Local voices, global impact: New projects, shared purpose
As global travel continues to grow, so too does our responsibility to shape its impact. At the DERTOUR Foundation, we believe that travel should be about more than visiting new destinations—it should create meaningful connections, foster local opportunity, and contribute to the protection of the world’s most vulnerable natural and cultural resources.
Since its founding in 2014, the DERTOUR Foundation has championed projects that support communities and protect the places travellers love to visit. Our work spans 28 countries and over 100 initiatives, and while the scale of our reach has grown, our purpose remains the same: to ensure that tourism becomes a tool for sustainable development, cultural understanding, and environmental preservation.
In 2025, we are proud to announce four new projects that embody this purpose. Whether in coastal Egypt, island communities in the Indian and Caribbean oceans, or rural towns in southern Europe and Southeast Asia, these projects demonstrate how the tourism sector can support local resilience, promote inclusive economic participation, and help restore fragile ecosystems.
Each initiative is shaped by strong local partnerships and backed by DERTOUR Group’s commitment to integrating sustainability into every step of the travel experience—from the hotels we offer, to the excursions we promote, to the way we engage with destination communities.
Egypt: Supporting women in Safaga through sustainable textile work
In the Egyptian port town of Safaga, located along the Red Sea, the benefits of tourism are visible—but not always accessible to everyone. For many women, particularly widows and single mothers, finding employment in a male-dominated industry remains a challenge. That’s why the DERTOUR Foundation, in collaboration with the Omar Ibn El Khattab Organisation, is supporting the transformation of a small sewing workshop into a thriving, sustainable social enterprise.
Currently, 18 women handcraft unique textile products—most notably, the “Green Buddies” that guests at Sentido and Aldiana hotels encounter upon arrival. These charming souvenirs, shaped like fish at Sentido Naga Bay, symbolize more than environmental consciousness. They represent hope, economic opportunity, and dignity for the women who make them. Each purchase helps fund the workshop, while also encouraging sustainable behaviour from guests who use the Green Buddies to reduce unnecessary housekeeping by placing them at their door.
The project is now entering a new phase of growth. With the DERTOUR Foundation’s support, the workshop will be equipped with modern sewing machines, solar energy systems, and environmentally friendly materials. The goal is to train and employ at least 50 women in the coming years. Products will be sold directly at hotel stalls and distributed to other resorts in the region, creating consistent market access.
The Maldives: Restoring coral reefs with “Coral Connection”
The Maldives are renowned for their crystal-clear waters and vibrant coral reefs—but this beauty hides a growing crisis. Climate change and local stressors have severely damaged reef systems across the archipelago, threatening biodiversity and local livelihoods. In response, the DERTOUR Foundation has partnered with The Oceancy and the ananea Diamonds Athuruga Resort to support a hands-on coral restoration initiative in the South Ari Atoll, known as “Coral Connection.”
The project brings together science, tourism, and community action. Guests staying at the resort can join snorkelling excursions, diving workshops, and marine biology seminars. In the resort’s marine lab, visitors learn coral micro fragmentation—a cutting-edge technique that accelerates coral growth—and help prepare new coral fragments for replanting in damaged reef areas.
What makes Coral Connection unique is its dual focus on guest involvement and local community education. On the nearby island of Velidhoo, the project engages young residents in marine ecology through training programs, scholarships, and fieldwork. This exchange of knowledge builds environmental awareness on both sides and creates a shared sense of responsibility for the reefs’ future.
Communication plays a vital role in sustaining this impact. Guests who participate receive regular updates about the corals they helped plant, connecting them to the ecosystem long after they’ve returned home.
Dominican Republic: Reef restoration and education in Sosúa Bay
On the north shore of the Dominican Republic lies Sosúa Bay, a place of historical depth and ecological importance. Once a haven for German-Jewish refugees, Sosúa is now a vibrant tourist destination. But beneath the waves, its coral reefs have suffered decades of degradation. With the support of the DERTOUR Foundation, the Magua Ecological Foundation is leading an ambitious restoration project that marries science, community engagement, and creative reef design.
At the heart of the initiative is “DERTOUR’s Reef Patch”—a purpose-built coral habitat using artistic structures to promote biodiversity through various growth techniques and heat-tolerant coral species. Sea urchin populations, vital to maintaining reef health, are also being reintroduced.
But reef restoration is only one part of the story. A new aquarium and interpretation centre are being developed at the local Gregorio Luperón School, where children learn about marine ecology and participate in coral conservation activities. The project also includes a strong research component, with partnerships to monitor biodiversity, fish populations, and ecosystem recovery—generating knowledge that can inform reef protection globally.
This integrated approach—ecological restoration, community education, and scientific research—demonstrates what we mean by long-term sustainable impact. It also supports our vision to empower destination communities to be the guardians of their natural heritage, not passive observers of its decline.
Empowering community-based tourism with Planeterra
In a world where popular destinations face growing pressure from overtourism, the DERTOUR Foundation is investing in a different model—one that places local communities at the centre of the travel experience. In partnership with Planeterra, the world’s leading nonprofit dedicated to community tourism, we are launching a multi-year initiative to establish at least five new community-led tourism experiences by 2026.
The initiative will begin in three of our key destinations: Thailand, Greece, and Spain. These are countries where tourism is a significant economic driver, but where many communities remain disconnected from its benefits. With Planeterra’s expertise and our destination management companies’ local networks, we aim to change that.
The goal is to build tourism experiences that are deeply rooted in local culture, led by nonprofits, cooperatives, and social enterprises—often run by women, youth, or underrepresented groups. These might include traditional cooking classes, artisanal craft workshops, guided heritage walks, or farm-to-table meals—each designed to offer visitors an authentic and enriching experience while generating income and preserving cultural heritage.
Why these projects matter
Each project supported by the DERTOUR Foundation in 2025 was chosen with care and intention, as they reflect the values we want to strengthen through tourism: fairness, sustainability, and meaningful local participation.
Whether it’s helping women in Egypt gain financial independence, supporting reef restoration efforts in the Maldives and the Dominican Republic, or building inclusive tourism experiences with communities in Thailand, Greece, and Spain, these projects show how tourism can be a positive force.
We invite you to learn more, share these stories, and support our work.