Tourism Writer Jackie Michael
I am sure you know by now that my love for travel and the Caribbean is synonymous. I looked forward to feeling that distinctive Caribbean heat a soon as the plane lands and we walk onto the tarmac. Once I have tended to my stressed out psyche, had a massage and sipped a cocktail or two I have the space and energy to think about the community that I am visiting. The question that has been niggling me over the years is – are we in travel and tourism and specifically at Holidays To Feed Your Soul doing enough for the countries that we visit?
Our packages and brand encourage our clients to visit the lesser know islands and we create bespoke itineraries that are more than a beach experience but one that delves into the cultural and historical mysteries of the Caribbean. We like to connect with the communities and when possible steer them away from the all inclusive – ‘stay only in the hotel package’. However we are ultimately serving the needs of you our clients and our packages may not fulfil these concepts. My personal enquiry concluded that as a niche luxury tour operator we could do more to support the communities we love to visit and a strong stance must be had if we are to deliver this message.
So in 2011 we have stepped outside of the business norm and recreated our brand to reflect our values and use business as a force for good. So the concept is simple – a luxury lifestyle travel company that provides unforgettable travel experiences for the discerning traveller and 10% of our profits go towards supporting and championing the host countries that we travel to.
We are working with the UK Travel Foundation, a charity that ensures local
Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino Hotel
communities benefit from tourism. The projects are exciting and over time more and more stories will develop. Projects like the one in Jamaica show how tourism can assist the social infrastructure. The Travel Foundation partnered with Virgin Holidays and Caribsave, to develop a pilot project designed to provide long-term and sustainable support to Jamaican fish sanctuaries. Due to overfishing on the Jamaican coastline the degradation of coral reefs had become a big issue which has led to unemployment in coastal towns due to the lack of fish. The fish sanctuaries, or ‘Marine Protected Areas’ (MPAs) created restricted fishing or human activity in a clearly marked ocean area, allowing fish stocks to regenerate.
Watch the video below to see the great developments. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md3YZDqee3Y&list=UUHFinUf-jrxlMBxBfEXcByw&index=1&feature=plcp
At Holidays to Feed Your Soul we realise that luxury travel is a privilege and we are proud that we are part of a movement that is using business as a force of good. This is luxury travel that benefits all.
If we want to continue to have our exotic Caribbean holidays we must remember to think beyond the walls of the hotel.
