As the travel industry grows increasingly community-driven and immersive, a critical question arises: how do we ensure our good intentions don’t result in harm — especially to children?

Here are some of our key takeaways on the ethics and realities of child safeguarding in tourism. From legacy practices like school visits and voluntourism, to the subtle dangers of imagery and storytelling, this conversation challenges our industry to rethink how we engage with communities — and who we choose to centre in the stories we tell.

In the remote town of Phaplu, eastern Nepal, a grassroots movement is reshaping the future for local youth. Founded by Conscious Travel Foundation mentor Ang, the Phaplu Mountain Bike Club blends adventure tourism with social impact, offering young people new ways to stay rooted in their community. A year after receiving a Community Impact Fund grant, the club has expanded its trail network, hosted national competitions, and propelled local riders onto Nepal’s mountain biking stage — laying the foundation for a bold new vision of rural opportunity.

In early 2024, Sama Sama International, a UK-based social enterprise using tourism to amplify underrepresented voices, received one of our Community Impact Fund grants to bring an ambitious idea to life: a tourism experience in Brazil led by trans women, centred on their stories, and shaped by their lived realities. One year later, we take a look at what has unfolded over the past 12 months and what’s coming next.

Five years ago, amid an unprecedented global crisis, five small, purpose-driven travel companies came together with a shared vision. Seeing local communities and conservation projects severely affected by pandemic travel bans, they felt compelled to act — and so The Conscious Travel Foundation was born.

From those humble beginnings, we’ve grown into a passionate community united by a belief in tourism's power to positively transform destinations, support local livelihoods, protect wildlife and ecosystems, and champion meaningful, regenerative travel.

Introducing the Makingtrax Foundation, one of the two recipients of our 2024/5 Community Impact Fund grants. Spearheaded by Jezza Williams, a trailblazer in inclusive tourism and adaptive adventure, the Adaptive Aotearoa project is set to revolutionise adaptive cycling in New Zealand’s South Island. Read on to learn more about the foundation, adaptive adventures and how Jezza’s expertise is helping travel businesses across the world embrace the spirit of inclusive adventure.

Introducing Fundación Green Apple in Cartagena, Colombia — one of the two new recipients of our Community Impact Fund. In this blog post, we speak with the team behind this inspiring social enterprise to learn more about their journey, the impact they’re making, and how both tourism businesses and travellers can support their mission.

We recently had the pleasure of hosting an insightful session with Edmund Morris, a data storyteller, TED speaker, and founder of Equator AI, to discuss the future of sustainable travel, why travellers say they want to make more sustainable choices but often don’t, and how we can better market sustainable travel moving forward. Here were some of the key takeaways from his talk.