10% For Rural Communities
Tourism is responsible for roughly 10% of the global economy, but many rural communities and local businesses are not benefiting from it.
There are many forms of tourism where virtually $0 reaches the hands of local people and instead can post a threat to the culture, rhythm, and way of life in many rural communities.
Pomelo Travel works to change that! We believe in traveling in a way that not only minimizes the negative impacts that travel can have on these communities, but also celebrates and supports rural ways of life through advocacy, person-to-person human interaction, and promoting community-based tourism enterprises.
Tourism – when done right – can change lives for the better. We pledge 10% of all Pomelo profits to further our mission. We can’t do it without you.
Thank you for helping improve the lives of people around the world.
Your Pomelo subscription directly impacts several communities across the world. But more importantly, you can also get directly involved with our mission. Each of our projects are interactive. You can visit the communities, see our projects in action, and make great connections. Start by visiting one of our Outposts, reaching out to our team, or suggesting your own project.
We connect our customers with local people, their businesses, their culture, economies, spiritual and religious practices, and their general way of life. We hope this connection fosters understanding across many cultures, resulting in new intercultural dialogue and lifelong friendships with the people you meet.
We empower community tourism enterprises that directly support local people. We connect them to a global network of unique projects, our customer base, and the customer bases of other companies. Each project is unique and requires different types of support. By helping these projects thrive, rural communities are able to reinvest profits in their own economies, education, healthcare, environment, and other cultural priorities.
By recommending and supporting causes that positively impact rural communities, we change the perception of tourism, and start a conversation about the impact tourism has on rural communities.
Getting involved with community-based tourism enterprises changes the emotional and economic outlook of an individual’s life. It gives motivation to improve their skills, learn new languages, and deepen their understanding of culture. Overall increased well-being is reported.
By encouraging women to participate in community-based tourism enterprises, it instills confidence, self-esteem, and gives women increased leadership roles within their communities.
A steady stream of tourists typically brings with it improved sanitation, clean water, and infrastructure that improves overall health and well-being. Rural communities often benefit from this.
Tourism that celebrates cultures often helps keep indigenous practices alive, encourages the elderly to pass down traditions, and presents opportunities for the new generation to learn about their culture.
Younger members of rural communities are often faced with pressure to leave their home villages to work in the city, forgoing their cultural identity, family connections, and their connection to the natural environment. Tourism provides opportunities for them to stay at home and make a good income.
Tourists typically want to see the earth’s beautiful places intact. Tourism, done right, is a powerful way to protect and preserve the natural world. Together with community members we encourage protecting natural resources and promoting environmental stewardship.
Supporting rural communities around the world.
