Valerie Merut Valerie Merut

Celebrating five years of impact

Five years ago, amid an unprecedented global crisis, five small, purpose-driven travel companies came together with a shared vision. Seeing local communities and conservation projects severely affected by pandemic travel bans, they felt compelled to act — and so The Conscious Travel Foundation was born.

From those humble beginnings, we’ve grown into a passionate community united by a belief in tourism's power to positively transform destinations, support local livelihoods, protect wildlife and ecosystems, and champion meaningful, regenerative travel.

In just five short years, so much has changed:

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Makingtrax Foundation: Revolutionising Inclusive Adventure Cycling in New Zealand
Valerie Merut Valerie Merut

Makingtrax Foundation: Revolutionising Inclusive Adventure Cycling in New Zealand

Introducing the Makingtrax Foundation, one of the two recipients of our 2024/5 Community Impact Fund grants. Spearheaded by Jezza Williams, a trailblazer in inclusive tourism and adaptive adventure, the Adaptive Aotearoa project is set to revolutionise adaptive cycling in New Zealand’s South Island. Read on to learn more about the foundation, adaptive adventures and how Jezza’s expertise is helping travel businesses across the world embrace the spirit of inclusive adventure.

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Fundación Green Apple: turning waste into opportunity
Valerie Merut Valerie Merut

Fundación Green Apple: turning waste into opportunity

Introducing Fundación Green Apple in Cartagena, Colombia — one of the two new recipients of our Community Impact Fund. In this blog post, we speak with the team behind this inspiring social enterprise to learn more about their journey, the impact they’re making, and how both tourism businesses and travellers can support their mission.

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DRAWING NEW FUTURES: INSIDE THE ÀNI ART ACADEMIES
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DRAWING NEW FUTURES: INSIDE THE ÀNI ART ACADEMIES

During our recent stay with ÀNI Private Resorts in Sri Lanka, we visited the ÀNI Art Academies, a quietly transformative initiative shaping futures through art and education. Founded by ÀNI’s creator, Tim Reynolds—a philanthropist, artist, and fierce believer in the power of education—the academies are more than art schools. What struck us most was how this model gently but powerfully reimagines what education and opportunity can look like, providing the students not not with technical skill, but economic potential, creative expression, and the agency to carve out a future on their own terms.

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mastering the art of impact reporting
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mastering the art of impact reporting

TCTF mentor, Julie Cheetham, shares invaluable insights on crafting compelling, credible, and effective impact reports. From defining key metrics to using storytelling techniques that engage and inspire, she also highlighted gold-standard examples of reporting done right.

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Redefining Adventure: Insights on Creating Inclusive Travel Experiences
The Conscious Travel Foundation The Conscious Travel Foundation

Redefining Adventure: Insights on Creating Inclusive Travel Experiences

In a recent conversation with Sophie Morgan, renowned disability campaigner, wheelchair user, travel writer, broadcaster and proud The Conscious Travel Foundation mentor, we discussed how the travel industry can use its creativity and resourcefulness to make every travel experience extraordinary—for every traveller, no matter their needs or requirements. In this post, we’re excited to share some powerful insights from that inspiring session.

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The Conscious Travel Foundation Announces Landmark Partnership with ÀNI Private Resorts
The Conscious Travel Foundation The Conscious Travel Foundation

The Conscious Travel Foundation Announces Landmark Partnership with ÀNI Private Resorts

The Conscious Travel Foundation announces a new partnership with ÀNI Private Resorts, marking a significant milestone as the first collaboration of its kind for the Foundation. The partnership celebrates shared values of philanthropy, inclusivity and community, and includes a 3-year sponsorship of the Foundation.

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How to Sell Sustainable Travel: What the Data Tells Us and Who Is Doing It Right
Valerie Merut Valerie Merut

How to Sell Sustainable Travel: What the Data Tells Us and Who Is Doing It Right

We recently had the pleasure of hosting an insightful session with Edmund Morris, a data storyteller, TED speaker, and founder of Equator AI, to discuss the future of sustainable travel, why travellers say they want to make more sustainable choices but often don’t, and how we can better market sustainable travel moving forward. Here were some of the key takeaways from his talk.

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INTRODUCING OUR philanthropy committee for 2024
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INTRODUCING OUR philanthropy committee for 2024

We are excited to introduce The Conscious Travel Foundation’s Philanthropy Committee for our 2024 grant cycle. Comprising members, mentors, and friends of the Foundation, this change-making group brings invaluable hands-on experience, as well as deep expertise in grant-making and fundraising.

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INDIGENOUS TOURISM
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INDIGENOUS TOURISM

Notes from our co-hosted discussion with The Long Run on indigenous tourism, with special guests Tara Kennaway from Intrepid, Nadine Toe Toe, Uncle Mark Koolmatrie and Elisa Spampinato, moderated by TCTF mentor, Nina Karnikowski.

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MEET THE MENTOR: SOPHIE MORGAN
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MEET THE MENTOR: SOPHIE MORGAN

Broadcaster, author, campaigner and award-winning advocate for disability rights, Sophie Morgan joins The Conscious Travel Foundation’s mentorship team to help support our members and the wider industry in becoming effective ambassadors and curators of inclusive travel.

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OUR 2021 CARBON REPORT
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OUR 2021 CARBON REPORT

We’re thrilled to announce that we have published our 2021 Carbon Report! We worked with carbon consultancy ecollective to measure the carbon footprint of our entire business in 2021, and have collated it into an easy-to-read report that we hope helps you understand our emissions and plans for the future.

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INTRODUCING OUR AMBASSADORS
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INTRODUCING OUR AMBASSADORS

From wildlife conservationists and LGBTQ+ activists, to sustainability champions and advocates for accessible travel, we are thrilled to introduce our new Ambassadors.

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SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATIONS
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SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATIONS

The road to certification is a rigorous one that can help us redefine the way we do business, for the better of both people and planet. We spoke with The Long Run, B Corp, and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council to demystify the world of sustainability certifications.

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HOW TO BE AN ACCESS CHAMPION
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HOW TO BE AN ACCESS CHAMPION

From creating an accessibility guide or employing a disability consultant, to appointing an ‘access champion’ – there are a multitude of ways travel businesses can improve their facilities and make positive changes to become more welcoming, suitable and flexible for every visitor through their doors.

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