5 reasons why giving back through travel matters more than ever

Worldwide, the travel industry plays a major role in local job creation, socio-economic development and cross-cultural exchange. Yet the COVID-19 pandemic has brought travel to a halt. 

Many countries are reeling from the impacts of having no travellers. Whether in the highlands of Vietnam, or the usually bustling markets around Angkor Wat in Cambodia, small businesses, local cooperatives and self-employed workers who rely on travellers are struggling to make ends meet. 

As the world re-opens and we learn to live with COVID-19, travellers like you can play a key role in restoring people’s livelihoods. Here’s why choosing travel that positively impacts you and those in the countries you visit matters more than ever. 

Alongside the public health crisis and loss of human life, the pandemic also triggered a global economic crisis. The economic shocks have been felt everywhere, but the toll in the Asia and Pacific region has been huge. The pandemic pushed an estimated 80 million more people in developing Asia into extreme poverty.  

Your tour in Asia and the Pacific can help communities recover. Visit rural or remote villages, ethnic minority groups and economically marginalised communities, for example, and you’ll help stimulate the local economies of those most in need. Even better, choose a responsible travel company committed to long-term impacts, to guarantee your money stays in the community. 

To limit funds leaving the community, we encourage travellers to purchase fair-trade goods directly from makers at local markets. We urge you to eat at local restaurants. And we’ll always invest a portion of your trip directly into a community fund or NGO of your choice, to make sure those community members who aren’t directly involved in your tour still benefit. 

As COVID-19 restrictions were introduced, unemployment rates soared and working hours contracted. About 8 per cent of working hours were lost in the Asia and Pacific region alone. Among those most affected were people in poorer households and workers in the informal sector, such as people running roadside stalls. 

To get by, households have been skipping meals and selling assets. But relying on these coping mechanisms perpetuates the cycle of poverty and exacerbates inequality. That’s where you come in.  

On tour with us, your travel can help local employment bounce back. When you buy souvenirs, you support workers in fabric and handicraft production. When you eat at a local restaurant, or take a bus or tuk-tuk ride, you help staff in retail and services. Even the community service project you choose can boost jobs. 

For example, we pay local tradespeople to lead any construction projects you work on, local cooks to cater for you, and local families to host your homestay. And our tours also directly support entrepreneurship by hiring local tour guides, or engaging local farmers or fishermen to teach you how to use their methods. 

Despite the pandemic, the adage ‘many hands make light work’ holds true. Organisations across Asia and the Pacific still need volunteers to help carry out projects they’ve planned. In fact, some experts predict international aid and charity budgets will become smaller, as a result of wealthy countries over-borrowing. 

Many community leaders and local government departments have faced huge public health demands throughout COVID-19, with limited financial capacity. Local organisations have had to pause or switch their activities to provide COVID-related support instead. To emerge from the pandemic and recover well, these communities need every available pair of hands. That means you! 

When you’re ready to travel, there’ll likely be a backlog of projects that need support in a COVID-safe way. You can help fill the gap and support local communities to get back on their feet, sooner. The best projects to get involved in are those designed by communities, for communities. To find one that matches your skillset, has a lasting impact and doesn’t burden the community, be sure to choose a project run by a responsible travel company. 

The cross-cultural benefits of travel aren’t just for travellers. Every interaction is a two-way exchange, through which the locals you meet also build their intercultural skills. Your conversations offer local people a personal opportunity to learn more about other cultures, exchange ideas, develop relationships and, ultimately, bridge differences. 

By immersing yourself in a community, you’ll see firsthand both the complex issues they face, and the strengths they’re using to resolve them. Through this understanding comes trust, shared values and friendship, all of which can lead to further exchanges of information, ideas and opportunities. 

The pandemic has stopped travel, such that people in some communities haven’t been able to interact in-person with foreign travellers for over two years. Your next trip can change that. 

The pandemic has intensified gender inequalities. Women in Asia and the Pacific took on more unpaid care and domestic work during lockdowns, and lost their livelihoods faster than men. The negative impacts for women in ethnic minority groups have been especially damaging – spanning food security, livelihood, labour-employment, income, health care, education, cultural and social affairs. 

By travelling with a company that supports gender equality and equal opportunity, however, you can help communities build back in a gender-sensitive way. Why not join us on a tour that engages with women’s social enterprises, charities and workshops? You can support women’s committees in Vietnam, for instance, or take part in a women-led service-learning program in India. 

From design to decision-making, we ensure women are empowered by their involvement in our programs, as well as by their outcomes. Check out our positive impact page to learn more about how we’re committed to ending the gendered status quo through educational travel.