Evaneos invests in Planeterra as part of partnership to foster community tourism

Evaneos, an
online platform that connects travelers with local agencies that are
committed to protecting nature and culture in their destinations, is investing
in and partnering with Planeterra, a nonprofit that helps organizations and
communities use tourism as a force for good. 

Paris-based
Evaneos will invest €300,000 this year, “with plans for continuous scaling and
funding in the future,” and Aurélie Sandler, co-CEO of Evaneos, will join Planeterra’s
board.

The two
companies said their collaboration is intended to expand the community tourism
experiences within Evaneos’ network of independent local travel agencies to
foster authentic and responsible travel. Evaneos said it now works with 2,000 agencies in 160 destinations.

Based in Toronto, Planeterra was founded by G Adventures founder and CEO Bruce Poon Tip in 2003.

To begin, the
two companies will work with community tourism initiatives in Madagascar,
Indonesia and Peru, providing grants to enhance tourism facilities, technical
training and mentorship through Planeterra. Those initiatives, along with about
50 others that already work with Planeterra, will also be integrated into Evaneos’ platform.

“We are
extremely proud to announce this partnership with Planeterra, which will ensure
that the income and benefits generated by the tourism industry stay within the
communities that it takes travelers to visit,” Sandler said. 

“Simultaneously,
the partnership aims to cultivate enriching and meaningful experiences for
travelers, which has been our goal for the last 15 years.”

Evaneos said at
least 85% of the amount of each trip booked on its platform goes directly to
local actors.

“This
partnership with Evaneos enables Planeterra to advance our mission of using
tourism to uplift communities worldwide,” said Jamie Sweeting, president of
Planeterra.

“Together, we
strive to make a meaningful impact on the destinations where Evaneos’ local
partners operate, supporting communities while promoting a better way to travel.”

In December 2022, Evaneos
raised €20 million from its existing investors,
and earlier that year it became a B Corp-certified tourism company.