G Adventures has created three different funds to support its ecosystem of local tour guides, Inca Trail workers and local community projects that typically rely on tourism to survive and flourish.
Aiding its chief experience officers (CEOs) is the CEO Wellbeing Fund, which will channel gratuities from travellers to G Adventures’ guides in need of financial support. While G Adventures has typically helped its CEOs on an ad-hoc basis, the pandemic has prompted the creation of this permanent, long-term fund, which will support guides affected by an accident, natural disaster, illness or difficult circumstances. It will be managed by G Adventures’ non-profit partner, Planeterra.
Secondly, the Porters Support Fund will aid Inca Trail porters, cooks and horsemen whose livelihoods have been impacted by Covid-19. These workers play an essential part of treks through the Sacred Valley, and many live in remote villages that have lost their primary income stream from tourism. This fund enables travellers who have hiked the Inca Trail, Lares Trek, Salkantay Trail or Choquequirao Trek to give back to these local communities.
Lastly, the Planeterra Impact Fund will help local enterprises in Planeterra’s 85 projects. Located in more than 50 countries, social enterprises in these projects rely on passing visitors to earn an income.
The three funds were launched in response to requests pouring in from travellers wanting to help communities that have been impacted by the effects of the ongoing pandemic.
Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures, will match the first US$50,000 of donations to both the CEO Wellbeing and Planeterra Impact Funds.
He shared: “I’ve had hundreds, if not thousands, of letters asking me how to help. We transcend travel when our collective humanity extends support during difficult times. It is one of the most heartwarming movements I’ve witnessed in my 30 years of building G Adventures. These new funds represent our commitment to community tourism by offering the opportunity to make a positive change at a time we can’t do that through travelling.”
