Meet Planeterra

As your luxury travel advisors at Bespoke Legacy Luxury Travel, we're excited to share with you an incredible organization that's transforming the way we experience the world: Planeterra. This NGO is at the forefront of sustainable tourism, and we believe it aligns perfectly with the principles of responsible travel while maintaining high-quality experiences.

Planeterra is the world's leading non-governmental organization turning travel into a force for good in communities across the globe. They work with local organizations to use tourism as a catalyst for positive change, improving people's lives, protecting natural environments, and celebrating diverse cultures. This approach enhances travel experiences while making a tangible difference in the places visited.

Planeterra's work encompasses various aspects of the travel industry:

Meals & Food: They collaborate with restaurants and cafés that provide jobs, training, and skills for marginalized populations, or support non-profits with mandates that benefit communities, women, and youth.

Transportation: Planeterra works with transportation providers that offer jobs and training to make an impact. Many of these initiatives empower women to take on roles traditionally reserved for men, helping to break down gender inequality.

Accommodation: They partner with social enterprises that provide accommodation around the globe, including homestays and hotels. These establishments use their income to meet community development goals such as income generation, reducing youth migration, and cultural preservation.

Handicrafts: Planeterra supports social enterprises that sell handicrafts, ensuring travelers can purchase locally made items directly from creators.

Tours & Experiences: They work with social enterprises offering unique tours and experiences worldwide, emphasizing those that empower local people, traditions, and the environment.

One area where Planeterra truly shines is their work with youth. In many remote communities, young people often feel compelled to leave their homes in search of opportunities in larger cities. Planeterra's initiatives create economic opportunities that allow youth to build their futures right in their home communities. For instance, they might train young people in hospitality skills or help them develop tours that showcase their local culture and environment. These programs help create a brighter future for young individuals and their communities.

Another aspect of Planeterra's work that stands out to us is their focus on cultural celebration. In an era of rapid globalization, preserving and honoring diverse cultural traditions is crucial. Planeterra supports experiences that allow travelers to learn about indigenous traditions and practices. These interactions provide memorable experiences for travelers while playing a crucial role in keeping cultural practices alive. By participating in these experiences, travelers contribute to the preservation and celebration of unique cultural heritages around the world.

Impact Spotlight

Shedia Home

Athens

Homelessness is a significant social issue in Greece, exacerbated by the Greek Financial Crisis which started in 2009. There is currently no accurate record of how many Athenians are experiencing homelessness, but the official unemployment rate hit almost 28% during the economic crisis that devastated the country over the last few years, with youth unemployment especially surpassing 50%.

Shedia is a not-for-profit organization that works to employ and empower people experiencing homelessness and social exclusion in Greece. They have a vast number of programs including a soccer team, an upcycling/art project, a street paper, an educational social tour of Athens led by homeless guides, and a café-bar-restaurant in the historical center of the Greek capital called Shedia Home. Through their programs, 150 people experiencing homelessness and social exclusion have been provided with the opportunity, through working and not begging, to earn an income to cover some of their most basic needs, on a daily basis, while 20 full-time employment positions have been created in the recently launched Shedia Home.

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