People & Culture

Around the world, more than one billion people are living in poverty. Food insecurity, illiteracy, income inequality, and poor healthcare, are challenges that many people face on a daily basis and often impact women and children more than men. This is especially true in developing countries and rural areas where there are fewer income earning opportunities, less education options and little access to capital.

Tourism is one of the most effective tools for job creation in the world’s most vulnerable regions. As one of the largest industries in the world, tourism represents a key means of bringing foreign money into developing economies, increasing demand for local goods and services, increasing infrastructure and education, and introducing needed foreign investment.  However, when managed irresponsibly, tourism development has the potential to exacerbate income inequality and cause the loss of culture, traditions and language. This can have a particularly negative impact on indigenous communities