It’s a vital migration highway that follows the Cocos Ridge connecting the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador with Cocos island, Costa Rica. One of our Make Travel Matter charity partners, Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT) has been supporting the creation of the proposed Galapagos-Cocos Swimway protected area since 2018, by helping their science partners gather important evidence needed to drive forward the creation of this 240,000 km2 route, which is critical for conserving endangered Galapagos marine species.

Photo credit to Migramar

This May saw the launch of the 2021 Galapagos-Cocos Swimway expedition. It has an expert team of scientists gathering evidence to support the protection of this vital Swimway. They started in Costa Rica, travelled down to Cocos Island National Park and down the Swimway to the Galapagos Islands. Alongside this, GCT are running a virtual Swimway Challenge which is encouraging people to walk, run, swim, cycle or wheelchair the length of the Swimway whilst raising awareness and funds. We are signed up! 700 miles of swimming, (mostly) and cycling + walking. You can give here if you feel inclined!

The Galapagos Islands offer an enriching, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see various animals and marine life in their natural habitats. We send clients to the Islands, which were studied by Charles Darwin and inspired him with his Theory of Evolution, as well as visiting Ecuador.  This image below though shows a different story, right?

Photo credit to Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999 in 2017 Galapagos National Park

The Galapagos Conservation Trust is one of our charity partners. As part of our Make Travel Matter campaign, we have supported them in various ways. Travel Matters have accepted the challenge and created a team for the Virtual Swimway. I am an avid fan of open water swimming and despite not being able to be in the Galapagos to support this project, I believe we can create more awareness about this crucial passage for the protection of the marine life. You can follow here on our fundraising page and support the team members who are swimming, walking and cycling the equivalent distance of 700 miles. I am making the most of my membership to the UK’s largest outdoor swimming pool - the Tooting Lido. Currently 13 degrees water temperature, you can’t stay in long but I’m totalling up the lengths with my team mates! My other team members are using Brockwell Lido and Charlton Lido - both in London. Please do support us if you can!

Tooting Lido, London - where most of my swimming is taking place.

Tourism is the largest employer on the Galapagos Islands making up over 80% of the economy. In 2019, over 270,000 people visited Galapagos. In 2020, this dropped to 72,000 – a massive 73% decline. Vital scientific research will be severely impacted because of the decline. The Galapagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. It's considered one of the world's foremost destinations for wildlife-viewing. The incredible diversity of wildlife found in Galapagos is what makes this volcanic archipelago so very special.

We hope when international travel resumes safely from the UK and when people consider travelling to this breathtaking natural region of the world, that they will enquire about possible ways to support this vital work for generations to come.

And just to remind you, we are supporters of the Future of Tourism coalition, who’s Guiding Principles provide a clear moral and business imperative for building a healthier tourism industry while protecting the places and people on which it depends. Our participation of the Swimway Challenge is one clear demonstration of these principles.

Future of Tourism supporter

Tourists often visit a destination to seek authenticity - something that is genuine and original, to escape from their daily lives. The demand for real and authentic culture can have both positive and negative impacts on the destination.

Think of a time when you travelled abroad and saw a cultural event or activity. Was it authentic? Did you believe the locals genuinely carry out this practice? Or was it simply a performance that was staged for Travellers? This is the concept of Staged Authenticity. One of our Travel Writers, Sophie, visited Morocco to explore its thriving cultural heritage and discovered there could be a negative cultural impact of tourism to these performances.

With foreign influence and the development of Mass Tourism, Moroccans have started to lose their identity and have seen their culture diminish in order to suit the Western traveller, causing some negative socio-cultural impacts as locals copy and adopt tourists’ behaviour patterns & culture. Many Moroccans, especially the younger generation, have started to move out of their homes and migrate from rural to urban areas, developed by Mass Tourism, with the hope of a better job and the demonstrated Western lifestyle.

Staged Authenticity is a common concern in this destination!

Let’s take the example of my group trip to Morocco, which included a visit to a local village in Imlil (Atlas Mountains). A Berber welcomed us to his home, wearing his traditional white ceremonial dress, which is worn for special occasions for their Tea Ceremony. The owner demonstrated the Tea Ceremony and offered mint tea to everyone, a traditional welcoming gift to relatives and friends. Visitors may have been excited to see a local home & meet a villager and have the perception of going ‘behind the scenes’ and away from the touristic city-centre of Marrakesh. However, if the Tea Ceremony is a Moroccan tradition and the attire is typically worn for special events, do you think the experience was authentic? Should this practice be solely exclusive to residents? I came to the conclusion that The Tea Ceremony could have been staged authenticity, since it is developed by the demand for what is perceived as authentic and visitors having a desire to see the daily lives of natives.

Responsible Tourism shouldn’t mean you must question every aspect of your trip. It’s time to consider if your encounters with a local is a genuine engagement, or just a staged superficial one. Culture is ever changing, and tourism brings a renewal and preservation of cultural activities and traditions, as well as an increase in locals’ pride and confidence in their culture. Responsible Tourism is concerned with immersing yourself in a local culture, and sharing experiences and stories between the host and the guest. Locals build pride by sharing their cultural experiences and values, and travellers in return gain that authentic experience, but not necessarily from a traditional practice that is staged for the viewers in a resort or in tourist hotspots.

Next time you are planning a trip abroad, think responsibly and consider staying in local hotels or village houses, and eating out in local restaurants. Be culturally sensitive and encourage respect and interactions between travellers and hosts.

We’re on a mission to promote Responsible & Sustainable Tourism, so we love to discover amazing destinations that are in line with the way we think. If you’re hungry for some travel motivation and need some inspiration, we’re always here to help so don’t be afraid to make an enquiry!

(Sophie travelled to Morocco in March 2019)

Coronavirus, as well as other preventable diseases, is hitting some of the world's poorest countries and most vulnerable people; many who live in crowded conditions, with limited water, sanitation and health care. These people are also often living day to day, without enough savings or food to be able to stop working and stay at home. People are affected by coronavirus financially as all travelling has stopped, bringing economies to a halt. We want to help the millions across the world who do not have access to safe water let alone hand washing facilities or soap. We created a campaign to help the communities we’ve all visited, engaged with and learned from throughout our visits and holidays over the years. We felt the need to do something practical in these challenging times. In response to that need, we decided to set up a donation page, requesting for your generosity.

At Travel Matters we have sent you to places far and wide as well as travelling to many destinations all over the world ourselves. We have seen with our own eyes the communities in deprived areas of the globe. So with the spread of the coronavirus right now, the situation is utterly heart breaking.

I started Travel Matters and the campaign Make Travel Matter because I love travel, I love connecting to people, learning about new cultures and I care about people. The travel & tourism industry inspires us, connects us, creates new opportunities and jobs within communities. When done responsibly, it can be an industry that is beneficial to all.

The coronavirus outbreak is affecting everyone in the world. We are told that hand washing with soap is the first line of defence against the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19, yet millions across the world do not have access to safe water let alone hand washing facilities or soap.

We will support the communities we work with, helping to provide safe water, better sanitation, food and hope. Our charity partners are Just a Drop, Empart UK & The Travel Foundation.

Please help to support our beloved communities around  the world. We want to be positive change-makers for the people and the planet and when it is safe again, we can travel with intention and purpose. Click the button below to check out our Just Giving page.