2015 Travel in Philanthropy Awards From Tourism Cares - Honoree Brief

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THE 2015 TOURISM CARES TRAVEL PHILANTHROPY AWARDS: Celebrating the social purpose and passion of travel companies

HONOREE BRIEF

Lindblad ExpeditionsLEGACY IN TRAVEL PHILANTHROPY

Myths and MountainsLEGACY IN TRAVEL PHILANTHROPY

Nikoi IslandNEW INNOVATORS

John NoelPERSONAL PHILANTHROPIC LEADERSHIP

WHYWE GIVE.

TOURISM CARES : : 2 0 1 5 TRAVEL PHILANTHROPY AWARDS : : PAGE 2

The 2015 Travel Philanthropy Awards winners have changed lives past and

future. We are humbled by their care, their thoughtfulness and all that is

possible once you take that first creative step to give back – you never know

the difference you’ll make a few years down the road, or a few decades!

Gyan Maya finally learned to read at age 66. Like many young girls in rural Nepal, shewas forced to marry early and endured a challenging household life and decades of hardmanual labor while raising five children. Thanks to a local READ Center supported byMyths & Mountains, Gyan Maya learned the Nepali alphabet, learned to read andlearned math! Then, finding inspiration in a library book that featured a street vendor,she took out a loan and started her own small business selling snacks and fruits,allowing her to pay back the loan and earn a living wage.

Add one global “hope spot” to the legacy of Lindblad Expeditions, their partnershipwith the National Geographic Society and others committed to the health of ouroceans. In March, 2015, their Pristine Seas project helped realize a signature milestoneas the United Kingdom created the Pitcairn Island Marine Reserve, the world’s largestcontiguous reserve totaling 834,000 square kilometers. No fishing or seafloor miningwill be allowed, aside from traditional fishing by the small local population. Thirtypercent of U.K. waters around the world are now protected – the highest percentage ofany country – and Lindblad has a global goal of 10% of all waters protected by 2020.The hope is to spark a global marine movement akin to the creation of the U.S.National Park system 100 years ago.

How do you create a much needed water treatment plant from a fishing net? Crystals is how, at least on Nikoi Island. It started with a new jewelry-making enterprise inOrang Laut village, known for their fishing nets. The result was so extraordinary that it soon led to a partnership with crystal maker Swarovski. The culmination of thispartnership, which funds education, health and water quality projects, was the OrangLaut Crystal Net, using 14,000 crystals and featured at the National Museum ofSingapore before being auctioned off for S$40,000. Nikoi notes that there may havebeen easier ways to raise funding for the water plant but none that would leverage suchlocal skill, customs and pride.

Father D’Agostino had no idea he would be the one crying at a dinner hosted in hishonor by John and Patty Noel. Father Dag, longtime champion of services andsupport for HIV orphans in Kenya, had a surprise encounter with Aliki Godi, anotherbeneficiary of the Noel’s care for those in need. As a girl Aliki fled Uganda with herfamily and settled in Wisconsin, where she became a Compass Scholar, receivingscholarship support, working at the Noel Group for several years and ultimatelyreceiving a Master’s degree and starting her own business. Father’s tears sprung whenAliki told her story over dinner and he realized that this accomplished woman beforehim had been one child among the desperate thousands who passed through a refugeecamp he administered. They were reunited, thousands of miles away, thanks to the careof the Noels and countless others.


THE TRAVEL PHILANTHROPY AWARDSTourism Cares, with support from leadsponsor American Express, is honored to name the four winners of three awardsfor excellence in corporate giving andvolunteering:

Lindblad Expeditions and Myths andMountains, for the Legacy in TravelPhilanthropy award for sustainedimpact for more than 15 years;

Nikoi Island, Indonesia, for the New Innovators award to recognizefresh impact just 3-6 years old; and

John Noel, with his wife Patty, for thePersonal Philanthropic Leadershipaward for a lifetime of individualcommitment and giving.

The purpose of the awards is to celebrate,and hold up for learning and evenemulation, excellence in travel giving andvolunteering, looking holistically at theentire corporation and not just individualprojects. These awards are part of theTourism Hall of Fame started in 1996and long administered by Tourism Cares.

Twenty-six nominations were submittedfor the Legacy and New Innovatorsawards. The Personal Leadership award is selected by the Tourism Cares Board of Directors.

Nominations were judged and scoredbased on their submissions and against arange of criteria:

• The theory of action and its execution:their problem statement, activities,results and key outcomes

• Community engagement

• Storytelling, communications andadvocacy

• Integration into their core business

• Overall financial commitment

The shared 2015 Legacy in TravelPhilanthropy award is due to a tie in the scoring between our two highlyaccomplished co-winners.

The selection committee is comprised of leaders in both the travel andphilanthropic industries:

• Jennifer Wilson Buttigieg, Valerie Wilson Travel

• Jena Gardner, JG Black Book and the Bodhi Tree Foundation

• Kristin Lamoureux, Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism, New York University

• Arnie Weissmann, Travel Weekly

• Melissa Wisniewski, Key 360 Advisors

• Dien Yuen, Kordant PhilanthropyAdvisors

The Travel Philanthropy Awards ceremony takes place December 15, 2015,

in New York City. That reception and the entire program are made possible by

American Express, Legacy award sponsor, and other friends and partners:

Amadeus, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, Collette, Fathom, MaCher,

Marriott, NYC & Company, Travel + Leisure and one anonymous supporter.

Woman and child at a READ Center

Under water beauty at Pitcairn Island Marine Reserve.


2015 HONOREESLINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS : : LEGACY IN TRAVEL PHILANTHROPY

To travel with Lindblad is to give withLindblad. To learn and preserve withLindblad. They well outstrip the 15 yearminimum lifespan of the Legacy award –they’ve been sailing and leading inresponsible travel for almost 50 years.

Lindblad Expeditions is one of the earliestpioneers of traveler philanthropy and since 1997 has raised $11.4 million indonations for marine conservation,research, education and communitydevelopment.

It’s an astounding sum and theiraccomplishments are impressive. In 2014alone grant funding from their partnershipwith the National Geographic Societyresulted in reforestation in the Galapagos(30,000 plants representing 17 native and endemic species) and the PacificNorthwest (13,450 trees and shrubs across934 newly restored acres), 39 studentscholarships in the Galapagos, a newlibrary in Cambodia, and much more.

The Pristine Seas initiative celebrated thenew Pitcairn Island Marine Reserve, withtwo other reserves declared, and Lindbladalso leveraged the value of its business forsocial purposes, training and compensatinglocal Central American fishermen forsustainable fishing.

Lindblad has even brought the Midastouch to the Galapagos. The Turning Trash Into Treasure program was bornfrom two special challenges facingdevelopment among the islands: how canlocal artisans earn a living when 96% ofisland resources are off limits andprotected, and what to do with all thetrash generated by visitors, especially giventhe exorbitant costs for shipping to andfrom mainland Ecuador.

A glass recycling project was the first step,taken in partnership with a masterglassworker from Hudson Beach Glass inBeacon, NY, and local, recycled jewelryand glassware is now sold locally, atrestaurants and even shipboard. Next camephase two: the recycling of paper waste, for which Sarah Akot, an Ugandan beadmaker leading the “Paper to Pearls”initiative, was brought to the Galapagosfor a similar transfer of know-how.

The Lindblad Expeditions-NationalGeographic Fund is managed by twoleaders, Amy Berquist, Director ofConservation Programs & StrategicInitiatives for Lindblad, and Valerie Craig,Senior Director of the Ocean Initiative atNational Geographic.

The company’s support and philosophy of stewardship “is the impetus for manyguests to travel with Lindblad,” notes Ms. Berquist, “and is the driving force forstaff to join and build longevity with thecompany, inspiring others they encounterthrough their work.”

Peruvian children.

Lindblad Expeditions is one of the

earliest pioneers of traveler philanthropy

and since 1997 has raised $11.4 million

in donations for marine conservation,

research, education and community

development.

Sven Lindblad, Lindblad Expeditions CEO, withNational Geographic Explorer.

Alexandra C Daley-Clark for Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic


MYTHS & MOUNTAINS : : LEGACY IN TRAVEL PHILANTHROPY

As with all READ Centers, the localcommunity has to make the first move,like the village of Tukche, Nepal did in1995. Tukche approached READ, thedevelopment program founded by Mythsand Mountains in 1991, with a proposalfor a library. Tukche was well forested andboasted skilled woodworkers, so they alsowanted to start a furniture factory tosupport the learning center; further, thevillagers were willing to donate 15% of the cost to build the library and seed the business.

The progress in the 20 years since has beenremarkable: children have received books,uniforms, and other materials for school,and the factory’s income has supported anew bridge giving children better access toschool, a community center, a boardingschool dormitory and nunnery – andallowed them to set aside a substantialreserve fund. Inspired by their example,the nearby village of Puthan soon built itsown READ Center, which was thenfollowed by Lo Manthang.

In all, Myths and Mountain’s READGlobal program has created 85 Centers(59 in Nepal, 7 in Bhutan and 17 inIndia), as well as 117 businesses to support them.

Dr. Antonia Neubauer, founder of bothMyths and Mountains and READ, anaffiliated nonprofit, paraphrases GeorgeMallory’s thoughts on the climbing ofEverest when considering the origins ofREAD: Why? “Because the need is there,”and “because we can.” “We give backbecause the people in the countries in

which Myths and Mountains works give so much to our travelers and to theorganization.”

Many countries around the world,including Nepal, Bhutan and India, are experiencing severe urban migrationwhich saps the vitality of rural areas andcreates overcrowding, pollution and otherproblems in cities. Dr. Neubauer’sfounding question thus became “How can we make a rural village a viable placefor people to live, learn and prosper?”

READ Centers have been their answer for almost 25 years.

Each features a library and communitycenter, along with a sustaining businessthat supports librarian salaries, centerutilities and repairs, etc. Each center makeavailable 3,000 to 5,000 local languagebooks for pre-schoolers and adults alike,along with resource materials, computers,women’s sections, a children’s room and ameeting room.

The results are promising, based on a 2013 evaluation from a third-partyevaluator.

More than half of youth surveyed—between 56% and 60% across all threecountries—use their Center’s resources tohelp with schoolwork. The majority ofteachers use books at the Center severaltimes per month to build their knowledge,plan lessons, or use in the classroom. Thevast majority of teachers in India (92%)and Nepal (84%) reported that students’attendance has increased moderately orvery much as a result of having a Center intheir community, and nearly three-quarters(72%) of teachers surveyed in Nepal andnearly all (95%) teachers surveyed in Indiareported that their students’ passing rate of

Above: READ Center children’s room inNepal.Right: Literacy training in India.


the School Leaving Certificate exam—abenchmark which denotes the completionof high school—has increased moderatelyor very much as a result of having theCenter in the community. Eighty-eightpercent of teachers in Nepal and 85% ofteachers in India reported that enrollmentof girls in their schools has increasedmoderately or very much as a result ofhaving the Center in their community.

READ Global is a separate 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization that hastraditionally received the bulk of itssupport from Myths and Mountains butalso won grants from the Bill and MelindaGates Foundation as well as contributionsfrom travelers and donors.

Myths and Mountains and READ alsooffer a valuable lesson in modern daypriorities and perspective on growth: “Bychoice, Myths and Mountains is not abigger company today because of the time,energy and financial commitment it hasmade to organizations such as READGlobal,” notes Dr. Neubauer.

Nuakot Center inaugural, Nepal.

Eighty-eight percent of teachers in

Nepal and 85% of teachers in India reported

that enrollment of girls in their schools

has increased moderately or very much

as a result of having the Center in

their community.

READ distrubiton of tarp tents as temporary shelter after an earthquake.

Left: Agricultural Cooperative Sustaining program in Nepal. Above: Literacy program students.


NIKOI ISLAND, INDONESIA : : NEW INNOVATOR

Community service and support is at theessence of Nikoi Island, a small luxuryresort on a private island off of the eastcoast of Bintan, Indonesia that opened in2007. The Island Foundation based inSingapore was established in 2010.

The need to work with their 5,000person community was clear, as were theopportunities. “From the outset,” writesAndrew Dixon, resort CEO and Directorof the Island Foundation, “we believedthat Nikoi would only be successful if weemployed local staff, sourced locally andaligned our business closely with thecommunity.”

Discussions with island communitiesquickly uncovered education as a priorityprogram, with conservation andlivelihoods close behind. Indonesia ranksextremely low in global educationalattainment ratings, including the 2003Third International Mathematics ScienceStudy (TIMMS, ranking 33 out of 45countries), and 50 out of 57 countries inthe 2006 Program for InternationalStudent Assessment (PISA).

Further, education and employment areimperatives for all the local fishingfamilies: fishing accounts for 90% ofemployment in the area but is also felt tobe in decline, with costs rising and catchesdecreasing. Meanwhile, the island’sproximity to Singapore sets the stage forincreased learning and employmentopportunities.

Nikoi has accomplished a great deal in justfive years.

• Six learning centers have beenestablished as collaborative ventureswith the local community. These centersoffer free English and IT lessons,identified locally as two key skillsrequired for economic success, as well asreading, cultural and writing programs.Teacher effectiveness, and engagingparents in supporting educationalattainment, are also priorities.

• A full time marine conservation officeractively works to support a “no take”zone and to protect coral reefs andendangered fish populations. Localresearch and staff training is funded,taking advantage of expertise fromnearby Singaporean universities.

• Grassroots resort suppliers have beenstarted and trained, such as the islandtransportation company which wasoutsourced, not run by the resort, whichhelped get the entrepreneur started bybringing in experts from Bali to trainhim and his team and establish a highlevel of service and benefit for all.

• Other grassroots businesses includebamboo goods and building materials,as well as jewelry-making.

This is all made possible through thecommitment of the Nikoi Island resortand the Island Foundation, established innearby Singapore, which receives supportfrom a number of other donors. Inaddition to a range of financial, staff andother in-kind contributions to the effort,the resort also donates the entire islandonce a year for a fundraiser, earningS$200,000 in 2014 alone. The IslandFoundation employs 11 staff workingthroughout the Riau Archipelago, led byExecutive Director Heena Patel.

Nikoi has been ambitious in its impact,despite its youth. From the educationallearning centers, to the local businessbegun with their support, to an overallcommitment to environmentalconservation and research, theircommitment to social innovation alongwith tourism entrepreneurship is inspiringfor all, lifting all boats on and around the island.

Top: Nikoi island located off the coast of Indonesia.Bottom: Crafting Orang Laut Crystal Net fromSwarovski crystals.

The completed Orang Laut Crystal Net at theNational Museum of Singapore.

Discussions with island communities quickly uncovered education as

a priority program, with conservation and livelihoods close behind.


JOHN NOEL : : PERSONAL PHILANTHROPIC LEADERSHIP

We are all fortunate that Mr. Noeldreamed and dreamed big in making amark in business and in the world.

The Tourism Cares Board of Directorsdiscussed Mr. Noel’s philanthropicachievements in the winter of 2015 and ishonored for him to receive the inauguralPersonal Philanthropic Leadership award.

A pioneer in the travel insurance industry,Mr. Noel fulfilled his business dreams andthose of thousands of employees, byfounding Travel Guard International andthe Noel Group, and from his leadershipat Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection.

Those are names associated with Mr. Noel’s business legacy.

There are others, perhaps equallyimportant, that make up his inspiringphilanthropic legacy and that of his wife Patty.

Thousands of youth in Wisconsin, andtens of thousands to come, unwittinglyappreciate the Noel legacy, thanks to theircentral role in founding the Boys & GirlsClub of Portage County. The club openedits doors in 2002 with funding, space andleadership from Mr. and Mrs. Noel. Today, just 13 years later, the Cluboperates 7 locations and serves more than 1,500 youth.

More than 35 very fortunate youthattending the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point have been participants in the prestigious Noel Compass Scholarship.Awarded to pro-active high schoolminority graduates, Scholars receive a full scholarship and support in the five“ships” of excellence in learning:scholarship, internship, mentorship,fellowship and leadership.

Thousands in sub-Saharan Africa andelsewhere benefit from the Noel’s Make aMark nonprofit initiative, started in 1993to support sustainable building projects indeveloping countries just eight years afterstarting up Travel Guard.

Make a Mark’s signature accomplishmentsinclude two initiatives to help survivingvictims of the AIDS pandemic in Africa –the orphaned youth and the orphanedelders. “Perhaps the most tragic evidenceof our failure to urgently address thishorrific pandemic are the 14 millionorphaned, most of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa,” says Mr. Noel.

The two projects, the Ntokozwenlcommunity in the Kwa Zulu Natal regionof South Africa, and the larger NyumbaniVillage in Kitui, Kenya, are pioneering,self-sustaining communities: kids bringenergy, education and growth to thecommunity, while elders nurture thechildren, grow crops and work in a rangeof social enterprises that support thecommunity, including handicrafts, repairservices, and the growing and harvesting of Melia trees (www.Trees4Children.org).Together they form a dynamic and hopefulcommunity in the wake of tremendousloss of life and social capital.

More than 1000 children and 100grandparents can live in the NyumbaniVillage, where the children go to school,elders are employed in sustainablebusinesses and more than 300,000 treeseedlings will be planted at the pace of30,000 per year. Other private and public supporters include USAID and the US President’s Emergency Plan forAIDS Relief.

“Our vision is that the Kitui communitywill become the antithesis of howabandoned children now live in abjectpoverty,” Noel said. “The children andelders will have clean housing, food, clinicsand schools. It will be a new way of life for them.”

John and Patty Noel

“A life of purpose begins with a dream. A dream to become someone. A dream to make a mark in your life and leave a legacy. Everyone should dream and then work to make those dreams come true.” — JOHN NOEL

Thousands in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere benefit from the Noel’s Make a Mark nonprofit initiative, started in 1993

to support sustainable building projects in developing countries just eight years after starting up Travel Guard.


SHARED LEVERS FOR CHANGEThere is much to learn from theseexemplars, both veterans and the young.Each of these topics could be the subject of a symposium and brief in their ownright, and such learning is at the heart ofthe Tourism Cares community, whichcreates the space for travel companies,both new to giving and old hands, to share best practices, connect and solvecommon problems.

• Leveraging entrepreneurship for sustainability. Entrepreneurship, and evensustainability strategies, are not an explicit part of the nomination process and scoring criteria – yet the 2015 winners heavily rely on entrepreneurship as part of their model for impact. Nikoi seeds local for-profit businesses; Myths and Mountainsrequires a local enterprise to be created and linked to the READ Center; and the AIDS orphans and grandparents communities supported by John Noel also require adirect connection to local enterprises, such as Melia tree farming and Trees4Children.This is an important element for travel companies to take note of, and effective socialenterprises for tourism is a valuable topic to explore further.

• Engaging clients for education and advocacy, and support!We are in the travelbusiness, so it is only natural for clients to visit a READ Center, to look around NikoiIsland and experience their community and environmental sustainability practices, andto have learning and stewardship infuse their journey, in addition to awe, with LindbladExpeditions. All are willing to share additional information on engaging travelers, as isthe Tourism Cares network.

• Being a partner to the community. Critically, all have strong structural mechanismsfor engaging the community. READ will not build a center on its own, requiringinitiative and investments from the local community, as does Nikoi Island and itslearning centers. Local ownership, stakeholders and consultation is an integral part ofthe Lindblad-National Geographic Fund grant process, and the company’s GoverningPrinciples sprung from a gathering of more than 50 leaders, scientists and staff. For all,the essence of community also extends to their local staff, for whom the need forengagement and education is not lost.

• Achieving specific outcomes.Of course, ultimately it’s about results, and all of ourwinners take outcomes seriously and devote the time and energy to capturing them.Myths and Mountains commissioned its third-party evaluation of READ; Lindblad-National Geographic sufficiently staff their efforts for grant management and tracking;relatively early stage Nikoi Island and the Island Foundation issue impact reports andare committed to sharing their results in print and video; and the various efforts of Mr.and Mrs. Noel, especially their major Africa endeavours, receive plenty of professionalscrutiny – what they are doing and their impact is clear and documented.

Tazei Library in India with Myths and Mountains visitors.

Of course, ultimately it’s about results,

and all of our winners take outcomes

seriously and devote the time and

energy to capturing them.


CALLS TO ACTION AND WHAT COMES NEXT

“READ is exploring some very exciting new ways to collaborate withlarger institutions in order to expand its village empowermentprograms into Asia, Africa and South America. These next steps couldgreatly influence how development is being done abroad at all levels.”

— DR. ANTONIA NEUBAUER, MYTHS & MOUNTAINS AND READ GLOBAL

“Those of us in the travel andtourism industry depend veryheavily on international peaceand prosperity. As such, wehave an added responsibility to give back to our globalcommunities. Simply put, we must all look for smallsteps that we can take to makethe world a better place to live.”

— JOHN NOEL

“You and I both know that theocean is facing many manychallenges. And we also know,through science, that one ofthe best ways to preserve theocean – to bring it back tohealth, to give it the resiliencyit needs -- is to create largemarine protected areas, andthat is exactly what ishappening today.”

— SVEN LINDBLAD,LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS

“We are very excited about what the future holds. We are developinganother resort nearby using bamboo as our main building materialwhich we believe will be even stronger on sustainability… As a resultof this expansion we will also extend the reach of the Foundation byestablishing another learning centre in the neighboring village.”

— ANDREW DIXON, NIKOI ISLAND

ABOUT TOURISM CARESTourism Cares, Inc., a US 501(c)(3) public charity, preserves and enriches the travelexperience for future generations. Founded and supported by leading associations andcompanies in the travel industry, the Tourism Cares community invests its resources,talent and influence in three areas: we support underappreciated and at-risk destinationsand communities; we invest in those entering the industry and professional developmentfor emerging leaders; and we share travel corporate social responsibility knowledge andbest practices so that individual businesses can best support their own causes. Learn moreat www.TourismCares.org and @TourismCares.

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2015 Travel in Philanthropy Awards From Tourism Cares - Honoree Brief