SOUTHLAKE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sept. 6, 2006–With growing
optimism among people that they can have a positive impact through
travel, Travelocity employees have created a multifaceted initiative
called Travel For Good(sm). Last week, the company launched its Go
Zero program to help customers reverse climate change and enhance
forests and wetlands through forestation programs. Now, under the
Travel For Good initiative, Travelocity is kicking off a program
called Change Ambassadors to help bring the idea of “voluntourism” to
a broader, mainstream audience. As part of the program, Travelocity is
promoting National Public Lands Day on September 30, and is urging
consumers to join its employees in volunteer events across the
country.
Because one of the greatest barriers to getting involved is
knowing where to begin, Travelocity’s Change Ambassadors program is
making it easy for volunteers to find opportunities to give a few
hours of service at public lands near home or to spend part of their
next vacation volunteering. Travelocity has teamed up with some of the
top volunteer organizations in the country, including Cross-Cultural
Solutions, Earthwatch, and Globe Aware, all of which can all be
accessed through the Travelocity website at
www.travelocity.com/travelforgood.
In a 2006 Travel Forecast poll conducted by Travelocity, 15
percent of respondents said they planned on taking a volunteer,
education or religious trip this year. Whether building homes, working
in schools and orphanages, teaching language skills, installing
computers or helping endangered species, people are simply looking for
ways to give back and get more involved in important causes.
“More and more people are realizing that some of the most
rewarding trips involve volunteering here in the U.S. or abroad,
either to give back to the places they visit or help to people in
need,” said Jeff Glueck, Chief Marketing Officer of Travelocity. “In
fact, this program came from passionate employees who believe we can
help our customers take their travel experience to a new level by
getting involved in something that will have a lasting impact on
them.”
Change Ambassadors Grants
A key component of the Change Ambassadors program are grants that
will be awarded to people who have demonstrated long-term
contributions through volunteering, but do not have the financial
means to take a volunteer vacation. A similar grant will be made
available to employees. More details on applying for the grant will be
available to www.travelocity.com/travelforgood in the coming weeks.
National Public Lands Day
A voluntourism trip may be as exotic as someone applying their
skills in places as far flung as China, Thailand or Africa or it could
involve traveling stateside to an area in need of rebuilding, such as
the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It could even be as
simple as a family spending a day of their vacation clearing paths in
a national park.
To support and encourage volunteer efforts close to home,
Travelocity is promoting participation in National Public Lands Day
(NPLD), the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and
enhance the public lands that Americans enjoy. On Saturday, September
30, Travelocity employees will be volunteering at parks in the
following locations: Dallas; Las Vegas; New York; Plains, PA; San
Francisco and West Palm Beach, FL. Travelocity will send invitations
to customers encouraging them to join in select locations, or any of
the National Public Lands day efforts. More details can be found at
www.travelocity.com/travelforgood, or the NPLD site, which lists
volunteer opportunities nationwide www.publiclandsday.org.
Additionally, The Roaming Gnome is already traveling across the
country with the National Public Lands Day team in a Toyota Highlander
Hybrid to help spread the word and increase participation in this
year’s National Public Lands Day efforts.
About Travelocity
Travelocity(R) is committed to being the traveler’s champion –
before, during and after the trip – and guarantees everything about a
customer’s booking will be right. If it’s not, Travelocity will work
with its partners to make it right, right away. This customer-driven
focus, backed by live 24/7 phone support, great prices and powerful
shopping technology has made Travelocity the fifth largest travel
agency in the U.S. – booking $7.4 billion in travel worldwide in 2005.
Based in Southlake, Texas, Travelocity also owns and operates
Travelocity Business(SM) and GetThere(R) for corporate travelers,
lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel and ZUJI, a leader
in Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings
Corporation (NYSE: TSG), a world leader in travel commerce.
CONTACT: For Travelocity
Alyson Briggs, 972-488-4790
alyson@vollmerpr.com
or
Andrea Collins, 212-715-2222
andrea@vollmerpr.com
SOURCE: Travelocity