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’re on a mission to democratize tourism. We aim to connect local youths to their own environments as travelers and stewards.
Through our innovative Buy a Trip, Give a Trip model, your trip purchase creates travel opportunities for local kids. For the first time, they experience nearby natural and cultural wonders, see the sights, have fun, and make the kind of travel memories we often take for granted.
Since our beginnings, giving back has been a core aspect of our brand, driving us to positively impact the communities and environments of the destinations we visit.
Here’s a recent story that brings Buy a Trip, Give a Trip to life.
THE TRAVELERS:
This adventure brought together low-income children and parents from the Santa Ana and Chorrillo communities of Panama City, two areas with longstanding social challenges, and members of the Emberá Drúa, an Indigenous community who live within the jungle of Chagres National Park. Participants ranged in age from 7 to 45. Many of these participants take part in tourism initiatives in their communities, and the day sparked dialogue about tourism’s impacts on participants and their communities.
THE DETAILS:
The group from Panama City assembled in Casco Antiguo early in the morning and met their guides for the day. Together, they drove to the Chagres National Park Visitor’s Center, where they took a short tour to learn more about the park’s importance. Along the way, the guides taught the group about the Emberá and their way of life.
When they arrived at the dock, the kids rushed out of the buses, excited to board the traditional Emberá canoes, or “piraguas.” The traditional boat ride was a new experience for most of these kids, and they enjoyed drifting along the river, surrounded by the beautiful rainforest.
Once they reached the community, Emberá leaders welcomed them and brought them to the community house. The leaders explained how their community functions, including its hierarchy and how that ties into their way of life. They taught the group how they grow and collect ingredients for their traditional foods and introduced them to many medicinal plants.
The adults from Santa Ana were blown away by how disconnected the Emberá are from modern technology. One adult from the Santa Ana community mentioned, “after learning how the Emberá live their life, I’d like to apply some of these principles to my own life and my children’s within my own community.” She added, “I’d like to disconnect them a little from modern-day technologies.”
After being introduced to the Emberá people’s customs, the group gathered around for a delicious traditional meal of fried fish, chicken, and patacones. They also gave the group fruit from the rainforest and freshly-made vegetable chips.
For the rest of the day, everyone interacted freely, chatted, and explored the rainforest. While the kids from Panama City and the Emberá community played soccer together, the adults discussed their daily lives, routines, and work in the tourism industry. A traditional Emberá dance also took place, and the Santa Ana community was invited to join the dancing, which was a fun highlight for everyone!
The day concluded with a quick dip in the river, a perfect moment to refresh and cool off after the day’s activities. An adult from the Santa Ana community mentioned that she “admired how the Emberá kids moved through the river like it was their backyard, completely free and unbothered, in a way our kids just aren’t used to seeing.”
When it was time to leave, everyone said goodbye, and the Emberá escorted the Santa Ana community on the piraguas to the dock for their transfer back to the city.
THE IMPACT:
This experience fostered cultural exchange between two community groups in Panama living very different lives. Parents from both communities had the chance to talk, comparing how each group facilitates tourism within their community and trading perspectives along the way.
The parents from Santa Ana were very surprised to learn how different the Emberá communities’ way of life is from their own experiences in Panama City. They were moved by the community’s self-sufficiency, and by how Emberá children live fully immersed in nature, disconnected from the modern distractions most of us take for granted, with no TVs, phones, or computers pulling attention away from daily life.
While the parents conversed, the kids from Santa Ana got the chance to connect directly with Emberá children their own age, playing soccer together and swimming in the river side by side. That connection gave both groups new perspectives. For the Santa Ana kids, seeing in real life what they’d only read about in a textbook and meeting other Panamanian kids living a totally different life without ever leaving their own country was an experience they’ll never forget.
Book your next journey with us to empower young people to dream big, discover their heritage, and protect our world.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS:
OGAYA is committed to regenerative travel, working to protect and celebrate Panama’s natural and cultural heritage for generations to come. Their journeys invite travelers to step beyond the familiar, connect with nature and local communities, and return home inspired to make a difference.
Movimiento Identidad advocates for sustainable tourism in the municipalities of Santa Ana, El Chorrillo, and Calidonia, emphasizing community inclusion. The organization preserves and showcases the neighborhoods’ unique cultural heritages, enhancing cultural vitality and fostering economic development across the region.
Emberá Drúa Community
The Emberá are the guardians of the Panama Canal Jungle. They live in the rainforest of Chagres National Park, which represents 88.6% of the Panama Canal Watershed and forms an important part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. The community has passed down its traditions through generations and today shares its cultural practices with visitors.
Read about other Buy A Trip, Give A Trip experiences.
