Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel: "The Globalization of Empathy"
The Exquisite Safaris philanthropic travel mission integrates a guided visit to a humanitarian outreach project into every private, luxury, epicurean experience we create. These personal introductions create authentic cross cultural friendships that generate trust, respect, and generous donations funding philanthropic travel projects worldwide.
About You
Contact Information
Title
Mr.
First name
David
Last name
Chamberlain
Your job title
CEO
Name of your organization
Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel Worldwide
Organization type
Organization Type
Annual budget/currency
Annual Budget/Currency
Mailing address
735 Hickey Boulevard STE 304
Telephone number
Telephone Number
Postal/Zip Code
Country
United States
Email address
Alternative email address
Alternative email address
Your idea
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Street Address
735 Hickey Boulevard STE 304
City
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State/Province
.
Postal/Zip Code
Country
United States
Geotourism Challenge Addressed by Entrant
Organization size
Please select one
Indicate sector in which you principally work
Tourism-related business
Year innovation began
2004
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Indicate sector in which you principally work
Name Your Project
Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel: "The Globalization of Empathy"
Describe Your Idea
The Exquisite Safaris philanthropic travel mission integrates a guided visit to a humanitarian outreach project into every private, luxury, epicurean experience we create. These personal introductions create authentic cross cultural friendships that generate trust, respect, and generous donations funding philanthropic travel projects worldwide.
Innovation
What is the goal of your innovation? Please describe in one sentence the kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel: "The Globalization of Empathy"
Please write an overview of your project. Include how your approach supports or embodies geotourism or destination stewardship. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the map located on the competition homepage.
The Exquisite Safaris philanthropic travel mission integrates a guided visit to a humanitarian outreach project into every private, luxury, epicurean experience we create. These personal introductions create authentic cross cultural friendships that generate trust, respect, and generous donations funding philanthropic travel projects worldwide.
Explain in detail why your approach is innovative
"There are times when we share with others a special, fully interconnected consciousness. When great music thrills us, or we are mutually inspired by an awesome sunset, or when we fall in love, we are transported temporarily into a shared world which is remarkable. This state of true intermingling is rare, for most of us, but it is experiential, and that means we know it for what it is; we feel it immediately as real and filled with meaning. When such an experience is past and we return to our normal, separated perceptions, the experience becomes a vulnerable memory, and our educated personality may reject the consciousness that knew this deeper connection. Yet, the suspicion remains that there is something of mind that is not just inside our heads. We feel interconnected with each other and the world in a profound and important way. We know at some level that we are not isolated, but interdependent, so that a subtle energy of mine can reach out and mingle with yours, allowing us to share a heart to heart connection." Exquisite Safaris is a pioneer in Philanthropic Travel -our mission is to include philanthropic intent, inspiration, education & empowerment into every luxury experience we create. We believe philanthropic travel should enlighten and enrich both traveler and host, while serving as a bridge over which passes friendship, peace, ancient wisdom and respect.
Impact
Describe the degree of success you have had to date. How do you measure, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the impact on sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How has it transformed or contributed to the power of place or demonstrated the sustainability of tourism? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
"We appeal as human beings to human beings: Remember your humanity, and forget the rest." - Albert Einstein Our mission, should you decide to join us, is to connect people at the heart worldwide. Philanthropic Travel builds bridges through intimate person to person, heart to heart experiences that spark inspired donations which create sustainable humanitarian projects. Our travelers are delivering angel funding for clean water, medical and dental facilities, schools, training, jobs, homes, micro-finance and micro-entrepreneurial guidance. Exquisite Safaris Corporate Donor Travel Services provides organizations with professional stakeholder visits to NGO projects that are aligned with their company's humanitarian, economic and environmental CSR goals initiatives. Exquisite Safaris Corporate Donor Travel leverages the creative capitalism model to create, manage and support international Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives supporting indigenous communities worldwide. "Exquisite Safaris donates an industry leading $250 per traveler to our humanitarian project partners as well as philanthropic travelers loose change.." http://tinyurl.com/2d7d9r
In what ways are local residents actively involved in your work, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
"We are very proud to have partnered with Exquisite Safaris, a pioneer in private, luxury, philanthropic travel. Through their partnership with the Q fund, philanthropic travelers to Africa will be taken to see the work at Chimoza Community school first-hand, and given the opportunity to contribute to the effort there. Sustainability is the key to the longevity of any and all projects. 'Charity' in the long run fails. With sufficient resources used in an innovative and compassionate manner, these children represent not disaster, but opportunity. They can become in Africa what the economist would call the new middle class.. -Chellie Kew http://tinyurl.com/2f8svj
How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
"Visiting the Matare slum outside Nairobi was a powerful experience for our family. What we encountered grabbed our hearts. Living there does not make for an easy life, and it is so much different from what we know. And yet we found our hearts warmed from this unforgettable experience. Franklin opened the community up to us in ways we would have never been able to see ourselves. We enjoyed a chance to hear people's stories, to learn about their hopes and dreams, and to enjoy playing sports with local youth. Franklin's outreach is powerful, and since our visit we now feel like we can help him make a difference through our growing friendship. Our lives will never be the same."
Describe how your work helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues.
"Ultimately conservation is about people. If you don't have sustainable development around these (wildlife) parks, then people will have no interest in them, and the parks will not survive." -Nelson Mandela Conserving the environment will never be a success until those who live in the environment are empowered to protect it themselves. Exquisite Safaris believes that seeding sustainable humanitarian projects: in education, healthcare & entrepreneurship that enable people to get beyond the daily march for survival is a prerequisite to their participation in conserving their environment. Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/2t8av3
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel Worldwide is a privately funded corporation in the United States of America.
Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? Is there a potential demand for your innovation?
Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel has been financially viable since it was founded in 2004. "Historically, the worldwide travel industry has generated large profits and delivered culturally insulated travel experiences while ignoring the welfare of the local communities their clients visit. Those greedy corporate practices excluded economically challenged communities from sharing a reasonable percentage of the prosperity created when travelers visit their World Heritage Sites, enjoy their culture and recreate in their unique environments. The World is ready for change: "Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel Worldwide: Collaboration creates Prosperity." http://tinyurl.com/35qokp
What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
"If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito." -Anita Roddick 1. The usual global suspects ending in the letters "ism." Nationalism and the politics of fear, militarism which is the antithesis of philanthropic travel. Philanthropic Travel cannot compete head to head with dictators who suppress human rights and murder their countrymen as in Burma, Kenya. 2. The Travel Industry Please support the travel industry's rush to embrace the marketing value of Philanthropic Travel by gently reminding them to increase their commitments to community in at least direct proportion to their marketing campaign budgets. Defining and demanding the full potential of philanthropic travel lies quietly in the hands of you -the enlightened consumer. Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/2t8av3
What is your plan to expand or further develop your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
"If you are coming to help me, you are wasting your time but if you are coming because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." -Indigenous Saying Life is a journey comprised of many steps on our personal path that takes us down a winding road of constant evolution. And each day, we are provided with a myriad of opportunities that can allow us to transform into our next best selves. Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel 'innovation,' is nothing more than a reflection of the evolution of global consciousness. Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/2xyrr2
The Story
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
David Chamberlain is a philanthropic travel thought leader and the founder and CEO of Exquisite Safaris Philanthropic Travel Worldwide, a creative capitalism corporation dedicated to supporting humanitarian outreach projects throughout the global communities philanthropic travelers visit. In addition, Mr. Chamberlain leads a Corporate Donor Advisory Practice to multinationals who wish to integrate corporate social responsibility initiatives in the countries they maintain operations. Before founding Exquisite Safaris, Mr. Chamberlain was a philanthropic innovation consultant in Zurich, Switzerland. He has also served in the enterprise software and financial industries in the US.
What is the origin of your innovation? Tell the Changemakers and media communities what prompted you to start this initiative.
In 1972 my grandfather, grandmother and I visited the poorest country in the western hemisphere: Haiti. Much to my grandmother's dismay, my grandfather decided that our adventure for the day would be exploring the countryside with a Port Au Prince taxi cab driver as our guide. After an hour driving down a dusty rutted gravel road we stopped in at a rural marketplace to experience life in rural Haiti. It was along the side of that dirt road that we had our first personal philanthropic travel experience. Soon after the dust from our cabbie's Toyota had settled, un-clothed children, adults and their livestock emerged from the surrounding area, undoubtedly to closely examine my aqua and orange tailor made Miami Dolphins leisure suit with white leather loafers. We were surrounded by smiling faces wondering who we were and why we had stopped by to say: bonjour. Ten minutes later, after just about everyone in the crowd had a chance to smile at us, touch us and make direct eye contact with us a soccer ball flew through the air. I trapped it and quickly passed it back to my new teammate who received it effortlessly after it had flown right over the heads of several adults. Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/35cw69
Describe some unique tourist experiences that your approach provides. Be specific; give illustrative examples.
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What types of partnerships or professional development would be most beneficial in spreading your innovation?
"Ultimately conservation is about people. If you don't have sustainable development around these (wildlife) parks, then people will have no interest in them, and the parks will not survive." -Nelson Mandela 1. Philanthropic Travelers," who seek to learn, share and celebrate collaboration using Exquisite Safaris as their trusted adviser." 2. Grassroots Humanitarian Project Partners: "Exquisite Safaris is committed to uplifting world communities by supporting your efforts through meaningful personal introductions." 3. Corporate CSR Initiative Leaders , Stakeholders and Donors: "We get stakeholders on the ground visiting communities where they have business and philanthropic interests."
 | 157 weeks agoDavid Chamberlain submitted this idea. |
