Global Family Travels
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Global Family Travels: Life-Changing Travel Experiences for the Entire Family

Have you ever wanted to travel in a more meaningful way and together as a family?  For me, I personally find the trips in which I’m traveling sustainably and giving back to the local communities I visit, to be the most rewarding trips of my life. From that first trip to Nepal in 2010 where I raised money to build a rural reading center to my climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Solar Sister and bring solar electricity to Sub-Saharan Africa, I have always believed in the power of travel to make a difference.  So what if you could combine this kind of transformational, meaningful travel with a family trip and bring your kids? That is the very concept behind Global Family Travels, a travel company that offers enriching cultural immersion experiences for families to “Learn, Serve, and Immerse”.

I was delighted to have the opportunity to interview Jennifer Spatz, founder of Global Family Travels, and here is what she had to say.

When were you founded?

Much more than a traditional tour operator, Global Family Travels (GFT) was founded by Jennifer Spatz in 2010.

What inspired you to found Global Family Travels? 

There were two things that inspired me to start Global Family Travels: An inspirational quote and her own family travels.

The inspirational quote was by Jeffrey Sachs and I found it on of a Starbucks Coffee Mug, “The Way I See It #262”:

“We are the First Generation in history that can end extreme poverty. That is our good fortune, our challenge, and our responsibility.”

Global Family Travels Zimbabwe

Jennifer Spatz, Founder of Global Family Travels visiting School in Zimbabwe

From the age of 6 months old, when I was transported to Europe on the S.S. Independence I was given the gift of traveling abroad with my own family. Those special bonding experiences as a family sharing enriching and cultural learning experiences are etched in my heart. (examples – Riding through the rice paddies of Taiwan with my mother in a small Datsun to celebrate the harvest moon festivities with our friends; or hauling a small Christmas tree in a small village in Austria and decorating it with candles and traditional wooden ornaments) These experiences also instilled values of compassion and understanding for different cultures and something I wanted to recreate for our travelers.

Global Family Travel trips offer the opportunity to strengthen your own family bonds and experience the joy and fulfillment of meeting new people, discovering other cultures while reaffirming what matters most…our shared values and connectedness. 

Sustainable Travel Organizations TRAVEL RESOURCES
New Zealand Good Travel
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GOOD Travel: Transforming the Tourism Industry into a Force for Good

Did you know that tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, employing 1 in 11 people and generating US $7.2 trillion annually? Imagine what can happen if we harness this powerful, global force with positive social, economic and environmental impact in the communities around the world we travel to. That is the vision and mission behind GOOD Travel, a social enterprise focused on changing the face and experience of travel in an effort to create a better world for all.

If you believe in having a positive impact on the places you visit, connecting with the communities you meet and learning through your journey, then GOOD Travel has the perfect trip for you.

I had the opportunity to talk with Eliza Raymond, one of the Co-Founders and the Director of Operations at GOOD Travel. Here is what she has to say.

When were you founded, by who and why? 

GOOD Travel was founded in 2013 by four women from Peru, USA, South Africa and New Zealand. Our vision is to transform the tourism industry into a force for GOOD. We believe that change needs to happen at a variety of levels for this to be achieved – our focus is on travelers. 
 

A Booking.com report concluded that while 46% of global travelers consider themselves a sustainable traveler, only 5% of travelers believe it is easy to travel sustainably. GOOD Travel exists to directly address this gap and to make it easier for travelers to have a positive social, economic and environmental impact on the places they visit. We do this through our GOOD tours as well as advocacy, research and events focused on influencing tourist behavior for GOOD. Our tours are carefully researched and designed to create unique, impactful and transformative experiences for travelers to have a positive impact on the destination being visited.

What is your mission?

Our mission is to inspire and empower travelers to have a positive social, economic and environmental impact on the places they visit.

What are five of your best trips?

Iceland

Iceland, September 23rd-28th, 2019– Discover stunning waterfalls and glaciers, support one of the world’s first eco-villages, explore your creativity with artist Baron Wright and experience Iceland’s famous (and secret!) lagoons. 

Good Travel Iceland

In Iceland, we’ll explore stunning waterfalls, national parks and glaciers. Photo Credit: Traveller of GOOD Travel

Sustainable Travel Organizations TRAVEL RESOURCES