I travel to about a dozen Travel Shows each year, and after a while the booths start to blur together--stacks of brochures, perhaps a guy in native dress, piles of candy to lure passers by.
But the Village Experience (www.experiencethevillage.com), which I've been noticing for the first time this year, seems different. It may be because they're not just promoting a tour or destination, but selling actual , and often exquisite, products created in some of the most remote areas on earth.
Intrigued, I went up to chat with the folks running the booth and came away impressed by their creativity. The Village is taking a two-pronged approach to what's commonly caused "Voluntourism". They not only take would-be do-gooders to places in need around the globe (from Haiti to Kenya to Guatemala), but they create programs allowing folks in these places to create goods, fair trade products that can then be sold elsewhere to bring money back into the community.
How can you not love that?
I'm looking forward to seeing what crafts and goods The Village Experience team will be showcasing at LAT&AS, booth 1053. They currently show excursions to Guatemala, Haiti, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Jordan, India and Thailand.
What they're offering is an interesting marriage of culture and travel and I think they'll be a big hit.
P.S. I couldn't help but notice a lot of their trips go to countries where they grow coffee. Wonder if they do side trips?!
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