G Adventures plants hope for communities & conservation

In a remarkable step towards fostering positive change through travel and tourism, G Adventures has unveiled its groundbreaking “Trees for Days” initiative. Announced on World Tourism Day during the inaugural GX Summit, a world community tourism summit, this campaign exemplifies G Adventures’ dedication to preserving communities and the environment globally.

Under this initiative, for every day a traveller embarks on a G Adventures trip, a tree will be planted, effectively mitigating carbon emissions and providing support to 17 local communities worldwide. These communities, deeply impacted by climate change through deforestation or facing imminent threats, will benefit from the development of sustainable tourism enterprises. This initiative primarily empowers marginalized Indigenous populations, women, and youth.

G Adventures collaborates with its non-profit partner, Planeterra, renowned for leveraging community tourism to transform lives, and Reforest, an organization committed to tree planting and forest conservation. Together, they estimate planting over one and a half million trees annually. Travellers can monitor their contribution through their G Adventures account, tracking the growth of their personal tree grove and the location of their planted roots.

Notably, G Adventures has already backdated tree planting for every day a traveller has joined a trip since January 1, 2023, resulting in over one million trees already planted. Soon, travellers will have the opportunity to continue their contributions even after the conclusion of their G Adventures trip by purchasing trees in a region of their choice via their G Adventures account.

Bruce Poon Tip, the founder of G Adventures, envisions the “Trees for Days” project as a means to enhance the positive impact of their customers while supporting communities affected by climate change. He states, “Supporting local communities is at the core of our DNA. With the increasing urgency to help our planet, I’m thrilled to be announcing our Trees for Days initiative in partnership with Planeterra and Reforest.”

Jamie Sweeting, President of Planeterra, highlights the multifaceted benefits of the initiative, emphasizing the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the promotion of healthier landscapes, ecosystems, and biodiversity. He also underscores how the initiative aids local communities, making them more resilient to extreme weather events while boosting income sources, particularly in rural areas.

Daniel Walsh, founder of Reforest, notes the engagement and personal connection travellers will have with the impact of their contributions. He states, “Travellers increasingly want to feel like they are leaving a positive footprint, so a key benefit of this program is that they can feel that sense of ownership of the trees planted for them.”

The “Trees for Days” initiative supports 17 projects worldwide, including reforestation efforts in Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Kenya, Nepal, Morocco, Tanzania, Honduras, Uganda, Mozambique, and Thailand.

G Adventures’ commitment to conservation and community engagement continues to lead the way in responsible adventure travel.

For more information, please visit gadventures.com/community-tourism/trees-for-days.