In our journey towards a more sustainable world, โimpact travelโ solutions can provide travellers with experiences that positively mark the destinations they visit.
However, there are a few considerations that are crucial to a major breakthrough in impact travel:
1. The paradox that โgoing mainstreamโ is not sustainable by its very nature (e.g. mass tourism)
2. Protecting the authentic essence and brand value of โimpact travelโ so it doesnโt become another marketing tagline
3. Moving beyond simple KPIs to ensure we make a measurable, positive change in the real lives of people
Do you think "impact travel" is feasible for the tourism industry to achieve at a wider scale? What other challenges does impact travel face to become a significant force and transform people's lives and society? Appreciate your feedback!
PS: If you are interested in this topic, we invite you to join the TravaPowa impact travel community (follow the links in my profile).
Comments
Starting this thread to find out where everyone is right now.
Extra points for including an interesting fact or tip about your destination ๐
I'll go first...
Right now, I'm in Tasmania at a small town called Orford (population: 500)
Fun fact: We have wallabies (small kangaroos) that hop around at night!
Helloooooo!!! Just got back to Johannesburg from the beautiful Cape Town city. From the beach to the concrete jungle...! Heart sore! Anyway...! Fun fact, Johannesburg is known as the "City of Gold" or "Egoli" due to the gold rush many years ago. What's also cool is that it is home to almost half the world's human ancestor fossils!! Not gonna sugar coat it.... a visit to Johannesburg is necessary!
Right now I am in England, in a small town called Henfield!
Fact: It has one of the worlds oldest cricket clubs which was formed in 1771.
Hi Ian & All
I'm the Phu My Hung area of Ho Chi Minh City, which is modern landscaped area and the mini-Seoul of the city, where most of the Korean population lives.
Fun fact: despite the modern city and cool bars, you can still find traditional Bia Hoi - fresh beer, taken direct from breweries after a few days of fermenting. It's light, low alcohol, great on a summer's night and doesn't give a stonking hangover.
I do miss that Asian light beer... you'll have to take me for a visit to some breweries on my next visit to SGN!
PS: @natalya from SecretEATS is headed your way this week too!
Iโm in Miami Beach - just went for a run along the beautiful water here.
Weโve had heavy tourism and migration all throughout the pandemic, we are expecting that to increase even more now that the border is opening for Europeans.
Just landed back in Miami International International Airport yesterday and can confirm that the lines of European travellers stretched for hours at immigration!
Who would have thought we'd appreciate lines at the airport! ๐
Vegas baby!
An interesting fact is that the Bright Light City is back. Possibly the indicators suggest bigger than before.
Visitation is up. Large scale events are on. IMEX was last week for events with 10k participants from the event and meetings sector. CES is on and by all indications it will be over the top. Coming? Let me know.
On the individual side Vegas had its biggest July ever. 30% up in revenue city wide with 20% less guests. Extraordinary. Less people indulging more. This was before events had started again.
If you are visiting donโt be a massive traveling stranger!
Cheers,
Mark
Hey Mark, this is great news. I've always wanted to go to CES... will you be heading to it next year?
Yes, CES is on and based upon the state of things in Vegas it will be large...! The new convention centre extension was slated for this event last year which adds a significant amount of space and connectivity to the event. Biggest ever would be the prediction. If you anyone is coming let me know.
Hi Ian, Hi TM,
Right now I am in Berlin
Fun fact: Berlin is nine times the size of Paris. But Berlin is not as crowded as Paris. While Berlin has 4,000 inhabitants per square kilometre, Paris has 21,000 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Bonjour everyone!!
Right now I'm in Miami, USA and wishing I was in Lisbon ๐
Fun Facts: We have the BEST Cuban coffee and pastries in the world, make sure you grab a couple when you visit us.
I am currently in Swakopmund Namibia, where the Dunes of the oldest Desert in the World meet the Atlantic Ocean. A unique place that must be on your bucket list. And if travelling to Namibia, bring some time along, there is lots to see and experience.
I am currently in Rio de Janeiro, steps away from beautiful Ipanema beach.
Travel tip: A visit to Christ the Redeemer is probably on every traveler's bucket list, which makes it a pretty crowded attraction. If you take one on one pics with the famous statue, make sure to wake up early and take the Paineiras Corcovado vans that leave from Lido at Copacabana Beach at 8:00am sharp and get there before the first train has arrived, free of the crowds.
Interesting fact: Rio de Janeiro has served as the Brazilian capital city for almost 200 years, when the capital shifted to the planned city of Brasรญlia in 1960. Yes, Brasรญlia is the capital of Brazil. Not Rio, not Sรฃo Paulo...and certainly not Buenos Aires! LOL
Rio is a place I'd absolutely love to visit! Are there any plans for Brazil to open up visa-on-arrival to more countries in the future?
You'more than welcome for a visit, Ian! Brazil doesn't not have a visa-on-arrival program, but since early 2019 Australians don't need a visa to visit the country as tourists for a max period of 90 days.
Hopefully Air New Zealand and LATAM will resume their connections to NZ/AUS in the near future to make the trip easier - albeit still a pretty long one!
Right now,I am I'm Kidepo Valley National Park.We had a wonderful and cultural visit to Karamajongo Manyattas.
FUN FACT:
The Karamajong are a tribe of fierce warrior pastoralists in North Eastern corner of Uganda bordering South Sudan and Kenya.
These people have lived here for hundreds and hundreds of years.During the colonial times,the British colonial governments failed to control this type of people and their area was simply set off limits.
Life in Karamoja is communal.Things are done together and for the good of the entire community not just a nuclear family or an individual.
Men can take as many wifes as they want to as long as they have dowry to pay for them.it is one of those societies where dowry is still taken very seriously.
Discover and learn more about Kidepo Valley National Park and the Karamajong people on your next visit to Uganda.
๐ In Bansko, Bulgaria - a lively mountain town and winter sports resort I made my home a year ago.
Fun fact: There's an old Soviet car Lada Niva with the Travel Massive logo running around the town and the nearby mountains, driven by digital nomads from all over the world ๐ ๐
Hi everyone, we just had a fantastic 4-day fam trip in Ulcinj, Montenegro with our community and nature-based tourism development folks and agencies, most of them also members here. #SaltyEpicUlcinj #ForSalt #ForBirds #ForPeople for photos & impressions on FB & Insta.
Fun Fact: Over 250 bird species here at the salt pans, Adriatic Flyway of Europe. We got to see pink flamingos ๐ฆฉ๐ฆฉ๐ฆฉ and Dalmatian pelicans very close.
Hi everyone! Iโm in a small town 25km from Paris. Itโs called Brunoy, pretty green and lively!
Fun fact: before the French Revolution, Brunoy was famous for the production ofโฆ pineapples!
Hi from Berlin, one of the greenest cities in Europe ๐ณ my favorite city escape is the small town of Kladow on Lake Wannsee, just 30 minutes from the city center by public transport ๐
Good morning from the icy South, to be more precise South Carolina.
I opted to keep on traveling during these trying times (as safely and conscious of the new normal as possible) and then I was forced to do so because of a family emergency back in Deutschland.
Just got back from London and Germany (will return to Germany for the holidays), and am off to Hawaii and California, two of my true happy places after Thanksgiving for mainly work, but also a little play.
Fun fact: Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday even tho my last name phonetically is "Christmas" in German.
Hello everyone,
Glad to connect with you all ๐ am in Livingstone, tourist town of Zambia and home of the beautiful 'Victoria Falls. Locally known as the Mosi oa Tunya. Which means the 'smoke that thunders'
You can get to do a lot of activities from Safari, culture and historical tours.
When you in Zambia, get in touch
I just returned to Boston (for the holidays) from 3 months of travel. I went to Armenia, Chad, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and South Sudan.
Boston-area here too. Sometimes what is right around the corner from home is the most exciting place to explore.
In Scottsdale, Arizona, visiting family โ๏ธ๐ตand soaking up all the warm weather I can before heading back to Finland.
Fun fact: Scottsdale was originally named Orangedale ๐คท๐ปโโ๏ธ because of the areaโs reputation as excellent for growing citrus ๐๐
I am in Amman, Jordan!
Fun fact: I haven`t yet seen a dog but there are street cats everywhere. Big, fluffy and tough. Usually hanging out in small packs around dumpsters.
i am in quito, ecuador...the first city to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site (in 1978)
That's a city I've always wanted to visit! I recommend you connect with @ombi and @alex-benavidesv from Quito Travel Massive while you're there :)
oh that is great! i would love to do a meetup! @ombi @alex-benavidesv
one of my favorite cities in the whole world!
I am in Portugal Algarve at the moment sucking up some sunshine during winter is anyone around the Algarve who would like to meet up?
I'm in Berlin. I live in a suburb called Prenzlauerberg which is surrounded by ponds, lakes, forests and is just a 20 minute car ride from farm countryside!
Fun fact: Berlin has a population of just 3.7 million people, and has more river bridges than Venice in Italy!
Home base of San Diego. Traveling for the holidays to my hometown of Knoxville, TN. Need to start thinking of travel plans โ USA and abroad โ for 2022!
Just got back from Watamu a town in the Coastal area of Mombasa, Kenya. Dolphins can be seen in this area
While we traveled to Newfoundland this summer, we are now back in Massachusetts, reminding ourselves how good it is to be back home. We had an amazing time on our travels, and also find great places of historical significance and natural beauty. We are at the edge of the Blackstone Valley national heritage corridor (RI and MA) which is filled with places that help document the industrial revolution in the U.S. Guess i need to write a post about it.
Venice, CA
Fun fact: it was established as a seaside resort that resembled Venice, Italy. It even has canals and venetian architecture.
Today it is practically part of Los Angeles, as the latter expanded. But Venice maintains its artsy soul and beachy vibe.
Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Fun fact: If you look up the city on Maps, you'll see an exact square in the center, which is the Old City that dates back to the Lanna Kingdom, complete with corner walls and a moat that surrounds it. My favorite part of the city.