People & Culture
Create sustainable livelihood opportunities to improve the well-being of people around the world
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
Issues We're Addressing
Limited jobs in rural areas, particularly for women
Lack of education, skills and capital to start businesses
Disrespect to local culture, traditions and language
Indigenous cultures marginalized from tourism economy
What We're Doing
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Social Enterprise Development
Bringing underserved communities, including women, indigenous populations, and at-risk youth, into the tourism value chain -
Galápagos Islands
Balancing the livelihoods of local fishermen with enhanced marine conservation -
Pacific Islands
Inspiring the adoption of sustainable tourism best practices that are more inclusive of local people and cultures -
Sustainable Destinations Alliance for the Americas
Preserving local culture and increasing tourism benefits for residents in the Caribbean and Central America
