ethical traveller
Are fundraising trips abroad simply cheap holidays — or do they provide tangible benefits? Trisha Andres reports
In the past five years, there has been a growing trend for fundraisers to sign up to charity challenges that push participants out of their comfort zones, often in far-flung destinations. While a cousin is trekking through desert, wadis and mountains from Dana to Petra in Jordan, a friend is being put through his paces on a climb up Kilimanjaro and an old colleague is posting Instagram stories of her cycle ride through Sri Lanka’s central highlands from the west coast to the south.
Confession: I have done one myself. Last summer, I went on an 800km, week-long charity cycling challenge that started in Basel in Switzerland, continued up the Alps and wended back to Lake Como in Italy. My friends and colleagues gave generously, but some did ask how exactly their money would be spent.
That’s a perfectly reasonable question. After all, there’s an overriding perception that charity challenges are simply a way for an individual to travel to far-off places and have a cheap holiday in the guise of doing good.
If you are on the receiving end of a donation request, you may also wonder: am I simply subsidising other people’s travel or really contributing to some good causes?
According to Charity Challenge and Discover Adventure, two tour operators that specialise in organising charity challenges, about 40 per cent of their participants self-fund. For instance, in my case, I paid the full cost of my charity cycle, purchasing flights, food, activities and accommodation. I raised money as an added extra with no specific target that I was obliged to meet. All the sponsorship and fundraising proceeds went directly to the charity.
Another payment option, which 60 per cent of participants choose, is the minimum sponsorship method. This often involves paying a registration fee (anything from $200 to $1000) and committing to raising a certain amount through fundraising and sponsorship. The target will typically be about $4000 to $6000 but may potentially be more depending on the nature of the trip. Expedition costs will be subtracted from this pot and the charity will keep the remainder, including whatever is raised beyond the target.
Challengers can decide to make another personal contribution to their travel costs prior to departure, which means the charity will end up subsidising a smaller share of the cost. The benefits are clear, but a fundraising trip isn’t something to commit to on impulse, with some challenges involving, for instance, cycling more than 80km a day and funds of up to $10,000. Yet, despite the commitment and cost, many people sign up year after year.
For some, the experience is life-enhancing; for others, it has simply allowed them to raise funds and travel; and, for the select few, a single trip has converted them into lifelong altruistic adventurers.
If you’ve never tried it, below are our answers to some likely questions
Do you have to be a certain age group to participate in a charity challenge?
Absolutely not, according to Jonathan Bryan, managing director of Discover Adventure. Participants of all ages are welcome. “We’ve had everyone from 11 years old upwards sign up. The eldest participant was an 81-year-old gentleman called George Harding. All that we ask of anyone taking part is that they have a sense of adventure and determination, and commit to putting in a sensible amount of training before the trip,” he says.
Peter Robinson, director of Global Adventure Challenges, agrees, saying that “participants are a range of ages, abilities and backgrounds. The one thing they all have in common is the desire to push their boundaries and achieve something incredible, usually in support of a cause close to their heart.
“Participants have typically been in their 30s and 40s but we are now seeing an increasing number of younger and older challengers. Whatever age group, they tend to be adventurous, driven and looking to make a difference in their own way.”
How is this different from a holiday?
“While our trips could be considered adventures of a lifetime, they aren’t designed to be luxury getaways,” says Bryan. “Fundraisers should expect to have their limits tested in order to achieve something remarkable. The sense of accomplishment from completing a challenge and hitting fundraising targets is a very powerful motivator.”
If you don’t subsidise your own trip, are you effectively asking donors to fund your “break”?
“Challenges aren’t exactly fly and flop beach breaks. They involve a high degree of commitment. The concept allows charities to raise millions of pounds while offering adventures, often in inspiring destinations, and the chance to contribute to a worthwhile cause,” says Robinson.
Are these challenges a significant income stream for the charities then?
Yes. Global Adventure Challenges has taken 30,000 challengers on trips, helping them raise $60 million for more than 1500 charities in 18 years. Charity Challenge says it has raised $100m for more than 1750 charities in 18 years. And Discover Adventures has raised more than $200m for big and small charities in the last 24 years.
How do they support local communities?
“Responsible tourism is an integral part of our ethos and we also focus on preserving local economies and giving back to the countries we visit,” says Simon Albert, director of Charity Challenge. The tour operator employs local guides and staff where possible and uses the services of locally owned ground handlers and accommodation. In addition, it has donated more than $1m to local community projects around the world, from setting up health centres to building schools.
For some, the experience is lifeenhancing; for others, it has simply allowed them to raise funds and travel; and, for the select few, a single trip has converted them into lifelong altruistic adventurers.