Tourism Cares CEO Mike Rea speaks during the Hearts of Travel Awards ceremony. Photo Credit: Radhika Chalasani
Immediately preceding Travel Weekly's Readers Choice Awards gala at the Conrad New York, Tourism Cares held its Hearts of Travel Awards ceremony at the hotel to recognize "excellence in travel corporate social responsibility and philanthropy."
Tourism Cares bestowed Legacy in Travel Philanthropy Awards in two categories. Delta Air Lines was honored in the large company category, while in the standard category, Tourism Cares honored Collette as well as G Adventures' Planeterra, a nonprofit foundation.
Tourism Cares tapped Urban Adventures, a division of Intrepid Travel, for the New Innovators Award, which recognizes "recent advances in giving in the last three to six years," according to the nonprofit.
Valerie Wilson, Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg and Kimberly Wilson Wetty of Valerie Wilson Travel were hailed by Tourism Cares as Personal Philanthropic Champions.
Tourism Cares cited Delta Air Lines' "tremendous commitment to community, a direct reflection of their culture and values," as evidenced by the carrier's more than $37 million in charitable contributions in 2016. Tourism Cares noted Delta's long-term partnership with the Red Cross (since 1941) and its $3.5 million in disaster relief donations in late 2017.
In honoring G Adventures and Planeterra, Tourism Cares noted the companies' $8 million in charitable contributions since 2000 and their 50 in 5 campaign, aimed at creating 3,000 jobs for marginalized women, at-risk youth and indigenous populations, with indirect benefit for an additional 60,000.
Collette, which Tourism Cares hailed as "a champion of giving and volunteering for over 20 years," was recognized for its support of causes including the Tenderfeet School in Kenya as well as its volunteerism-friendly work policies: Associates are allowed four hours every month to volunteer, 10% of the workforce participates in giving committees or task forces and its employee engagement has tripled since 2011.
Urban Adventures was recognized for its support of ActionAid's Safe Cities program, which receives a donation with every Urban Adventures booking, as well as for the launch of its In Focus tours, "where all fees for such experiences flow directly to the meaningful, social experiences such as those in Uganda, India, Nepal, Chile and Greece," according to Tourism Cares.
Tourism Cares' board of directors said that in the case of Valerie Wilson Travel, "giving goes with the family business." The board cited the Wilsons' support for cancer causes and the Make a Wish Foundation, community projects in Africa and the Dream Foundation, a veterans organization.
According to Tourism Cares, the Hearts of Travel Awards "celebrate and share models of corporate social change to spotlight excellence and inspire others, reflecting Tourism Cares' belief that corporate citizenship, especially in travel, is good for business and employees as well as for the community."
The awards committee reviewed 32 corporate nominees for the Legacy and New Innovator awards, up from 20 in 2016. The board of directors selects honorees for the Personal Philanthropic Leadership Award.
Sponsors included American Express, which sponsored the Legacy in Travel Philanthropy Award, and Amadeus, sponsor of the New Innovators Award.