SINGAPORE, 26 March 2024: Travel4Impact, the innovation programme & network run by Amadeus and IE University to support small sustainable enterprises (SMEs) in the travel and tourism sector, is welcoming applications worldwide for the first time.
With its expansion to the Americas, the programme adopts a global scope to reinforce its commitment to building a sustainable, inclusive, and responsible travel and tourism industry.
The 4th edition of Travel4Impact is now open to applications worldwide until 30 April 2024. Around 40 small and medium-sized companies will be selected to join the new launchpad phase, which will start in September 2024.
Designed together with IE University*, a top international academic institution, the programme has already supported more than 60 SMEs to amplify their positive impact and accelerate their digitalisation since its launch in 2021. The first and second-edition programme satisfaction surveys have shown that Travel4Impact helped 72% of participants improve their expectations about the future of their business.
During the launchpad phase, Travel4Impact provides leaders (C-level executives and founders) from small companies with a fully funded online six-month training and tutoring programme taught by IE University professors. As part of the programme, SMEs participate in work sessions to further develop their digital strategies and incorporate new sustainable practices into their business model. More than 87% of the participants reported that the educational support and training sessions helped them better understand how to integrate sustainability into their business strategy. After the launchpad, participants are invited to join the network, which is comprised of members from previous editions. It’s a community that brings together like-minded professionals to foster collaboration, mutual support, and exchange of best practices.
The programme reevaluates its content and offerings yearly to remain as relevant as possible to its members. With this in mind, Travel4Impact will pilot a new format called the Co-Lab Sprints to collaboratively produce publications on a range of sustainable travel topics this year. The programme will also initiate a new consulting initiative to help Travel4Impact participants solve some of their main business challenges with the support of an Amadeus expert.
Amadeus global head of social impact, Esther Villena, highlights: “Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of our industry as they account for over 80% of all global businesses in travel and tourism. At Amadeus, we recognise our unique position at the heart of the travel ecosystem, and we want to work together to make a positive social impact. To foster the inclusion of players of all sizes in this ecosystem, we are working with IE University on Travel4Impact to empower small businesses, especially those who have sustainability at the heart of their business strategy, to collaboratively build a more sustainable, inclusive, and responsible travel and tourism sector that capitalises on digitalisation.”
Travel4Impact will be accepting applications until 30 April. The program welcomes leaders from small and medium-sized travel agencies, tour operators, and accommodation services to destination experiences who want to improve the world while travelling and enhance the positive impact of travel and tourism. IE University will notify successful applicants between June and July 2024.
Travel4Impact is funded by Amadeus and delivered in collaboration with IE University. It is fully funded for SMEs. Interested participants can find more information here and apply by filling out this form.
*IE University, known as IE Universidad or Universidad Instituto de Empresa, is a private university with campuses in Madrid, Community of Madrid and Segovia, Castile and León, formed as an outgrowth of IE Business School originally founded as the Instituto de Empresa. (Wikipedia).
