Be Part of the Change: G Adventures & Planeterra Launch Project 100

G Adventures, hand in hand with their not-for-profit partner Planeterra, have launched Project 100. This venture will see another 25 social enterprise projects incorporated into G Adventures’ itineraries by the end of 2020, totalling 100 globally.

This new goal builds on the recent success of the 50 in 5 Campaign, which kicked off in 2015 with a goal to introduce 50 new ventures (on top of the existing 25) in five years. The team hit this mark ahead of schedule, and by May 2019 there were 75 projects operating around the world.

Each of these projects makes a difference to its host community and environment, and every traveller who visits as part of a G Adventures tour contributes to this positive change.

Planeterra projects are driven by travellers needs and are designed around five categories – Meals and Food, Tours and Experiences, Handicrafts, Accommodation, and Transportation. While meeting traveller demands, these operations allow travel to be a force for good by creating livelihoods and setting up local businesses for long term sustainable success.

Get to know some of Planeterra’s most recent projects that you can visit with G Adventures:

Coope San Juan

Nestled in the forest of Costa Rica, a community cooperative dedicated to natural forest preservation and agriculture was close to losing their land. With the help of Planeterra and their local partners, this community is now the proud owner of 20 bicycles that can be used to offer cycling activities to travellers.

With the inclusion of a two day visit on the Volcano Trail, over 1000 travellers will visit the community each year. By hosting travellers, income that was once 95% reliant on agriculture and just 5% on tourism will shift to being mostly generated by tourism, boosting income and in turn quality of life within the community.

Shandia Community Tourism

G Adventures and Planeterra, along with their local partners, have worked with the Shandia community in eastern Ecuador to identify tourism opportunities and develop a framework to benefit positively from these. Investment in equipment, training programs, and local infrastructure provides the means to develop tourism within their community and hence generate jobs and increase revenue flow.

G Adventures will help introduce Shandia’s community tourism to an international market, giving travellers on tours such as The Quito to Lima Adventure the chance to meet the local people, learn about traditional practices, stay in the community lodge, and enjoy meals prepared by the ladies using local ingredients. In turn, the Shandia community will use tourism as a force to preserve natural and cultural resources, share their traditions, and pursue new dreams.

Nem Adom Fel

Nem Adom Fel Foundation in Hungary advocates for those living with a disability as well as those from disadvantaged Roma communities. There is a disparity in employment rates and education levels among these groups in Hungary, and The Nem Adom Fel Café and Bar is an initiative that channels funds into programs to help empower and support them.

Roughly 1,000 G Adventures travellers who stop in Budapest annually on a trip such as the 26 day European Trail will enjoy a meal here, increasing revenue to invest in community initiatives. A Planeterra grant will also see upgrades to café operations and marketing to further increase the customer base and springboard funding.

Dqae Qare San Lodge

The Kuru Development Trust employs and empowers indigenous San people in Southern Africa through projects like the Dqae Qare San Lodge. This wilderness area and campsite in Botswana gives employment to 52 people and benefits a community of 2,000.

Planeterra has lent assistance to improve and upgrade the campsite and accommodation and a flow of 1,500 G Adventures guests annually on tours such as the Delta Falls & Overland Westbound or Eastbound will provide a steady stream of revenue for the lodge and the trust. This will foster further opportunities for the lodge, the trust, and the community it supports.

Ak Orgo

Ak Orgo is a traditional handicraft workshop nestled in the village of Barskoon, Kyrgyzstan, which works to produce traditional Kyrgyz handicrafts and create livelihood opportunities for a community that has suffered from an unemployment rate of 80%. Ak Orgo works to preserve traditional techniques and inspire young generations to engage in the art, while evolving new innovative methods to improve production efficiency. You can visit there when you explore the Highlights of Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan or Best of Kyrgyzstan & Tajikistan.

Planeterra has supported Ak Orgo with funding to build a kitchen and a washroom to better serve visiting travellers and capture more of the tourism market. In conjunction with a local training organisation, Planeterra has also helped the Ak Orgo team to develop business and marketing skills to further grow their social enterprise.