Pfaeffikon (SZ) Switzerland -- ALLinVillas, a start-up cooperative dedicated to making all-inclusive tourism sustainable and beneficial for communities, has launched a pre-crowdfunding campaign. The campaign will generate funding to support the development of a first sustainable and socially responsible all-inclusive vacation in Negril Jamaica. The campaign will be kicked off today at a media and VIP event at their headquarters in Pfaeffikon SZ, Switzerland. The goal of ALLinVillas is to change industry standards to meet the need for the consumer value of sustainability in tourism.
“ALLinVillas will revolutionize all-inclusive travel business. We offer an ALL-inclusive-PLUS vacation,” said Marcel Isler, founder of the ALLinVillas cooperative. “Holiday goers know about the negative impact of all-inclusive resorts on local communities, and they like to explore their destination without being limited to resorts. The public is aware of low wages and tax havens used by these resorts to increase profits at the expense of the communities. Sustainable ALL-inclusive-PLUS packages include all aspects of travelers’ needs, like pre-paid dining out in local restaurants, and sports and tour packages where local businesses can also profit. And as we focus on five-star guests, we will be able to double local workers’ salaries and stop underpayment of local employees.”
ALLinVillas is pre-launching its crowdfunding campaign on their own donations website to pre-inform the public before the final launch in March on Indiegogo, the world’s most established crowdfunding platform. ALLinVillas' goal is to raise USD 350,000 to fund the building of its first Villa in Negril Jamaica and to start marketing the travel agency business in the United States, Canada, and the UK. The first eco-friendly Villa will host up to 12 adults. To contribute to ALLinVillas crowdfunding campaign, people can visit allinvillas.com or go directly to donation.allinvillas.com.
"The latest Oxfam report, 'An Economy for 1%', is calling for urgent action to tackle the extreme inequality crisis," said Tanicia Samms, Jamaican co-founder of ALLinVillas. "While leaders are talking about world economic issues in Davos, we at ALLinVillas are doing something to tackle poverty." According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Jamaica Tourist Board, the travel industry in Jamaica is continuously growing and increasing by almost 5% in 2015. This strong travel industry growth is accompanied by another sharp increase: a rise in the rate of poverty in Jamaica.
ALLinVillas’ donation website enables people to follow the progress of the project and get involved by becoming a volunteer as advisor or social media marketer for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram campaigns. Backers can also buy unique perks, such as “your name on the wall” carved on the Villa’s fence wall and discounted stays from a single night up to 12 month, valid for a lifetime. And for people who want even more information, there is a limited edition eBook called The Social Jamaican Getaway – How all-inclusive tourists unconsciously become local community developers.
