Indrani Batabyal
Thursday, August 8, 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutes
As part of its ongoing commitment to responsible tourism, Visit Oceanside proudly announces the launch of Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back community impact program. Visit Oceanside becomes the first destination partner in San Diego County to join this initiative, which is spearheaded by a statewide collaboration with Visit California.
This initiative perfectly complements the recent launch of Visit Oceanside’s Love O’side responsible travel platform, designed to inspire and educate travelers on making environmentally, socially, and culturally conscious travel choices when visiting Oceanside, California. Through this partnership, a portion of every guest stay with participating lodging partners in Oceanside will support local charities, WILDCOAST and Berry Good Food Foundation, both of which are dedicated to ocean conservation and healthy food systems in Oceanside and the Greater San Diego area. Since its inception in September 2023, Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back program has already generated over $200,000 in donations for local charities within just 11 months.
“The Every Stay Gives Back program is a natural progression in our commitment to stewardship and sustainability, aiming to enhance the positive impact of travel on our community,” said Visit Oceanside CEO Leslee Gaul. “Research shows that visitors want to support the communities they visit, and this program offers an easy and effortless way to do so while enjoying an unforgettable stay along the beautiful Oceanside coast.”
Travelers Want Their Travel Dollars to Make a Positive Impact
With the increasing occurrence of climate-related events like wildfires and rising sea levels, alongside a growing awareness of social justice issues, travelers are more motivated than ever to ensure their travel dollars positively impact the communities they visit. According to Kind Traveler’s 2022 Impact Tourism Report, 97 percent of travelers want their spending to benefit the local communities they visit, and 75 percent believe that traveling sustainably enhances their vacation experience. However, half of these travelers are unsure how to begin, leading to a significant gap between intent and action.
Benefiting Local Charities
The Every Stay Gives Back program in Oceanside supports WILDCOAST and the Berry Good Food Foundation, two organizations crucial to the well-being of the area. WILDCOAST works internationally to conserve coastal and marine ecosystems and addresses climate change through natural solutions. Funds raised through this program are allocated to projects like Oceanside’s Coastal Dunes Restoration Project, which aims to restore coastal dune habitats using green engineering to protect sandy resources. The Berry Good Food Foundation focuses on promoting sustainable agriculture, improving access to healthy food, and supporting local farmers and producers. Together, these organizations protect Oceanside’s natural beauty and promote sustainable practices, securing a vibrant future for the community and its environment.
Participating Lodging Partners
Marbella, Beachfront Only Vacation Rentals, and Stay Coastal Vacations are the pioneering lodging partners joining the Every Stay Gives Back program with Visit Oceanside, reflecting a dedication to advancing responsible tourism in the area. This partnership represents a significant milestone for Kind Traveler as it marks the first collaboration with vacation rental management groups, extending the program’s reach beyond traditional hotels. Marbella offers luxurious and eco-friendly accommodations, Beachfront Only provides upscale oceanfront properties with environmentally friendly features, and Stay Coastal Vacations emphasizes sustainable practices in stylish accommodations. Based on the average annual occupancy rates for Oceanside vacation rentals, this program could generate over $17,000 annually to support local causes. Kind Traveler and Visit Oceanside aim to expand the program by adding new lodging partners, uniting responsible travel efforts across the city and scaling its positive impact.
Measuring Positive Impact
The program ensures that travel dollars directly benefit local charities with every guest stay, aligning with the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development. Kind Traveler verifies and tracks monthly donations to local charities, offering transparent and real-time reporting to effectively communicate their initiatives to guests and stakeholders.
For example, with Marbella and Stay Coastal Vacations, one dollar per night is donated to WILDCOAST, with every $10 donated restoring coastal habitat for one native wildlife species, advancing conservation efforts in Oceanside. Native coastal wildlife species vital to the 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 Good Food Foundation. For every $10 donated, the foundation provides a student with fresh ingredients for a garden-to-table cooking class, promoting healthy food systems and sustainable agriculture in the community.
In the first two months following a soft launch, these initiatives have already directed $2,424 in donations to the Berry Good Food Foundation and WILDCOAST. During the soft launch, 130 students participated in garden-to-table cooking classes, bolstering Oceanside’s efforts to promote sustainable food systems. WILDCOAST’s donations helped restore coastal habitats for 109 native wildlife species.
Oceanside’s Commitment to Responsible Tourism
The launch of Love O’side and Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives Back program aligns with Visit Oceanside’s Sustainable Tourism Master Plan, which promotes responsible tourism growth to benefit the economy, environment, and local community.
“Travelers require a continual fuel of inspiration to motivate responsible travel choices. Kind Traveler is delighted to provide visitors with an exciting new way to empower their next vacation in Oceanside and help create a powerful legacy of purposeful change,” said Jessica Blotter, Co-Founder & CEO of Kind Traveler.
