Recently updated on July 31st, 2023 at 03:14 pm
People all over the world are reliant on the tourism industry, and having a steady stream of regular visitors is a crucial income source for many. At Trafalgar, we support a whole host of local businesses, from family-run farms to artisan workshops. With your help we are able to keep traditions alive, preserve customs and protect the places many people call home. Here’s how your travels help the lives of others for the better.
1. Support local businesses
When you travel, it’s important to eat and shop local as this helps support independent businesses and the local economy. Many of our Be My Guest experiences offer the opportunity to support local businesses, like wine and olive oil producer Giada Landi. Her family owns Villa il Leccio, a gorgeous estate in the Chianti wine region in Tuscany. You can support the family-run farm, by purchasing their fresh produce.
2. Improve your language skills and connect with locals
Take the opportunity to learn the local language. Whether it’s asking for directions or ordering food, knowing a few phrases enables you to confidently speak to locals, many of whom will appreciate your efforts. Learning a new language helps develop key skills like cognitive thinking and problem-solving. What’s more, if you are multilingual, you have the advantage of seeing the world from a different viewpoint.
3. Gain a better cultural understanding
Travelling helps develop empathy. You experience what life is like for others and as a result, gain a deeper understanding of different cultures. You can only learn so much from the news and Netflix documentaries, so get out there and experience the world for yourself.
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4. Support sustainability projects
You can see how your travels help others by visiting projects like the Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative, a small organisation in Amman, Jordan. A project we proudly support through Join Trafalgar, Iraq Al-Amir aims to financially empower local women. The women are taught how to make and sell handicrafts in the cooperative’s gift shop and online. The project has seen more than 150 women from surrounding villages learn the necessary skills to increase their income and raise their standard of living.
5. Spread the word online
More often than not, when you travel you post about your trip online. It’s the ultimate modern day postcard. We often turn to our friends, colleagues, even celebrities on social media for travel inspiration. So by posting online about the wonderful people you meet and projects you visit, you help spread awareness and in turn support people’s livelihoods.
6. Keep cultural traditions alive
As part of our JoinTrafalgar initiative, powered by the not-for-profit TreadRight Foundation, we help support skilled artisans like Marta Cucchia, keep the ancient art of Perugian hand-weaving alive. Marta is the fourth generation of women in her family to run the Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti workshop. You can meet Marta and discover how your visit helps to preserve the weaving heritage on Italy Bellissimo.
Your travels have such a positive impact on many people’s lives. Have you met a Be My Guest host before? Or visited the Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative? We’d love to hear, let us know in the comments below.