Don't call Untours another Airbnb. First of all, it's been around a whole lot longer than the San Francisco-based company that was founded in 2008. Untours -- founded by Norma and Hal Taussig in 1975 -- isn't exactly a DIY vacation either. It's a balance between planned flights, apartment rentals and local contact information and independence when ever you decide you want it. It's up to you.
As a certified B Corporation, the for-profit company, which runs vacations in Europe and the Americas, makes the priority of travel a cultural connection. The Untours Foundation is where the majority of the business' profits are re-invested to create social impact. Paul Newman and John F. Kennedy, Jr. awarded the Taussigs with the Most Generous Business in the United States award in 1999.
Contact Information
Untours website
Untours on Facebook
Untours on Twitter
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Apartment-based Vacation Alternatives
- Opportunities for creating unique apartment vacation experiences apart from traditional hotels.
- Social Impact Travel
- Opportunities to integrate social impact initiatives in for-profit travel businesses.
- Longevity of Travel Companies
- Benefits of established, long-standing travel companies in an industry dominated by startups like Airbnb.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Hospitality
- Hospitality industry players can research how to combine social impact initiatives with for-profit business models.
- Travel
- Travel industry companies can consider creating more personalized and unique vacation rental experiences.
- Social Enterprise
- Social enterprise businesses can work towards creating more travel businesses that combine economic opportunities with social impact initiatives.
