Travel with social impact

Do you already have travel plans for after the lockdown? Here are seven organizations that will add real social value to your trip.

More and more people want to pay attention to sustainability aspects when planning their vacation trips. In addition to ecological concerns, such as offsetting the CO2 emissions of a flight, it is social concerns in particular, that are important to travelers. Hardly anyone wants to stay in an accommodation where the employees are treated badly or spend their money where it does not reach the local people.

The tourism sector is an important source of income for many people in many countries, and some of them are having to cope with severe revenue losses due to the current situation. Although it is to be expected that the situation will ease again in the long term (after all, the tourism industry has already survived other crises and the desire to travel is unbroken in many places), the crisis is nevertheless affecting many people around the world right now.

Therefore, it is even more important that we as travelers – as soon as we are allowed to again – actively contribute to making the tourism sector more socially responsible. Because there is still a gap between planned and actual behavior on the part of travelers. The so-called “attitude-behavior gap” is still large in tourism. Recently, for example, only four percent of air travel in Germany was compensated. To reduce the attitude-behavior gap in the social sector as well, we would like to introduce you to seven wonderful organizations that will add real social value to your trip. With your support, you can contribute to making the tourism sector a little bit fairer and better:

Socialbnb

Socialbnb is an innovative platform that connects travelers with social organizations around the world. Inspired by an encounter in Cambodia, the platform was founded by students from Cologne in 2018. Since then, people have been able to book overnight stays with local aid organizations via the platform. The revenue from the booking then in turn flows into different local social or ecological projects. This means that the organizations are no longer completely dependent on donations, but can build up another financial pillar through the income from the overnight stays. As a traveler, on the other hand, you can look forward to a very special encounter that you will certainly remember for a long time.

Companion2Go

Companion2Go connects people with and without disabilities on its platform by sending them on joint trips or events. Here, participants share a ticket and benefit from discounted or free admissions, which are often granted to companions of holders of a severely disabled ID card. In this way, the founding team not only wants to bring people with common interests together but also actively contribute to overcoming social boundaries and breaking down (mental) barriers between people with and without disabilities.

TeachSurfing

The organization TeachSurfing brings travelers together with NGOs and local educational institutions around the world, where they can share their skills with others. Whether it’s a long-practiced hobby or special language skills: As a knowledge giver, you run a customized educational event together with the hosting organization and share your knowledge with local learners. For the founders, the focus is also on the special cultural exchange, which in turn ensures that your trip is an unforgettable experience.

Querstadtein

The non-profit association querstadtein e.V. offers city tours of a different kind: Here people take the floor, about whom otherwise people like to talk a lot. Formerly homeless city guides take you to the places where they once lived and tell you about their lives without a roof over their heads. New Berliners and new Dresdeners who have fled from countries like Syria and Iraq will guide you through the neighborhoods that have shaped them and share their very personal perspectives on their new home cities. With their city tours, the two founders want to offer space for dialogue and positively contribute to reducing fear of contact and rethinking possible prejudices.

With the city tours of querstadtein e.V.
you discover your city from a different perspective.

Good Travel

On Good Travel you will find a handpicked selection of sustainable travel accommodations in Europe. The selection ranges from city hotels to organic farms, from campsites to family-run wellness resorts. For better orientation, the founders created five different sustainability criteria. Under the “Social” criterion, for example, you’ll find accommodations that have developed special concepts to promote social interaction, create fair working conditions through special programs for employees, or accommodations that support social projects such as schools, hospitals, charitable institutions, or the local community.

«At Good Travel, we’re excited about meeting hosts that are putting the concept of a regenerative economy into action. It’s a way to build momentum throughout the industry.» – Franziska Diallo & Judith Hehl, founders of Good Travel

On the Good Travel platform
you can get to know exciting social hotel concepts

FairAway

With FairAway, you can have your trip put together 100 percent according to your wishes and ideas. The special thing about it is that local experts who live in your desired destination put together your dream trip away from the crowds and hotspots. Besides, the tour operator pays attention to various sustainability criteria: For example, the guides and drivers in the countries are paid fairly, and they offer accommodation in homestays and activities where you get to know the local population. This gives you an unforgettable travel experience and at the same time the local population benefits. A win-win situation for everyone!

Karmalaya

Karmalaya means as much as “a place where you can do good” and that is exactly what the tour operator from Austria stands for. For more than ten years now, the social enterprise has combined travel with personal development and development aid. In various volunteering projects worldwide, sustainable tourism projects are realized in the Global South. Whether you want to help build a temple school or support women in empowerment courses – according to your qualifications, interests, and local needs, you can get involved in meaningful projects worldwide together with Karmalaya.