hammock weaving. Meet a local artisan and learn about the techniques, and even participate in a demonstration of the craft.
Fundación
Haciendas del Mundo MayaTaller Maya
CENTRAL AMERICA
Medellín, Colombia has been significantly transformed over the last 20 years. Today, the city is famous for magnificent street art—so much so that local authorities have declared urban art a cultural landmark. Graffiti is considered a political and artistic expression, and during a private city experience, you’ll explore the graffiti of the Comuna 13 with local artists. Gain insight on Medellín history and learn about the importance of street art for social communication and identity. Top off the day with lunch at a favorite urban restaurant.
DID YOU KNOW? In between surf sessions or zip-lining with the kiddos in Costa Rica, you can also experience excursions designed to support AltaGracia’s local communities. Hike through Cedral in San Luis Potosí and meet the local farmers and purveyors influencing AltaGracia’s culinary scene.
EUROPE
With their unique intersection of arts and culture, Portugal and Spain have recently become some of the most talkedabout European countries. In Portugal, you can visit a family-owned ceramics studio to help provide for local families and their craft. And a wine tour in Spain's Penedes region supports winemaking traditions and gastronomy in the Catalonia area. Simply taking part in this festive experience helps support local communities.
DID YOU KNOW? While visiting Northern Ireland, you can experience the spirit of the seanchaí on a walking tour of the majestic Giant’s Causeway. With a backdrop of craggy castles and jutting landscapes, experience nature at its wildest. Travelers here help preserve local traditions, protect heritage sites, and promote cultural vibrancy.
A Deeper Experience. If you're looking to bring greater meaning to your travels, enter OFFER M27591 on the website found on the back cover to begin planning a trip with positive impact. te
Opposite: In Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, most hammocks are woven by locals. From top: Street art is part of the history in Medellín, Colombia; a walking tour through Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland supports the region's heritage.
FORWARD THINKING
Meet six global organizations that are investing in the here and now to create future growth, support, and renewal.
BY SARAH tAYLOR ASQUItH
EDUCATION. ELEVATION. EMPOWERMENT. Travel
Elevates strives to make a strong impact on those three levels. With an overarching mission to foster projects that strengthen the world’s communities and local villages, each year Travel Elevates identifies and awards funding and support to multiple non-profit organizations. In 2024, six grant recipients—and seven projects—are making great strides to bolster the communities in the places we travel. Their inspired visions are helping create a brighter tomorrow.
CONSERVATION LOWER ZAMBEZI
The Mission: Protect wildlife and promote sustainable use of natural resources in the Lower Zambezi region of Zambia.
The Method: Align with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife to support its mandates to protect the Lower Zambezi ecosystem, adhering to four pillars: wildlife protection, environmental education, community empowerment, and wildlife reintroduction and research.
2024 Travel Elevates Project: Provide a printed curriculum to more than 65 schools with a reach of 3,500 students. This includes educator training workshops, teacher guides and lessons, activity books, health materials, and outreach visits to teach conservation and health.
From top: Enivironmental education and community empowerment are two of Conservation Lower Zambezi's main pillars.
From Left: Jeroenvan Rooijen; Francois d'Elbee
ENTREAMIGOS
The Mission: Create educational opportunities for local children and their families in the Mexican community known locally as San Pancho.
The Method: Implement educational programs based on principles of integration and collective community action. Recently, a 15,000-square-foot sustainable library and education building was constructed.
2024 Travel Elevates Project: Support the build-out, equipment, and staff for a new technology and innovation center that will become a resource and technology education hub for children, public school teachers, and community members.
EDUCATION AFRICA
The Mission: Break South Africa’s poverty cycle through education of children in need, and providing the proper training of teachers and staff.
The Method: Educate, equip, and empower South Africans most in need by delivering relevant, economy-focused education and providing opportunities to improve their access to such education, enabling them to better participate in the global economy.
2024 Travel Elevates Project: As part of the Early Childhood Development project, support 200 underqualified preschool teachers through proper accreditation, helping to improve their socioeconomic status. As a result, this will impact 450,000 future children over a 30-year career span of early childhood educators.
UTHANDO (LOVE) SOUTH AFRICA
The Mission: Uplift those in need in South Africa by connecting tourism to community development projects.
The Method: Aid marginalized communities by providing support for upwards of 20 projects, including early childhood development, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, rural development, and more.
2024 Travel Elevates Project: Construct the “Goal 50” Early Childhood Development Center from 6,000 “ecobricks” (plastic bottles filled with rubbish), 3,500 old tires,12,000 decompressed film set waste blocks, and additional recycled materials. This saves on construction costs and provides sustainability.
ABERCROMBIE & KENT PHILANTHROPY
The Mission: Improve lives and protect the environment by supporting local communities across the globe.
The Method: Focus on education, enterprise, health, and environment via projects (in 24 countries on all seven continents) designed to support, empower, and educate local communities to facilitate the protection of their surroundings, and ensure that they’re benefiting directly from tourism.
2024 Travel Elevates Projects: 1) Construct a new building for Siem Reap, Cambodia-based Kok Chan Primary School to help double classroom space and add another 88 students to the enrollment. 2) Build a third Wildflower House in Chiang Mai, Thailand—a temporary shelter and safe place for abused women and single mothers and their children coming from severe crisis. It incorporates a community vegetable garden, farm-raised eggs, and a mushroom house where the women harvest and sell them at market—a business enterprise that provides skills and promotes financial planning.
WILD IMPACT (formerly Africa Foundation)
The Mission: Nurture, restore, and protect natural wild systems by empowering the communities that are the custodians of them.
The Method: Focus on four areas (conserving ecosystems, future foundations, tomorrow’s leaders, thriving communities) that support sustainable development and enhance community partnerships, including vegetable farming in protected areas of Africa.
2024 Travel Elevates Project: Establish vegetable seedling propagation share houses in the rural communities next to the Kruger National Park and iSimangaliso World Heritage area, and install a solarpowered motion sensor security light system, additional Hippo Water Rollers for water transportation, and create access to an ecotourism market to sell fresh vegetables.
SCAN TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN BECOME A CHANGE AGENT.
Clockwise from top: Childhood learning with Uthando (Love) South Africa; a community partnership with Wild Impact; Education Africa's Early Childhood Development project supports teachers and children.
RUGGED, REMOTE & WILD
Protecting and preserving Africa through the lens of Wilderness—a company at one with conservation and hospitality.
photography courtesy of wilderness
Opposite: We are all guests of this spectacular landscape in the Kunene Region of Namibia. Its custodians, the local Himba people, share their space, wildlife, and culture with us. It is a responsibility and a privilege to help protect one of the most untouched places on Earth.
STAY: SERRA CAFEMA, NAMIBIA
Every visit supports local educational programs, a mobile medical clinic, and nutritional aid. Photographed in Kunene, Namibia
This page: Hwange's famous Ngamo Plains are known for magnificent game viewing, and they’re also home to local communities where youth learn about sustainable agriculture and tourism.
STAY: LINKWASHA, ZIMBABWE
By journeying to this safari lodge, guests contribute to the Children in the Wilderness non-profit, which helps teach local youth about conservation.
Photographed in Linkwasha, Zimbabwe
Hwange National Park is home to a spectacular diversity of wildlife, but snares set in the reserve are indiscriminate, and even the fiercest of animals end up falling victim. Alongside the Scorpion AntiPoaching Unit, Wilderness works tirelessly to help keep the precious wildlife safe.
STAY: LITTLE MAKALOLO, ZIMBABWE
When guests visit the safari camp, they're contributing to the protection of Hwange's wildlife.
Photographed in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Whether it’s watching gorillas forage in the Rwandan rainforest or the perspective you gain from a local village visit or a reforestation project, it is a shared purpose to preserve and expand these iconic wild lands.
STAY: BISATE, RWANDA
Located within Volcanoes National Park, the eco-lodge prioritizes extensive conservation and community initiatives, such as inviting guests to plant a tree.
Photographed in Ruhengeri, Zimbabwe te
it’s a group effort.
When we’re working together, a little bit goes a long way. From buying a local craft while visiting a small village to packing a few school supplies in our luggage, we all have the power to create big change.
FOUNDING SPONSORS
the Cruise Planners family Travel Elevates celebrates and thanks their Founding Sponsors. These partners support and deliver exceptional and unforgettable travel experiences, and they are committed to protecting and supporting people, places, wildlife, and communities around the world.
Uplifting people & places via travel.
TRAVEL ELEVATES
