Holiday Gift Guide — Travel Gifts That Give Back
Consider a gift that gives back this holiday season. (Thinkstock)
More than Christmas trees, egg nog, and carolers, the holiday season is about helping others. Don’t get us wrong, gifts are a wonderful way to show others that you care, and who doesn’t love seeing something with their name on it under the tree? But this holiday season as you’re checking names off of your gift list, consider these products with charitable roots for the traveler in your life. Remember, the perfect gift for the person who has everything, is a gift that gives back.
International Trip—Elevate Destinations
An elephant at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. (Elevate Destinations/Facebook)
The concept is simple —buy a trip, give a trip. Believe it or not, many children don’t get to explore the historical sites or wildlife where they live. Elevate Destinations is looking to change that. Every trip organized through the company allows a group of local children to visit tourist sites in their own country. That means the next safari you book could allow young people in South Africa to visit Robben Island, children in Peru to climb Machu Picchu, or Kenyans to see an elephant for the first time. What could be better than that?
Cost: Varies
Related:Holiday Gift Guide: What to Get Your Favorite Business Traveler
Weekender Bag— FEED
Look stylish while providing meals for children around the world. (FEED)
Looking for the perfect carry-on that will hold all of your stuff AND help others? Then this is the gift for you. FEED is dedicated to feeding the world by creating and selling products. This weekender bag is made of burlap, has a cotton lining, and multiple inside pockets. More importantly, purchasing this stylish bag also provides 100 meals for hungry children. Talk about a gift that keeps giving.
Cost: $150
Natural Dye Striped Scarf— Global Goods Partners
Handmade products help woman in poor communities to earn a living. (Global Goods Partners)
Bundle up with this scarf while you’re on the road, and you’ll be changing the lives of women around the world. Global Goods Partners (GGP) was started in 2005 to accomplish two goals — alleviate poverty and promote social justice. Every day they are working towards these missions by creating economic opportunities for women in some of the world’s poorest communities. GGP takes the handmade products they produce, and provides access to the US market for fair trade. So every time you a buy a bracelet crafted in Guatemala, or a striped scarf made in Cambodia, you’re helping the cause.
Cost: $60
Bold Active Bag —Activyst
Help young girls stay active why you stay active. (Activyst)
This next gift is perfect for the active adventurer in your life. The Bold Active Bag from Activyst is super durable, water-resistant, and has compartments for your shoes, water bottle, and laptop. You can even add a compartment for your yoga mat! As if it wasn’t already great enough, Activyst is dedicated to helping girls participate in sports around the world, so when you purchase this bag, you’re helping to fund a girls soccer program in Tanzania.
Cost: $78
Related: Odd Gifts From Skymall for the Holiday Season
Pure Fix Cycles Bike —Charity Water
Give back while you’re riding the trails. (Charity Water)
Charity Water is an organization that is focused on bringing clean water to every person in the world. To assist in raising money, they’ve partnered with Pure Fix Cycles to create this bike dedicated to raising money and awareness for the cause. Need some new wheels for an upcoming bike trip? This ride comes in multiple colors and sizes, and $100 from each bike sold goes towards Charity Water's operating costs.
Cost: $325
Beach Wood Troubadour Headphones —LSTN
Listen to your favorite tunes on the road while helping to restore hearing for a person in need. (LSTN)
Every frequent traveler has a sturdy pair of of headphones they rely on during long trips. Surprise them with a pair of LSTN Troubadours, and you’ll be on their nice list forever. The headphones are made from real wood and are so unique that no two pairs are the same. An added bonus: For every pair sold, LSTN helps restore hearing to a person in need through Starkey Hearing Foundation.
Cost: $149.99
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