UnTours Foundation's Reset Tourism Fund Raises $1.5 M Ahead of Schedule to Support Changemaking

MEDIA, Pa. - Sept. 11, 2024 - PRLog -- The UnTours Foundation announced that the Reset Tourism Fund has surpassed its Phase One fundraising goal, raising $1.5 million from a coalition of key partners in the travel industry to support changemaking small tourism businesses. Together these funding partners enable the Reset Tourism Fund to provide access to affordable capital that innovative entrepreneurs need to grow and expand their positive impact in communities across the world.

This milestone demonstrates a commitment among travel industry leaders to build an inclusive and sustainable future for tourism. Surpassing this goal would not have been possible without the support of the Reset Tourism Fund's visionary community of industry-leading partners, whose contributions have had a major impact on small tourism businesses around the world.

The Reset Tourism Fund has deployed over $700,000 in capital, making 30 investments to a diverse range of small tourism businesses that prioritize accessibility, inclusion, community impact and environmental regeneration.

On reaching this fundraising goal, Jonathan Coleman (Co-CEO of the UnTours Foundation (https://untoursfoundation.org/)), says: "We are proud to have created something that has already achieved resonance across the tourism industry. Our partners have confirmed that there is real interest in supporting tourism businesses who make up the backbone of the industry and who represent the brightest future of travel."

Partners like Expedia Group have supported the Reset Tourism Fund as part of their  leadership in the travel industry around critical topics. Aditi Mohapatra (Vice President, Global Social Impact & Sustainability) says, "Creating inclusive travel experiences is critical for the travel industry and requires collective action. Expedia Group is committed to supporting an improved and equitable experience, and our partnership with the Reset Tourism Fund enables us to support numerous local travel providers innovating to offer more inclusive opportunities."

Investments from the Reset Tourism Fund have ranged from supporting the growth of sustainability-focused study abroad programs for students and young professionals (The GREEN Program), investing in the first Black-owned hostel in the United States (Wanderstay), helping finance the rebuild of an ecolodge in Zambia (Taita Falcon Lodge), funding a community-based ecotourism enterprise in Rwanda (Red Rocks Rwanda) and creating a regenerative tourism trekking initiative in Bali (Astungkara Way).

The UnTours Foundation was born out of the slow travel company, UnTours. Amongst other claims to fame, UnTours was the world's first-ever Certified B Corporation. Since 1993, 100% of the profits from UnTours have been donated to support the work of the foundation. UnTours Foundation uses the profits from UnTours and donations from generous funding partners and donors to provide flexible and affordable investments into changemaking businesses, helping to grow over 350 businesses with over $10 million of transformative capital in its 30-year history.

For more information contact: Jonathan Coleman at jonathan.coleman@untours.com.