Hotel booking platform and blog Kind Traveler is changing the way consumers think about travel. Built on a socially conscious ‘Give + Get’ model, the platform aims to empower travelers to become a force of change that benefits communities, the environment and animals. In just its first year of operation, Kind Traveler has already reached 130 hotels, destinations and charities that have come together to fulfill its mission.
The way it works is simple: travelers give a $10 nightly donation to a local charity that positively impacts the neighborhood they are traveling to or a to a charity of choice; as a reward for their donation, travelers unlock an exclusive hotel rate and special perks with curated hotels and properties throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Costa Rica. One hundred percent of the donations raised on the Kind Traveler platform are given to charity.
“We are witnessing a powerful shift towards consciousness in traveler spending and Kind Traveler is facilitating the connection between travelers and businesses that want to be an active participant in addressing societal and environmental challenges,” said Jessica Blotter, CEO and Co-Founder of Kind Traveler.
Metrics of ‘What $10 Can Do’ are communicated throughout the site, giving travelers a tangible example of the type of impact they can create by booking with Kind Traveler. For example, an exclusive hotel rate is unlocked with a $10 donation to City Harvest that will also help feed 40 New Yorkers in need. A $10 donation can also help plant 10 trees with the Arbor Day Foundation; provide 40 meals for school children with the World Food Program USA; and feed one rescue animal for a week with Animal Defenders International.
“Today there are 1.2 billion international travelers and there are 1.8 billion projected by 2030. The impact of tourism on the world can be positive or negative. Kind Traveler helps everyday travelers become a positive force for good by providing values-aligned vacation options that serve the greater good,” said Kelley Louise, Executive Director of Travel+SocialGood, a nonprofit launched in participation with +SocialGood Network, a United Nations Foundation initiative.
The platform’s one-year anniversary coincides with the UN’s International Year of Sustainable Travel. Together with its network of 57 hotels, 50 charities and 23 destinations, Kind Traveler is working to help deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals: preventing poverty, protecting the planet and promoting well-being for all.
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Published Aug 15, 2017 6am EDT / 3am PDT / 11am BST / 12pm CEST