YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS WITH US JULY | AUGUST 2019

MELBOURNE

VIENNA

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JAIPUR

BARCELONA

Casa Vicens, Barcelona Sustainable Travel Spotlight Big Five Tours & Expeditions president Ashish Sanghrajka on overtourism, giving back, and destinations on the rise.

Tour operator Big Five keeps sustainability major cities. In northern Sri Lanka – a at the heart of all its trips. The company also country that’s only been living in peace for

operates the Spirit of Big Five Foundation, less than 15 years – there’s a bit of a lost established to formalize the responsible- generation that went through the civil war. tourism concepts Ashish Sanghrajka’s fam- We work with a development program that There has to be a sense of ownership from ily has supported since his father founded teaches young people applicable skills and all sides, both domestic and foreign. the company in 1973. helps them find local travel and tourism jobs. Which destinations are Big Five travelers Tell us about the Spirit of Big Five Foun- What’s the biggest threat to travel and tour- seeking out? Colombia is our fastest-grow- dation. It’s 90 percent funded by fam- ism right now? Overtourism is today’s major ing destination; we have our own offices in ily endowment. We have two really active issue. Look at things like the defacing of Bogotá and Cartagena. Tourism is now the regional projects we support. The first is Angkor Wat or the closing of an entire island country’s second-largest export after oil the Awamaki nonprofit organization in Peru, [Boracay] off the coast of the Philippines. (and just ahead of coffee). We’ve recently where we’re helping empower women in Respecting fair pricing and focusing on launched tours in Ethiopia, and we’re watch- Andean communities, teaching them how to quality over quantity can lead to controlled ing it very closely – everyone has returned earn money through weaving and then land tourism numbers, but, most importantly, completely blown away. Our most popular contract work with hotels and stores in local citizens must have a seat at the table. destinations are South Africa and Peru.

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