Country: Canada

Organization: Planeterra - The G.A.P Adventures Foundation

Year the initiative began: 2003

Project Website: www.planeterra.org

Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions:

• Main barrier addressed: Corporate monolithic approach to tourism
• Main insight addressed: Develop community assets

Youtube upload:

What is the goal of your innovation?
Planeterra was initiated as a way for G.A.P Adventures and its travellers to give back to the people and places visited on tours around the world.

How does your approach support or embody geotourism?
Planeterra supports 20 community projects, as well as local non-profit organizations and international charities. The projects Planeterra supports focus on the areas of health, education, community development, environmental conservation and employment skills training. Over 70,000 G.A.P Adventures travellers take a tour each year, and many have the opportunity to participate by visiting or volunteering at a community project. Projects include refurbishing a pre-school in South Africa, funding an eye camp in Tibet, supporting a community school in the Amazon, raising money to build a street home for children in Peru, raising funds to install water tanks in a remote village in western Kenya and financing micro loans for women to set up their own businesses in Honduras. These projects allow communities to maintain their traditional way of life and provides an incentive to maintain their natural and cultural heritage for current and future generations. Ecotourism also provides ethical employment alternatives for individuals within the community, and contributes to community development projects.

Describe your approach in detial. How is it innovative?
Planeterra works with community leaders in regions it has long-established relationships. It also accepts applications from NGOs who are seeking support in the categories of Education (school construction; study materials; teacher training/support), Child Welfare (programs taking a holistic approach to the social, mental and physical development of children in need; programs involving training in practical skills), Health (e.g. improvements to supply and quality of drinking water; community health centres; health education programs), Environment (e.g. preservation of wildlife & habitat; environmental education, renewable energy alternatives), Employment (employment skills and job training in areas such as community-based ecotourism, community artisan cooperatives and micro-credit organizations) and Post-Disaster Rehabilitation. Planeterra supports local not-for-profit organizations (such as schools, community centres, and non-governmental organizations) that are active in sectors of interest to us, are located in countries where G.A.P Adventures operates tours, and request support for a project that could be easily incorporated into and visited as part of an existing G.A.P tour itinerary. We provide support to each specific project by making an annual donation either in funds or in materials needed by the project. Planeterra does not consider any applications that benefit individuals, or that serve religious purposes.

What types of partnerships or professional developement would be most beneficial in spearding your innovation?
With 70,000 people traveling on G.A.P Adventures tours annually, the best way to spread information about our work is by educating our travellers about the projects we support, enabling them to visit our projects while on a G.A.P Adventure tour and through the development of our Volunteer Tours which give our travellers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of helping to improve the basic living conditions and support wildlife conservation projects around the world. It is also through partnerships with The International Ecotourism Society, Sustainable Travel International, Trees for the Future and all Planeterra projects that we are able to build awareness about how we work together and support each organization.

In one sentence describe what kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
Making a positive difference in the lives of people and communities around the world through support of community projects, local organizations and international charities

Describe the degree of success of your approach to date. Clearly define how you measure quantitative and qualitative impact in terms of how your approach contributes to the sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
In 2007, Planeterra raised over $200,000 for international charities and community projects around the world. We also raised over $100,000 to the relief effort following an earthquake in Peru in 2007, and donated nearly $40,000 to victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia in 2005. G.A.P Adventures strives to ensure that our tours operate sustainably. Our Operations teams work with our local operators to verify that they are conducting our tours in a manner that is in concert with G.A.P Adventures' philosophy. As well, included in our travellers online evaluation is a section about Sustainable Tourism in which we ask for feedback on our sustainable practices, and the opportunities we provide for our travellers to interact with the local environment and culture. Each Planeterra project is reviewed annually – both through field visits by Planeterra and/or G.A.P Adventures staff as well as through annual reporting. Feedback from our project managers, community leaders and evaluations by both employees and travellers aid in minimizing negative impacts.

How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
Travellers have the opportunity to visit Planeterra projects or to participate in volunteer trips to help make a difference in the local community. This hands-on experience includes volunteering at a sea turtle conservation project in Costa Rica, participating in a clean water drinking project in Guatemala, building wheelchairs for landmine victims in Cambodia, helping build a preschool in South Africa, and volunteering at a street children’s home in Peru. Travellers can also visit one of the several Planeterra projects while on tour – from a micro-credit loan program for women starting small businesses in Honduras to visiting a women’s weaving co-op in Peru and learning about a drop in centre for youth on the streets of India.

In what ways are local residents actively involved in your innovation, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
We work together with community leaders and local project managers to identify their individual needs and we strive to meet these needs with support of funding, materials or employment skills training. Community based include: Salesiano Street Children Project: supporting a performing arts program; PLAN Canada: providing sufficient medicine and medical supplies to stock 9 health clinics for up to 5 years; House of the People of the Sun: helping purchase a permanent home for street children in Peru; Cornerstone Foundation: providing hot lunches to 65 children. We also work directly with a Peruvian community by providing 165 men with training and employment as porters and cooks on the Inca Trail. We’ve also worked with the women in the same community to develop a weaving project. Money earned goes into a community fund which is used to fund initiatives such as fixing up the school and providing clean drinking water.

Describe how your innovation helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues. How do you motivate them to act responsibly in their future travel decisions?
Several Planeterra projects focus on building awareness and education of a region’s cultural and natural heritage. This includes: The Foundation for Nature and Humanity in Cuba which brings together principals, teachers, students and parents in creating a natural green space on their school grounds; A women’s weaving project in Peru where travellers can meet the women to learn about the weaving process and purchase high quality textiles directly from them; and a Sea Turtle monitoring and conservation projects in Costa Rica.

Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? What is the potential demand for your innovation?
Planeterra is registered as a non-profit organization. In order for the Planeterra Foundation to remain financially sustainable G.A.P Adventures has committed to pay all administration costs and match each individual donation dollar-for-dollar. The majority of donations received through Planeterra are from G.A.P Adventures travellers who have visited our projects on tour and from those who want to give back to the people and places they have visited. To assist with our fundraising initiatives we have also developed the Dollar-A-Day program where our travellers are able to donate one dollar per day for the duration of their tour. We host a number of fundraising events including our annual Skydive For Charity, and encourage a variety of voluntarily organized Third Party Events in support of specific Planeterra projects. With over 70,000 passengers, the number of projects and monies raised continues to grow each year.

How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
G.A.P Adventures matches all individual donations to Planeterra and pays all administration fees, so that every dollar donated goes to the projects Planeterra supports. In 2007, G.A.P Adventures matches all individual donations to Planeterra and pays all administration fees, so that every dollar donated goes to the projects Planeterra supports. In 2007, Planeterra dispersed over $200,000USD to its worldwide projects. There are 2 full time staff – a manager and coordinator who work out of the head office. There are also part-time interns and volunteers. G.A.P Adventures has also started an Endowment Fund with an initial gift of $25,000. Along with contributions from travellers, this fund will be held in ethical investments for a period of ten years. The purpose of the Planeterra Endowment Fund is to ensure long-term support of community development and conservation projects for years to come.

What is your plan to expand your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
In 2007, we raised over $200,000 to support 19 Planeterra projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Polar regions. Our goal for this coming year is to significantly increase monies raised and develop partnerships with several other projects in Africa and Asia. This includes raising funds to bring water to mountain communities in the Annapurna Region of Nepal and to a remote village in Kenya. We also aim to raise enough funds to cover the cost of a health post for street children in India. In order to ensure that we have sufficient funding to support our projects we aim to develop additional fundraising events throughout the year and to increase awareness and support of our Dollar-A-Day program.

What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
Supporting small grassroots community projects that are located in remote areas can have inherent challenges in regards to communications. We ask our projects managers to provide regular updates and complete reports which can be difficult for some regions that have limited access to technology. There may also be language barriers but since we have staff both in our offices and in the field that are multilingual, this is a challenge that we can usually overcome. Many travellers who have an opportunity to visit a community project would like to make donations of goods or funds directly. We would prefer that they donate through Planeterra as G.A.P Adventures matches individual donations and this allows us to ensure that we are able to meet the specific needs of our projects. There has also been a dramatic growth in the number of community development and non-government organizations and charities that are competing for donor funding which drives us to differentiate ourselves and our projects. We organize creative fundraising events to ensure that our travellers and supporters can participate in new activities while raising funds for projects in need.

What is the origin of your innovation? Tell your story.
For the past 19 years, G.A.P Adventures, run by founder and CEO Bruce Poon Tip, has been committed to offering low-impact tours that benefit traveller and host alike. G.A.P Adventures defines sustainable travel as tourism that has minimal impact on the environment, respects local people and cultures, offers economic benefit to local businesses and communities, provides a memorable, life changing experience for travellers, and protects destinations for future generations. G.A.P Adventures now offers over 1000 small group adventures on all 7 continents with a focus on sustainable travel to over 70,000 passengers a year. Over 500 employees work for G.A.P Adventures around the world. In a desire to give back to the communities G.A.P Adventures visited on its tours, five years ago, Bruce launched a non profit foundation, Planeterra which has raised significant funds for community projects worldwide and international charities. Through fundraising efforts and donations from travellers, Planeterra supports 20 community projects, as well as local non-profit organizations and international charities. The projects Planeterra supports focus on the areas of health, education, community development, environmental conservation and employment skills training.

Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
In 1990, Bruce Poon Tip founded G.A.P Adventures in order to deliver an authentic travel experience to travellers, like himself, who craved adventures that went beyond all-inclusive resorts. Since then, G.A.P Adventures has grown to become a world leader in adventure travel, offering more than 1,000 small group experiences, safaris and expeditions on all 7 continents to more than 70,000 travellers a year. National Geographic Adventure recently rated G.A.P Adventures as the “Best Do It All Outfitter” on Earth in an international competition. Among his many speaking engagements, Bruce has presented at the inaugural United Nations World Tourism Organization Seminar on Ethics in Tourism and at the UN World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development. At the request of the World Bank and UNESCO, Bruce has been asked to lecture in China on Sustainable Development and has also presented at the United Nations launch of The Year Of Eco Tourism.

Please write an overview of your project. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the Google map located on teh competition homepage.
Planeterra – The G.A.P Adventures Foundation was established in 2003 as a way for travellers to give back to the people and places visited on tours around the world. Planeterra supports over 20 community projects, as well as local non-profit organizations and international charities. The projects Planeterra supports focus on the areas of health, education, community development, environmental conservation and employment skills training. Highlights in 2007 include raising US$100,000 towards building a new street children’s home in Peru, raising over US$97,000 for victims of an earthquake in Peru. With support from G.A.P Adventures’ travellers, local staff, tour leaders, guides, hotels, and operators, G.A.P Adventures quickly collected donations of clothing, several tons of food, water, blankets, tents, sleeping bags and cooking supplies and had them delivered directly to those in need. Other achievements include raising US$15,000 to fund an eye camp in Tibet which will be held in September 2008. It is estimated that this eye camp will provide sight-restoring operations to over 300 people with cataracts, as well as screening for thousands more. Planeterra’s US$10,000 donation is helping fund a project for better understanding of the effects of global warming and pollution on polar bears and their fragile ecosystem. Planeterra also raised USD$25,000 to research the sources of albatross mortality on South Georgia Island in Antarctica.

Contact Information
Ms Danielle Weiss
Planeterra Manager
Planeterra - The G.A.P Adventures Foundation
19 Charlotte St
danielle@gap.ca