Charlotte Bergin
Co-Founder of The Vacation Project
When we first started, our goal was to create a social and service based experiential travel. What we call; curated group travel with a purpose. Time off from work and life’s obligations were precious to us and we know it is for our peers. We individually tried and failed to find volunteer projects that fit within our vacation time constraints, while also finding credible organizations that make lasting impacts. Other tours that were available seemed to offer volunteer opportunities with little to no focus on leisure. Then there were the tours where revelry is the total sum of the vacation but offer nothing to the communities and people that they reap so much from. We are firm believers that aiding communities abroad isn’t mutually exclusive with unwinding and enjoying your vacation to the fullest. So, we thought: ‘how do we achieve this?’
When we first started, our goal was to create a social and service based experiential travel. What we call; curated group travel with a purpose. Time off from work and life’s obligations were precious to us and we know it is for our peers. We individually tried and failed to find volunteer projects that fit within our vacation time constraints, while also finding credible organizations that make lasting impacts. Other tours that were available seemed to offer volunteer opportunities with little to no focus on leisure. Then there were the tours where revelry is the total sum of the vacation but offer nothing to the communities and people that they reap so much from. We are firm believers that aiding communities abroad isn’t mutually exclusive with unwinding and enjoying your vacation to the fullest. So, we thought: ‘how do we achieve this?’
We can do this by combining unique social experiences that you can enjoy with a group of other young travelers, with a sustainable service project that fills a need for the communities we visit. We know our peers struggle with having sufficient Vacation time in their various professions so solving for: having fun + making sustainable impact = an unforgettable experience, was quite the equation to unravel. We also knew; as seasoned travelers with professional backgrounds in the industry, that we were well positioned to create this kind of holistic adventure. The contacts we’ve made with reputable NGO’s through family, friends and personal endeavors was the other link we were confidently equipped to fuse together.
We believe economic sustainability is paramount. This makes partnering with local guides the core of our trips, guides who are ingrained in the local community and culture with access to experiences beyond the well-tread tourist routes. Providing locally owned and Eco friendly accommodations is another critical piece to achieving what we want with each journey. This form of holistic travel is what we know a new generation of travelers’ desires and what we believe leaves a lasting positive impact on the destination we love. This is THE VACATION PROJECT.
Articles by Charlotte
