# Community-Supporting Tours This Company Uses Tourist Dollars to Support Local Economies By Katherine Pendrill | Published 2015-09-15 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tourist-dollars References: [psfk](http://www.psfk.com/2015/09/your-next-adventure-can-help-impoverished-communities-onwards-travel.html) & [indiegogo](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/onwards-travel--4) 'Onwards Travel' is a non-profit company that uses tourist dollars to support community development. While international tourism can be extremely damaging for some communities, this organization provides a more ethical way for travelers to visit [remote locales](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/not-hot-list). Onwards Travel was founded by Jacob Taddy after he observed how youth-led tours transformed a small agricultural town in the Dominican Republic. Taddy started Onwards Travel as a way of accelerating [tourism-led growth in different communities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/travelshare). The company helps to bolster local economies by providing a steady stream of tourists that help support local business. Beyond bringing in tourists, Onwards Travel also provides microfinance loans, business training and professional development for local entrepreneurs. The company offers a more ethical way to travel by using tourist dollars to support local economies rather than multinational hospitality chains. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.5/10 - Popularity: 48% | Activity: 78% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Social Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialbusiness) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Community-supporting Tours:** Tour companies that prioritize community support over profits are becoming more popular. - **Ethical Tourism:** As travelers become more aware of the negative impact of tourism on local communities, they are seeking out more ethical ways to travel. - **Tourism-led Development:** Communities are looking to tourism as a way to boost their local economies and provide sustainable growth. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Tourism:** Tourism companies have an opportunity to capitalize on the trend towards more community-focused and ethical travel options. - **Community Development:** Organizations focused on community development can explore partnerships with tourist companies to bring in revenue and bolster local economies. - **Microfinance:** Microfinance organizations can leverage their expertise to support local entrepreneurs in tourist destinations and create sustainable business growth. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Locally Driven Travel Agencies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/on-the-go-tours.md) - [Indigenous Tourism Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/indigenous-tourism.md) - [Conscientious Tourism Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/against-overtourism.md) - [Travel Community Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tripnation-travel-community.md) - [Influencer Travel Guides](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/influencerhosted-tour-program.md) - [Carbon-Mitigating Travel Tours](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/andiamo-campaign.md) - [Mindful Travel Lineups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/farans.md) - [Travel-Focused Regional Websites](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tourism-authority.md) - [Alternative Travel Incentives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/roamr-for-friends.md)