Story by Costas Christ. 

Costas Christ is a global expert on sustainable tourism, a senior advisor to National Geographic and Chairman of the TreadRight Foundation.

At TreadRight, we believe that your travel choice can make a big difference for the people, planet and wildlife – our three pillars. That’s why we are very proud to partner with Luxury Gold. When you take a Luxury Gold vacation, you are also helping to make the world a better place. Here are just a few of our projects.

© Photo by Jean Vella on Unsplash

People: Supporting gender equality

It is no secret that when you empower women with financial independence, you also uplift entire families and communities. Luxury Gold’s support for the Traditional Textiles Center in Peru through the TreadRight Foundation has helped to train over 89 local women to produce artisan handicrafts that preserve regional heritage – predominantly the art of handweaving – which in turn brings financial independence and improved quality of life. Providing the organization with professional expertise to run their shops, carry out training and expand their markets has also helped to advance gender equality in the workplace. Make the Sustainable Choice Even when you can’t make a financial contribution, learning the local history, challenges and opportunities affecting the people and places you visit, can help you be a conscious traveler.

Planet: Taking on plastics

Some eight million tons of plastic pour into our oceans every year, injuring and killing marine life. The World Economic Forum reports that if nothing is done to stop this deluge, there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050. In response, Luxury Gold and its parent company, The Travel Corporation, instituted an immediate ban in 2018 of more than 60 types of single-use plastic items, including water bottles, straws, stirrers and plastic bags, from all of its offices and coaches around the world. We have also funded a TreadRight social media campaign with actions we can all take to eliminate plastic waste. Make the Sustainable Choice By choosing e-documents rather than paper documents, Luxury Gold guests support reforestation efforts in devastated lands. Since 2018, we’ve planted over 50 acres of trees.

© Photo by AJ Robbie on Unsplash

Wildlife: Conservation through innovation

The Cape Leopard is among Africa’s most threatened big cats often targeted by farmers who fear them for killing livestock. After conducting research on the problem, we learned that Anatolian Shepherd Dogs instinctually protect sheep and goats from predators. So TreadRight embarked on a project, with support from Luxury Gold, to donate Anatolian Shepherd Dogs to rural livestock farmers near Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve in the Cederberg Mountains of South Africa. The result is a successful predator management strategy that has led to a rebound of the Cape Leopard population in the area. Make the Sustainable Choice Luxury Gold guests are educated on how to avoid commonplace practices that are harmful to animals, including riding camels and elephants. We’re committed to ongoing efforts to reduce unintended abuse.

Be a sustainable traveler

Book with a company that cares and make a positive impact by joining an immersive Luxury Gold journey and making sustainable choices.

Learn more about TreadRight here:

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