Oceanside's Lodging PartnersUnite to Champion Ocean Conservation and Healthy Food Systems
OCEANSIDE, Calif., Aug. 7, 2024/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As part of an ongoing commitment toresponsible tourism, Visit Oceanside is excited to announce the launch ofKind Traveler's Every Stay Gives Back community impact program.Visit Oceanside will be the firstdestination partner in San DiegoCounty to join Kind Traveler's Every Stay Gives Back programspearheaded by a statewide initiative in partnership with VisitCalifornia.
"Research shows that visitors want tosupport the communities they visit. Kind Traveler's Every StayGives Back program offers an easy and effortless way to do so whileenjoying an unforgettable stay along the beautiful Oceanside coast." - Visit Oceanside CEOLeslee Gaul
This initiative aligns perfectly with the recent launch of VisitOceanside's Love O'side responsible travel platform, which aims toinspire and educate travelers to make thoughtful travel choices toplan an environmentally, socially, and culturally conscious trip toOceanside, California. Throughthis partnership, a portion of every guest stay with participatinglodging partners in Oceanside willfund local charities, WILDCOAST and Berry Good Food Foundation,championing both ocean conservation and healthy food systems inOceanside and Greater San Diego. Since the launch of KindTraveler's Every Stay Gives Back program in September 2023, the program has already raisedmore than $200,000 in donations forlocal charities in just 11 months.
Travelers Want Their Travel Dollars to Positively Impact LocalCommunities
The increasing frequency of climate-related events, such aswildfires and rising sea levels, coupled with a growing awarenessof social justice issues, has prompted travelers to seek ways togive back to the communities they visit. According to KindTraveler's 2022 Impact Tourism Report, 97 percent of travelersdesire their travel dollars to positively impact the communitiesthey visit, and 75 percent believe traveling sustainably enhancestheir vacation experience. Despite this, half of travelers feeluncertain about how to start, leading to a big gap between intentand action.
"The Every Stay Gives Back program is a natural progression inour commitment to stewardship and sustainability, aiming to enhancethe positive impact of travel on our community," said VisitOceanside CEO Leslee Gaul. "Researchshows that visitors want to support the communities they visit, andthis program offers an easy and effortless way to do so whileenjoying an unforgettable stay along the beautiful Oceanside coast."
Local Charity Beneficiaries
Kind Traveler's Every Stay Gives Back program in Oceanside benefits WILDCOAST and the BerryGood Food Foundation, both essential for the well-being ofOceanside. WILDCOAST is aninternational team that conserves coastal and marine ecosystems andaddresses climate change through natural solutions. A portion offunds raised is earmarked for Oceanside's Coastal Dunes Restoration Project,which will restore coastal dune habitat using green engineering tohelp the coastline hang on to sandy resources. The Berry Good FoodFoundation's initiatives include promoting sustainable agriculture,increasing access to healthy food, and supporting local farmers andproducers. Together, these organizations work to protectOceanside's natural beauty andpromote sustainable practices, ensuring a vibrant future for thecommunity and its environment.
Participating Lodging Partners:
Marbella, Beachfront Only Vacation Rentals, and Stay CoastalVacations are the pioneering lodging partners joining KindTraveler's Every Stay Gives Back program with Visit Oceanside,which is dedicated to advancing responsible tourism in Oceanside. This partnership marks arevolutionary step for Kind Traveler as it is the first time theyhave collaborated with vacation rental management groups, expandingtheir impact beyond traditional hotels. Marbella offers a luxuriousand eco-friendly stay, Beachfront Only provides upscale oceanfrontproperties with eco-friendly features, and Stay Coastal Vacationsoffers stylish accommodations focusing on sustainable practices.Based on average annual occupancy rates for Oceanside vacation rental properties,Oceanside's Kind Traveler programcould generate over $17,000 yearly tosupport local causes. Both Kind Traveler and Visit Oceanside seekto add new lodging partners to the program to unite responsibletravel efforts across the City and scale the positive impactpotential.
Building Measurable Positive Impact Metrics
The program empowers travel dollars to fund the local charitybeneficiaries with every guest stay, aligning with the UN GlobalGoals for Sustainable Development. Kind Traveler verifies andtracks monthly donations to local charities, providing transparentand real-time reporting to communicate their initiativeseffectively to guests and stakeholders.
For example, with Marbella and Stay Coastal Vacations,one dollar per night is donated toWILDCOAST. For every $10 donated,WILDCOAST can restore coastal habitat for one native wildlifecreature, advancing ocean and dune conservation efforts inOceanside. Native wildlife coastalspecies that play a critical part in Oceanside's local ecosystem include pelicans,cormorants, egrets, herons, shore crabs, and more.
With Beachfront Only Vacation Rentals, two dollars per stay is donated to the Berry GoodFood Foundation. For every $10donated, the foundation can provide a student with freshingredients to participate in a garden-to-table cooking class,promoting healthy food systems and sustainable agriculture in thecommunity.
In the first two months after a soft launch, these initiativeshave already directed $2,424 indonations to Berry Good Food Foundation and WILDCOAST. In the softlaunch,130 students participated in its garden-to-table cookingclass, enhancing Oceanside'sefforts to promote sustainable food systems. With WILDCOAST, thedonations restored coastal habitats for 109 native wildlifecreatures.
Oceanside: A Commitment toResponsible Tourism
The launch of Love O'side and Kind Traveler's Every Stay GivesBack program aligns with Visit Oceanside's Sustainable TourismMaster Plan (STMP), promoting responsible tourism growth to benefitthe economy, environment, and local community.
"Travelers require a continual fuel of inspiration to motivateresponsible travel choices. Kind Traveler is delighted to providevisitors with an exciting new way to empower their next vacation inOceanside and help create apowerful legacy of purposeful change," said Jessica Blotter, Co-Founder & CEO of KindTraveler.
To start planning your Oceanside vacation and #TravelKindly, visit:https://www.kindtraveler.com/content/visit-oceanside orhttps://www.visitoceanside.org/.
Media Contacts: Kind Traveler: Press@KindTraveler.com
Visit Oceanside: Shae Geary, shae@visitoceanside.org
For downloadable images, please see our media gallery here
ABOUT KIND TRAVELER Kind Traveler is an internationallyacclaimed, responsible travel platform that empowers travelers tocreate positive change in local communities by supportingenvironmental and social initiatives through their stay withparticipating lodging and charity partners. Kind Traveler advancesits mission through a diverse portfolio of over 350 hotel,destination, and charity partners in 25 countries. As a pioneeringwomen-and-veteran-owned public benefit corporation in responsibletourism since 2016, Kind Traveler has fostered a culture of givingback in the hospitality industry, helping to build measurablesustainability metrics for destinations. In a groundbreaking movefor 2023, Kind Traveler launched its Every Stay Gives Backcommunity impact program, ensuring every guest stay funds localcharities with participating lodging partners, no matter where thebooking originates. Remarkably, 100% of the funds go directly tothe participating charities, amplifying the positive impact onlocal communities. A Blue Startups portfolio company, KindTraveler's innovative approach has been cited in 600+ news articlesand has earned global awards from prestigious organizations,including Fast Company, Travel + Leisure, Newsweek, LufthansaInnovation Hub, and UNWTO. Discover how to make a meaningfuldifference on your next vacation by visiting KindTraveler.com.
ABOUT VISIT OCEANSIDE
Visit Oceanside Conference and Visitors Bureau is the trustedtravel authority for Oceanside,California. As Oceanside'sofficial tourism marketing organization, Visit Oceanside promotestravel to the city for both leisure and group visitors. Theorganization influences about one-third of the $589 million that is generated by visitorspending in Oceanside each year,which supports nearly 3,900 jobs. Visit Oceanside also operates one of the state'sofficial California Welcome Centers. With just one stop, visitorscan find local, regional and state maps, purchase discount ticketsto major Southern Californiaattractions, make hotel reservations or shop for the perfectCalifornia keepsake. The VisitOceanside CVB and California Welcome Center- Oceanside are conveniently located just offInterstate 5 at 928 North Coast Highway. For more information,please call (800) 350-7873 or visit www.visitoceanside.org
ABOUT OCEANSIDE
Perfectly situated between metropolitan San Diego and LosAngeles, Oceanside isSouthern California's mostauthentic beach town. Visitors enjoy a quintessential California coastal escape, including widesandy beaches, a quaint New England-style harbor, a historic woodenpier, and charming bungalow neighborhoods. O'side (as localsaffectionately call it) is a destination of discovery wherevisitors can explore everything from California history at the "King of Missions"to surf culture at the California Surf Museum and awe-inspiring sealife through exciting ocean adventures. This playful and fundestination thrives on taking recreation to the next level andboasts world-class surfing, skateboarding, bike riding, boating andeven skydiving. A flourishing food and craft beer scene reflectsOceanside's creative andentrepreneurial spirit, as do exciting arts and culture programshighlighting the city's history, diversity and friendly, laid-backattitude. Classically charming, eclectic, and always genuine,Oceanside is an ideal place tostay and a true O'riginal. www.visitoceanside.org
Media Contact
Kind Traveler PR, Kind Traveler, 1 6195192437,press@kindtraveler.com , https://www.kindtraveler.com/
Shae Geary, Visit Oceanside,shae@visitoceanside.org , https://visitoceanside.org/
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SOURCE Kind Traveler
