Good vibes
Travel programmes on sustainable tourism.
IT’S all about being “woke” in travel these days, and youth-focused Contiki Holidays has jumped on board with four brand new conscious travel experiences for Europe next year.
As part of these new tour packages, travellers aged between 18 and 35 will gain fresh perspectives on sustainable tourism while giving back to communities they visit.
The company, in a statement, said it wants to deliver to the “growing trend for conscious and ethical travel among Gen-z travellers”.
Included in the new conscious experiences in the Europe 2020 product release are: A street art tour with local residents in Lisbon, a London tour of Covent Garden hosted by and supporting former homeless and vulnerably-housed people, a tour of Berlin guided by Syrian refugees, and the chance to take part in a reforestation programme in the Haukadalur valley of Iceland.
Contiki Holidays is a member of The Travel Corporation, which also owns Trafalgar.
Recently, Trafalgar announced the Columbia Rediscovered trip which will offer travellers a look at the verdant wonderland in South America.
The 13-day trip around Colombia will incorporate sustainability initiative through a cultural encounter with one of the local indigenous tribes.
There’s also an opportunity to meet one of Colombia’s leading anthropologists, Dr Santiago Giraldo.
Trafalgar’s parent company’s not-for-profit foundation Treadright is offering direct support to Dr Giraldo’s work with the Prosierra Nevada Santa Marta Foundation.
For those concerned about safety, Columbia Tourism Minister Julian Guerrero said the country has “changed dramatically”.
“The negative perception of Colombia is mostly regarding what happened three decades ago,” he said.
He added: “The continuous growth in tourism for the past 15 years in double digits will hopefully reassure anyone considering to visit that Colombia is now a top destination.”
In the past, the country was considered one of the most dangerous places in the world, with a reputation for drug wars and kidnappings.
However, it has emerged as one of the hottest destinations and is a favourite among adventure travellers.
For more information, visit contiki.com/europe/ and trafalgar.com/. – Chester Chin