Earlier this year, we shared the news that The Conscious Travel Foundation had become an official partner of PURE Life Experiences. For the first time, the Foundation had a dedicated presence at PURE, giving us the opportunity to introduce our community and the grassroots organisations we support to thousands of people from across the global travel industry.

But, as always, the best part was the people.

Our community now spans more than 35 countries, so having so many members in one city is rare. For a week, Marrakech became the TCTF home from home: members dropping into our space at the show, meeting over coffee, making introductions and picking up conversations begun months, or sometimes years, earlier.

It was particularly special to have our Marrakech family back under one roof at our TCTF riad. Riad Brummell looked after us exceptionally, making a house full of people arriving and leaving at all hours feel completely effortless. We are really grateful to the whole team for their warmth, patience and wonderful hospitality.

Community partnerships at Open House

At PURE’s Open House at Palais Namaskar, we hosted two sessions exploring community partnerships, joined by three changemakers from our community: Ang Tshering Lama of The Happy House, Beyul Experiences and Phaplu Mountain Bike Club; Penny Rafferty of Luxury Lodges of Australia; and Ruy Tone of Katerre Expeditions and Mirante do Gavião Lodge.

Together, we explored what can happen when communities aren’t seen simply as beneficiaries of tourism, but as partners in it.

Drawing on examples from House in the Wild, ÀNI Private Resorts, Gangtey Lodge, Sama Sama and Senderos, we looked at partnerships built around employment and skills, local sourcing, conservation, education and shared infrastructure.

Both workshops were fully booked, with plenty of questions, different perspectives and useful discussion happening in the room. We left with plenty more to explore, which is exactly what we had hoped for.

The Long Table at Jnane Tamsna

For the second year, Wednesday evening brought many of our members back together at Jnane Tamsna, for a dinner generously hosted by Meryanne Loum-Martin.

The dinner has its roots in a gathering Meryanne and Portia Hart began several years ago to celebrate women of colour in hospitality. Last year, they generously opened the table to our TCTF community, and it was very special to return again this September with an even bigger group of members.

There were familiar faces from last year alongside members joining us for the first time, old friends catching up, new introductions being made and conversations continuing long after dinner under the Marrakech night sky.

Beyond Marrakech

Over the course of the week, we had so many conversations with businesses interested in joining the Foundation. We came home with new relationships, prospective members from around the world and plenty of ideas for collaborations that we are already beginning to explore.

Every new member brings knowledge and experience that can be shared with the rest of the community. And, importantly, growing our membership enables us to direct more funding through our philanthropy programme to grassroots organisations around the world.

Today, the Foundation brings together more than 150 organisations across 35 countries, and our community has helped direct over £250,000 to grassroots projects.

By 2030, our goal is to be supporting ten Community Impact Fund grants, alongside the additional donations that happen through our Member Directed Giving programme. Growing our community is an important part of getting there.

PURE gives us the chance to do that while remaining rooted in what has always mattered to us — bringing good people together, learning from one another and turning those relationships into real life impact.

A huge thank you to the entire PURE team for welcoming us so generously in our first year as official partners, and to every member who joined us in Marrakech, made introductions, shared their experience and helped make the week what it was.

For one week, a global community felt remarkably close-knit.

We’re already looking forward to doing it all again.