In 2025, three extraordinary new MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences are joining our itineraries, each offering a meaningful way to engage with sustainability and responsible tourism. From a groundbreaking regenerative garden in England to a waste-reducing initiative in Venice, these experiences will deepen your connection with the places you visit, helping you tour responsibly while supporting the communities that call them home.
1. Eden Project, UK
Step into the lush world of the Eden Project, a stunning global garden built within a former clay mine in Cornwall, England. It started as a small idea in the late 1990s, when a group of nature-lovers wanted to create a project that would make a difference for the climate. They bought a disused, lifeless clay pit and turned it into a sprawling inside-rainforest. Now, beyond its immediate beauty, the Eden Project is a hub of education and sustainability. It provides educational programs for the local community, ensuring that locals can actively participate in shaping a sustainable future. But they go beyond their immediate location, with education programs such as scholarships, apprenticeships, and even degree programs for anyone who wants to engage with environmental issues. They help develop this in students of all ages, from preschoolers to university students and professionals. Apprenticeships and degree programs prepare the next generation to address global challenges, while creative leadership initiatives empower individuals and organizations to drive change.
You’ll now visit the Eden Project as part of the Best of Devon and CornwallTrafalgar tour. Guided by Emma, one of Eden’s passionate storytellers, you’ll learn how this innovative project is regenerating nature and tackling climate change. Wander through the remarkable Biomes, discover contemporary art installations inspired by the environment, and relish in the chance to explore the world’s largest indoor rainforest. This experience directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: 4 & 13: Quality Education and Climate Action.
A visit to the Eden Project highlights how sustainability can go beyond reducing harm—it can be regenerative. You’ll see how the team focuses on improving social, economic, and environmental conditions through initiatives like their ambitious geothermal energy project, funded by the European Union.
Education is at the heart of everything we do. We offer learning opportunities from preschool to degree level and beyond to connect people of all ages with the natural world, better understand their place within it and play their part in shaping the future.
Alongside an established school programme, our apprenticeships and degrees provide a sound grounding for the future crew of planet Earth, creative leadership experiences enable organisations and individuals to inspire and facilitate change, and community training programmes enable those who want to roll up their sleeves to make a difference where they live.
The National Trust for Scotland, Scotland’s largest membership organization, is dedicated to preserving the country’s natural, built, and cultural heritage. Supported by over 300,000 members and funded largely through donations, the charity has been protecting Scotland’s landscapes, landmarks, and wildlife since 1931. Its conservation efforts focus on safeguarding at-risk species, ecosystems, and historic sites, ensuring they remain accessible and unspoiled for future generations.
As part of the Amazing Britaintour, you’ll get to join a wildlife ranger in Glencoe, a designated National Nature Reserve, to explore the area’s diverse ecosystems. From insects and invertebrates to mammals like otters and fallow deer, get an insight into the region’s amazingly rich biodiversity, directly supporting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land, helping to protect and preserve Scotland’s natural environment.
2. Visit the Roman Baths
As part of the Best of Britain tour, you can explore remarkably well-preserved Roman Baths, delving into 2,000 years of history in one beautiful landmark. This not only offers a glimpse into the past, but also leads the way in educational initiatives that benefit the wider community.
The Roman Baths support SDG 4: Quality Education through a dedicated school program that helps local students explore the region’s cultural heritage. The Archway Project will further enhance educational opportunities with hands-on learning in state-of-the-art facilities. Along with the World Heritage Centre, these sites will be open to the public free of charge, bringing Bath’s rich history to life and revitalizing the surrounding buildings.
In Italy, Venice’s famous canals are breathtaking, but they also face an ongoing battle against plastic pollution. Luckily, organisations like Venice Lagoon Plastic Free (VLPF) are here to help. Standing guard at the forefront of marine conservation efforts in Venice, they help organize regular clean-up projects to remove marine and terrestial plastic waste, cleaning up the city from ever-encroaching plastic waste. They also conduct environmental research such as robotic searches for seafloor litter, sample lagoon water to monitor plastic pollution, and partner with local businesses to promote ‘plastic-free’ tourism.
Join Davide and the dedicated team from Venice Lagoon Plastic Free for an inspiring look at how they are working to protect the lagoon’s fragile ecosystem on the Great Italian Citiestour. Learn about the devastating impact of plastic waste on wildlife and local communities, and discover simple yet powerful ways to make a difference. As part of this experience, you’ll receive a reusable glass water bottle – which you can use to tour responsibly and throughout the rest of your travels instead of purchasing plastic bottles. The organization also provides maps and apps highlighting refill stations around Venice, helping us all embrace sustainable habits. Your visit directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.
New for 2025, this MTM truly highlights the importance of protecting Venice’s iconic lagoon while discovering a deeper appreciation for such a unique place. Davide and his team are passionate about their land and guests develop a greater understanding of Venetians and how they are inextricably tied to the land and the sea. This experience really gets into the soul of Venice and how we can preserve it.
– Krista Taylor, Senior Travel Experiences Manager
1. Learn about the History and Ancient Skills of Venetian Glassblowing
As part of Best of Italyand many other itineraries, you can witness the skill of Venetian glassblowers firsthand. Venetian glassblowing is an ancient craft that embodies the region’s rich artistic heritage. At the Venetian Arts Centre, master artisans continue to practice rare traditional techniques, ensuring the survival of this delicate art form. Watching these artisans at work offers a unique glimpse into centuries-old craftsmanship, as well as helping you tour responsibly by directly contributing to the preservation of this iconic tradition and supporting SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
2. Visit the Laboratorio Guiditta Brozetti Museum in Perugia
Umbria’s weaving tradition dates back to ancient times, with its famed Perugian Tablecloths playing a central role in Medieval and Renaissance textile art. First used as church altar cloths in the 12th century, these intricate fabrics appeared in masterpieces by Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, and other great painters of the 14th and 15th centuries. Highly prized across Europe, they were found in royal dowries and church inventories, including that of Catherine de Medici. Though their prominence faded in the 16th century, the craft survived in Umbrian convents and countryside homes, passed down through generations of women until the early 20th century.
As part of the Italy Bellissimo tour, guests visit the Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti Museum for a private demonstration with the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise. One of the best ways to tour responsibly is by supporting key parts of local culture, like this historical tradition of Italian hand-weaving. It also supports SDGs 5 & 11: Gender Equality and Sustainable Cities and Communities, ensuring this ancient craft continues to thrive.
3. Anti-Mafia Walking Tour of Palermo
Addiopizzo is a grassroots movement dedicated to resisting Mafia influence and promoting social justice in Sicily. They provide free legal, psychological, and financial support to victims of extortion, guiding them through trials and helping them break free from Mafia control. Their work extends to social inclusion, offering educational programs and urban regeneration initiatives to combat economic and educational poverty—key factors that fuel organized crime. Through outreach in schools and universities, Addiopizzo raises awareness of the anti-Mafia movement, empowering future generations to stand against corruption.
As part of the Southern Italy & Sicily tour, you’ll meet your host from Addiopizzo to explore the hidden history of Palermo and the civil anti-Mafia movement. Walk through the streets of this fascinating city, learning all about Mafia influence and the civil resistance fighting against it. Tour responsibly by supporting SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, highlighting the resilience of local businesses and individuals fighting for a Mafia-free future.
Nestled in the heart of the Lisbon Wine Region, Vale da Capucha is a family-run wine estate with a rich history in Portgual dating back to 1858. The estate is run by Teresa and Afonso, along with their sons, Pedro and Manuel. It features a historic 19th-century house and a century-old wine cellar, producing wines that are exported to 40 countries.
Sustainability is key at Vale da Capucha, where the focus is on soil preservation, water conservation, and supporting local markets. The soil, rich in fossils, is ideal for growing Portuguese grape varieties like Arinto, Fernão Pires, and Castelão across 75 acres. All wines are naturally fermented with minimal intervention, with whites aging in stainless steel and demi-muids, and reds fermented in cement tanks and oak casks. Certified organic, the estate ensures that all farming practices support both the land and the environment.
When you visit, you’ll be right at the end of your Best of Portugal tour, concluding your Portuguese adventure with a special celebration dinner at Vale da Capucha. You’ll get to try a wine tourism experience with meals made from local ingredients, including fresh produce, fish, and meat. You’ll also gain insight into the estate’s broader commitment to community well-being. Many local residents have worked at the vineyard for generations, and the family actively supports social programs that aid the elderly and strengthen local communities. Your experience helps you tour responsibly by supporting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
“We have a great diversity of Make Travel Matter experiences in our regions. To me these experiences are at the heart of what we do at TTC, in partnership with our sister foundation TreadRight, to ensure we leave a positive impact on the places and communities that we visit. We have many unique experiences- from workshop’s with bee keepers in Switzerland and Prague and wine tasting on a fully sustainable & self sufficient vineyard in the Vienna Woods, to our walking tours with local change-makers in Zurich which highlight social issues.
Some of my favourite MTM experiences are those which allow our guests to experience and support local cultural heritage through dance; at the Christina Heeren Flamenco Foundation in Seville, and Lilli’s ballroom in Vienna where our guests learn to waltz in a setting specially adapted for the visually impaired. Whatever the MTM experience, our guests come away from these having really connected with local people and culture, and having gained an understanding and perspective they otherwise wouldn’t have had they not travelled with TTC.”
Which of these MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences would you like to try first? Let us know in the comments below!
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Save up to $1,500 per couple* on select worldwide tours.
Plus recieve latest offers, travel inspiration, and discover how your travels will make a positive impact. Together, WE MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
