Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau (MCCVB) & Kind Traveler launch a responsible travel initiative that emboldens travelers to make a positive impact through charitable donations with every hotel booking they make. Travelers now have the opportunity to give back while they travel to promote community prosperity through sustainable travel to Monterey County. Spearheaded by Visit California, the partnership will benefit Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, a local non-profit that provides resources to underserved and predominantly Latinx youth.
Monterey County CVB & Kind Traveler Empower Travelers to Make a Positive Impact
Kind Traveler extends a unique opportunity to contribute to the success of the community, incentivizing visitors to travel while giving back, ultimately leaving the destination better than they found it. 97% of travelers wish to see their travel dollars making a positive impact in the communities they visit (Kind Traveler 2022 Impact Tourism Report). The ever-evolving selection of renowned hotels includes Big Sur’s Post Ranch Inn, Carmel Valley’s Bernardus Lodge & Spa and The Sanctuary Beach Resort in Marina.
The Give + Get hotel booking platform duals as an educational platform, allowing travelers to unlock exclusive offers with a $10 or more donation. 100% of donations are given to Rancho Cielo Youth Campus. Travelers will receive positive impact metrics with every booking to learn exactly how their travel dollars are supporting the local community along with local neighborhood guides to inspire conscious travel.
Rancho Cielo primarily serves Latinx youth that were unsuccessful in traditional high school settings for various reasons, including food insecurity, homelessness, overcrowded homes and social-emotional distress without adequate coping mechanisms. With a belief every young person has the opportunity for success, Rancho Cielo invests by providing diploma education, vocational training, counseling and life skills development in a safe and affirming environment at the 100-acre campus in the Salinas Valley. Rancho Cielo’s Drummond Culinary Academy is tailored to students with aspirations in the culinary and hospitality industry, offering classroom training and hands-on work experience.
A Kind Destination: Monterey County
Monterey County’s postcard beauty is situated on 99 miles of the Pacific coastline, just two hours south of San Francisco. Home to over 25 state parks, beaches and nature preserves, the county boasts 18 weekly farmers markets, 81 businesses certified by Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program and a municipal Climate Action Plan to reduce emissions by 15% below 2005 levels.
Kind Traveler offers travelers to book a stay with recognized hotels including:
- Post Ranch Inn (Big Sur)
- Bernardus Lodge & Spa (Carmel Valley)
- The Sanctuary Beach Resort (Marina)
- Alila Ventana (Big Sur) Coming Soon
The Impact of Rancho Cielo Youth Campus
Rancho Cielo works with students to help them acquire the remaining credits they need to get their high school diplomas while taking a hands-on approach to gaining skills in a vocational training program. They place a major focus on achieving health and social-emotional well-being and creating an atmosphere where students can develop prosocial desires, a future orientation, enhanced health and self-esteem and a connection to the community. Expected measurable results include:
- Students will have an attendance rate of 85% or higher and graduate with a high school diploma at a rate of 90% or higher for all eligible 12th graders.
- 100% of students successfully transition into college, a career, or other post-secondary training.
- The current recidivism rate will decrease by 10% each year over the next five years.
Visit California & Kind Traveler Partnership
Infusing tourism with the principles of stewardship is the key to the longevity of travel in California. One of the ways Visit California is encouraging travelers to embrace responsible travel is through a state-wide destination stewardship partnership with Kind Traveler. The partnership aims to create new pathways for travelers to embrace sustainable and regenerative travel through Kind Traveler’s Give + Get booking and education platform that brings together partnerships with eight DMOs, 36+ hotels and 15 local, destination-specific charities in California. Each selected charity is tied to the destination’s sustainability goals as well as to the UN Global Goals – and is essential to the destination’s well-being and future.
