What does “regenerative” mean when talking travel? It’s about making positive, pro-social impact on the places you visit. We asked one of the leaders in this field, the founder of Jacada Travel, to tell us how we can be more responsible globetrotters even on luxury vacations.
TOURISM IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S fastest growing and largest industries. At its best, it’s a tool that can break down barriers between communities; facilitate an exchange of ideas and perspectives; preserve and protect culture, history, and heritage; and even finance nature-based solutions to some of the world’s most complex societal challenges. But it can also put a strain on natural resources, erode biodiversity, increase pollution, and commodify culture.
From the very beginning at Jacada, it was always clear to us that travel must be done in a way that respects local communities and preserves the intrinsic value of ecosystems. We love the old adage, “take only photos, leave only footsteps,” but what we’ve seen in the last 15 years is that we can actually take this further and leave the world better than we found it.
The impact of a single trip has the ability to create a considerable ripple effect. It can create meaningful work, but it can also fund initiatives and projects in areas where government assistance is insufficient or has failed. In our efforts to promote positive impact over the years, we’re proud to say that we’ve partnered with a wide range of hotels, lodges, and camps who have undertaken major efforts to support social and environmental causes.
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Sol y Luna, Peru
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Toka Leya, Zambia Wilderness Safari
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Bisate Lodge, Rwanda
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Bisate's herb garden
For example, the folks behind Sol y Luna, a beautiful hotel circled by the Andes Mountain range in Peru are tackling the lack of access to education in the Sacred Valley through income generated by their hotel. Or Wilderness Safaris, who operate a range of luxurious eco-camps across Africa and who, at the time of writing, conserve just over 2.3 million hectares of land, with the plan to double this by 2030.
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Little Duma Tau, Botswana. Photographs by Alicia Warner (2)
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Jacada Travel guests are able to get under the skin of a destination to meet the movers and the shakers of the country — the artists, artisans, historians, and guides who play a powerful role in preserving culture, tradition, and heritage. Working within some of the world’s most biodiverse destinations, conservation fees for national parks create financial value for their protection, and access to these areas presents opportunities for citizen science, education, and knowledge sharing.
From tiger-spotting in India, to embracing local cultures in Botswana and celebrating farm-to-table food across the globe, Jacada is proud to promote responsible travel, which supports a planet that future generations can be proud of.
Learn more here.
Alex Malcolm is the founder of Jacada Travel
Images courtesy of Jacada Travel, unless otherwise noted.
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