Everyone deserves the chance to travel. Yet, all too often, seeing the world is a privilege reserved for the global elite. At Elevate Destinations, we bridge the divide. Our goal is to connect local youths to their own environments, as travelers and as stewards.
Through our innovative Buy a Trip, Give a Trip model, your trip purchase creates fun new travel opportunities for local kids. For the first time, they experience nearby natural and cultural wonders. They see the sites, have fun, and make the kind of travel memories that we take for granted. Here’s just one example of Buy a Trip, Give a Trip in action:
The big day:
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
The travelers:
A group of 43 kids from the ABOUTAsia Schools non-profit organization. The trip was arranged for students who are studying English – the top 5 English students in each grade were invited to join.
The excursion:
A day to learn, play, and discover the marvels of Angkor Wat in Siam Reap, Cambodia.
The details:
For the kids who study Cambodia’s various ABOUTAsia Schools, Tuesday March 31 was a very special day. Their whole lives, they had watched the foreigners that visit their country, ride around in charter buses, take photos, and dine in restaurants. Today, it was their turn. They were escorted in private buses with private guides to the country’s most visited treasure – Angkor Wat.
The sun shined down strongly that day – over 100°F by midday – but spirits were soaring as the kids were shuttled around Siam Reap in air conditioned buses. They were free to play tourist for a day, have fun as a group, and see their surroundings through a new lens.
Firsts:
- Seeing the majestic temples of Angkor Wat up-close
- Learning from professional guides who brought the site to life
- Imagining their country’s distant past as they wandered past carvings and moats
Partner Organization:
ABOUTAsia Schools non-profit organization supporting the education of over 53,000 children and operating across a network of 110 schools. It’s a shining example of tourism dollars in action, reaching back into local communities. The organization is funded entirely by ABOUTAsia Travel, a local business that specializes in customized trips to Cambodia and other countries in Southeast Asia. ABOUTAsia Schools provide underprivileged youth with a vocational education (including free English classes) and a community committed to their prosperity once they transition into independence and adulthood.
