Tourism Cares, a global nonprofit organization working to advance sustainability in the tourism industry, is expanding its meaningful travel program this year. The Meaningful Travel initiative fosters partnerships with destinations to create a positive impact “for the people and places we travel to.” This includes training, resources and experiences focused on community-centered initiatives that benefit local people and the environment.
The program expansion is part of Tourism Cares' 20-year vision, a mission statement announced during its 20th anniversary celebration last December.
The global tourism industry is at a critical juncture where sustainable practices are not only desirable but essential.
“The global tourism industry is at a critical juncture where sustainable practices are not only desirable, but essential,” said Greg Takehara, CEO of Tourism Cares. “We contribute to the transformation of an industry where people, places and the planet not only survive, but thrive. We partner with destinations and other companies in the travel industry to make a lasting difference to travel. We look forward to promoting it further.”
Related: How to better understand and book sustainable travel
New to this year's program, VisitScotland is our newest destination, working with organizations making a positive social and environmental impact to deliver curated, ready-to-book experiences for travelers. It is the first European destination to launch a tool, the Meaningful Travel Map. . Scotland is one of 15 other destinations taking part in the programme.
“Our vision is for Scotland to become a globally recognized and responsible destination,” said VisitScotland chief executive Malcolm Roughead. “We want to inspire and influence our visitors to make sustainable choices at every step of their journey, and joining the Tourism Cares member community will help us achieve this. Another example of our work with the travel industry. We know that over half of international travelers to Scotland book through an intermediary, which is why it's important that we engage with the travel industry. .”
We want to inspire and influence our visitors to make sustainable choices at every step of their journey.
In addition to adding new partners, Tourism Cares' 2024 plans include creating a family-owned business that provides intimate destination experiences that connect the travel industry with impactful experiences, sustainable enterprises, and community-driven services. Includes tour launch. The first trip will be hosted in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Hawaii Tourism and Convention Bureau.
John Sutherland, senior director of community impact at Tourism Cares, said family travel is helping destinations “share their community stories and at the same time engage purpose-driven businesses in the tourism supply chain. “It will help create economic opportunities for people,” he said.
Finally, the organization will host two meaningful travel summits this year. As with past summits, this event aims to educate industry professionals on best practices in sustainability and community-based tourism, while also connecting with local change-makers. The Global Meaningful Travel Summit will be held in Panama from June 1st to 6th, and the North American Meaningful Travel Summit will be held from September 30th to October 2nd in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Both host destinations will have meaningful travel maps created as part of the program.
