New collection based on evaluation of 77 properties that meet the highest standards of community and environmental responsibility, with a dedication to sustainable innovation and funding social and environmental initiatives.

Members provide exceptional experiences and make a meaningful difference: “Every trip can be a small step toward a more responsible and compassionate world.”

It’s one thing for a hotel to strive to make a positive impact on the world and another for it to be able to show that its efforts have been a success. Jacada Travel, the bespoke travel company on a mission to create a positive impact, is highlighting luxury accommodations that achieve both in the Jacada Positive Impact Collection. The collection is the result of a new and meticulous evaluation of properties spanning Africa, Latin America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific.

Launched today, the collection is built on an evidence-based approach to evaluating sustainability that cuts through the noise of “greenwashing”. Properties included are dedicated to fostering long-term positive change by implementing a range of initiatives that align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are distinguished by placing the role of addressing social and environmental challenges at the core of their business, purpose, and vision.

Impact at the forefront, not an afterthought

While Jacada Travel offers its clients hotels, resorts, and boats that operate to the highest ethical standards, those celebrated through the Positive Impact Collection actively address location-specific issues, utilizing tourism to fund expansive social and environmental initiatives.

The impact these properties seek to achieve is strategic, aiming to reduce carbon footprints, conserve natural resources, promote community engagement, and preserve culture. Through educating guests, staff and the wider community, they not only raise awareness but also foster a deeper understanding of these crucial issues. With strategic, large-scale impact goals, their ultimate aim is to actively encourage positive transformation in their local areas.

Key to building Jacada Travel’s Positive Impact Collection is an in-depth survey that was created to assess each property’s true impact. Broken down into three pillars – community, climate, and conservation – the survey required accommodation partners to provide details of their initiatives, policies, plans, and targets. A rigorous methodology was employed to weigh the effectiveness and impact of projects ranging from sourcing practices and the cultivation of opportunities for local talent to the reduction or elimination of plastics and measurement of carbon emissions.

A meticulous evaluation

The initial Positive Impact Collection survey collected in-depth responses to 56 questions, give or take, according to the respondent’s location and services offered. For instance, hotels in areas with rich wildlife were expected to have additional effective wildlife protection policies in place, while those in urban areas were evaluated on their initiatives to preserve culture and heritage.

It took Jacada Travel six months to collect and complete a meticulous review of submissions from more than 300 properties, with verifiable facts cross-checked against stated sustainability policies and on-the-ground knowledge. Properties chosen for inclusion in the Positive Impact Collection have also been reviewed by regional Heads of Travel Design at Jacada Travel, who have either previously curated the properties for luxury tours or visited them in person.

Each survey section was scored according to the responses, and the scores were totaled into an overall percentage to indicate levels of success. In the end, only those properties that scored more than 70% were invited into the Positive Impact Collection – and some 65% of those that submitted completed surveys did not make the cut.

A new resource for travellers 

Jacada Travel is pleased and proud to make the Positive Impact Collection available to inspire travellers to make choices that can have a real difference in the world. When done right, tourism becomes a force for positive change. Stays at properties in the collection represent a powerful way to magnify impact on a destination.

The Positive Impact Collection benefits travellers who are motivated to use their investment in travel for long-term impact, enabling them to choose luxury hotels, boats, and camps that align with their values, contribute to the well-being of destinations, and foster a more responsible and respectful way of exploring the world. The Collection adds transparency to the interconnectedness of travel with environmental, economic, social, and cultural sustainability.

“Travellers increasingly expect travel brands to incorporate sustainability into their business practices, but due to increased demand, there is a lot of greenwashing and deceptive and misleading marketing out there. Our new Positive Impact Collection helps people cut through the noise,” said Natalie Lyall-Grant, who was appointed as Positive Impact Coordinator by Jacada Travel in March 2023 and has led the initiative. “We’ve put in the hours to meticulously audit partners and their sustainability practices, selecting only those truly committed to the journey to protect our planet. There are many options for luxury travel, but luxury operations that are making a positive impact on their destinations are the hallmarks of real quality. That’s the assurance the Positive Impact Collection provides our guests. Every trip can become a small step toward tangible change.”

New applications to the Positive Impact Collection will be evaluated on a six-month basis, with properties that didn’t make the cut to continue to share updates on their sustainability journeys.