After returning from her first African safari several years ago, Janet Lewis loved the wildlife encounters but felt the cultural side of the trip was lacking. “The connection with the local community was limited,” she said. “It felt scripted and not authentic.”
Her experience changed when she discovered Dazzle Africa, a Las Vegas nonprofit whose safaris fund conservation, education and community development projects in Zambia’s South Luangwa River Valley. Dazzle’s approach blends wildlife viewing with hands-on, behind-the-scenes access to the people actively protecting the region. Guests meet professionals such as expert lion trackers from the Zambian Carnivore Programme who help protect prides from poachers, and they observe Conservation South Luangwa’s canine team training sniffer dogs to detect common contraband.
“It’s a win-win,” said Stacy James, cofounder and executive director of Dazzle Africa. “Guests enjoy meaningful experiences, and communities receive funding for practical needs like a bush plane to track herds, clean water systems and college scholarships that prepare young people for higher-level jobs linked to growing wildlife tourism.”
Impressed by the impact and authenticity, Lewis has returned to Dazzle for multiple safaris. “Dazzle’s partnerships let us spend real time with people on the ground working to preserve South Luangwa,” she said. “It’s incredibly inspiring.”
Lewis is part of a growing group of travelers who want their trips to do more than produce attractive photos. A recent American Express survey found 59 percent of respondents are interested in “philantourism”—choosing vacations that support a destination through tourism.
Angie Rice, cofounder of Boutique Travel Advisors in Arizona, isn’t surprised by that trend. “Travelers want to contribute and interact with communities in a positive, impactful way,” she said. “The tourist’s mindset has shifted from ‘What can I get?’ to ‘How can I give back?’”
Hotels, tour operators and cruise lines have responded by offering experiences that let guests support local communities. Marriott Bonvoy’s Good Travel initiative, for example, invites guests at properties such as W Bali Seminyak to help transform surplus food into meals that are safely packaged and delivered to families in need. At Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, guests can help construct coral frames and then join marine biologists on a snorkeling visit to see how those frames support reef regeneration.
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© MARRIOTT BONVOY
The Ritz-Carlton’s Impact Experiences are designed around local needs, ranging from making greeting cards for children near a resort to coral planting at an Okinawa property. “Guests are continually looking for ways to experience a destination that foster transformation, education and growth,” said Donna McNamara, vice president and global brand leader at The Ritz-Carlton. “Impact Experiences are initiatives we’re proud of, especially as guests increasingly focus on giving back.”
Hyatt relaunched its Hyatt Loves Local program in 2021 to help revitalize communities after the pandemic. The initiative includes more than 160 collaborations that offer volunteer opportunities such as helping animal shelters and showcasing local artists. Participating hotels—from Andaz Delhi and Grand Hyatt Goa to Parisi Udvar Hotel Budapest—also provide retail space for local artisans, giving small business owners exposure to visitors.
The Travel Corporation’s Make Travel Matter program brings purposeful experiences to travelers across its family of brands. MTM experiences pair visitors with local businesses and social enterprises—such as visits to Croatia’s women-owned Brlog brewery—ensuring the activities advance social or environmental goals aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. “Our teams are hands-on in finding MTM experiences and ensuring they meet strong criteria,” said Guy Young, president of Insight Vacations.
Smaller operators are also creating meaningful connections. Tierra del Volcan in Ecuador, for example, combines adventure travel with service projects that support conservation in the Cotopaxi area. “Through adventure activities, travelers become more sensitive to their environment,” said founder Jorge Perez. The conservation projects support sustainable initiatives and reinforce efforts by private, community and government stakeholders to preserve Cotopaxi National Park and its buffer zones.
Experts welcome travelers’ desire to help, but they also caution that volunteer efforts must be well-informed. Unskilled or inappropriate volunteer work can unintentionally harm communities by displacing paid local jobs. “People seeking volunteer experiences should ensure their activities do not take away employment from locals,” said Matt Berna, managing director of North America for Intrepid Travel.
Intrepid focuses instead on partnerships with organizations that directly support community development. One example is the company’s walking tours in Scotland run with Invisible Cities, a social enterprise that trains and employs people who have experienced homelessness as city tour guides.
Partnerships between travel companies and nonprofits can magnify impact. Sandals Resorts International promoted the Pack for a Purpose campaign, which encourages travelers to carry five pounds of needed supplies—such as medical items, school supplies and sports equipment—in their luggage. Those donations are delivered to schools, clinics and orphanages, and have helped the program collect more than 434,000 pounds of supplies worldwide. “Giving back is a way of showing gratitude to your destination and the people who live there,” said Rebecca Rothney, Pack for a Purpose’s founder. “Our goal is to make it easy for travelers to say ‘Thank you.’”