Travelers' Philanthropy Handbook - Center for Responsible Travel
Travelers' Philanthropy Handbook - Center for Responsible Travel
Travelers' Philanthropy Handbook - Center for Responsible Travel
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Chapter 1:Core Components of <strong>Travel</strong>ers’ <strong>Philanthropy</strong>Origin and Overview of <strong>Travel</strong>ers’ <strong>Philanthropy</strong>By Martha Honey, Ph.D.Co-Director, <strong>Center</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Responsible</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> (CREST)A new source of international development assistance is evolving, in all regions of the world.Civic-minded travelers and travel businesses are giving time, labor and expertise, and financialand material resources to improve and steward the places that they visit and further the wellbeing of the people who live in those places. This new type of assistance is supporting andempowering local and indigenous communities by providing jobs, skills, and lastingimprovements in health care, education, local livelihoods, and environmental stewardship. Werefer to this support as “travelers’ philanthropy.”<strong>Travel</strong>ers’ philanthropy is fundamentally about good global citizenship – enjoying, learning, andpositively contributing to worthwhile community and conservation projects in tourismdestinations. Through this relatively new but growing <strong>for</strong>m of philanthropy, funds, supplies,services, and expertise are flowing from the travel industry and travelers into host communities.<strong>Travel</strong>ers’ philanthropy generates additional resources <strong>for</strong> communities impacted by tourism,over and above tourism’s fee <strong>for</strong> service transactions.<strong>Travel</strong>ers’ philanthropy is tourism businesses and travelers making concretecontributions of time, talent, and treasure to local projects beyond what is generatedthrough the normal tourism business.<strong>Travel</strong>ers’ philanthropy is not about collecting loose change <strong>for</strong> charities; rather, it is aboutintegrating tourism company and visitor support <strong>for</strong> local communities into the core definition ofresponsible travel. It is also about:oooHelping tourism businesses become actively involved as ‘good citizens’ intheir travel destinations.Assisting local projects that provide a ‘hand up’ not a ‘hand out;’ that is,projects that promote social empowerment, education, and entrepreneurshipthat lead to sustainable, long-term development and environmentalconservation.Enriching the travel experience through meaningful, culturally sensitive, andproductive interactions with people in host communities.Done well, travelers’ philanthropy benefits the destination, the travel business, and the traveler.3
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