Social Enterprise Travel Company Launches During Pride Month
A new type of travel business has officially launched during Pride Month – Charitable Travel is a social enterprise with the clear message that travel is a force for good. The unique business model is the first of its kind in the UK and is also the first to be operated by an openly transgender CEO.
Melissa Tilling, founder, and CEO of Charitable Travel, has enjoyed a 33-year career managing travel companies. Having transitioned in 2008 whilst a director of leading tour operator, Funway Holidays, Melissa is proof that being transgendered does not have to be a barrier and that a successful career is still possible.
Melissa Tilling commented “For me, Pride Month 2020 – when the parades are silenced by ‘lockdown’ – is a further chance to reflect, steel our determination and advance the acceptance and celebration of human diversity by standing up or ‘taking the knee’ to be counted.”
Tilling continued “Social enterprise Charitable Travel lends our support to charities doing great work fighting discrimination and supporting those oppressed. If you book your trip with Charitable Travel 5% of your holiday price can be donated to the charity of your choice at no extra cost, and there are so many great LGBT+ and human rights causes to help.”
Charitable Travel work with charities to fundraise by turning the holidays the charity supporter book in everyday life into valuable donations for the charity partner.
From upmarket, glamorous resort holidays to intimate LGBT+ friendly boutique properties around the world, Charitable Travel takes pride in helping the LGBT+ community with their travel plans and can create perfect, tailor-made holidays for all expectations and budgets. By doing so, travellers can proudly combine their domestic or overseas holiday planning with donating to a UK registered charity of their choice through a platform partnership with JustGiving.
“We applaud Charitable Travel for their launch and for their positive ethos. We greatly look forward to welcoming LGBT+ travellers visiting us through this travel social enterprise where they can combine their trip with charitable giving,” says Richard Gray, Senior Vice President of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Greater Fort Lauderdale is the LGBT+ capital of Florida and is one of the most progressive destinations in the US. We celebrate diversity and inclusion, each and every day, and we are proud to work with Charitable Travel – an esteemed travel partner who shares that same enthusiasm and warm embrace for our LGBT+ travellers.”
The ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map, reflecting the human rights of LGBT+ people in Europe, has voted Malta the most LGBT+ friendly destination for five consecutive years. Natalie Swinburne, Trade Marketing Manager commented “Charitable Travel is admirable in helping customers support their favourite charity by simply making a booking. We would also like to congratulate the social enterprise for focusing on acceptance for Pride Month as this is greatly important to us. Malta has recently ranked 1st on the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map for the fifth consecutive year and booking a trip to Malta offers the LGBT+ community the freedom to relax whilst feeling safe.”
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