MIAMI, Oct. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fathom, the
pioneer in social impact travel and Carnival Corporation's
(NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) 10th and newest brand, today highlighted
the collective impact made during its first 13 sailings to the
Dominican Republic. Travelers have
dedicated thousands of impact days to help areas of economic,
educational and environmental opportunity to flourish in Dominican
communities. From planting more than 16,000 seedlings to producing
730 clay water-filters, travelers have become part of something
bigger and unleashed their own potential in fun, creative, engaging
and surprising ways.
"From the beginning, Fathom, our travelers and our incredible
community partners have been weaving a beautiful impact mosaic that
is inspiring hope and ongoing potential," said Tara Russell, president of Fathom and global
impact lead for Carnival Corporation & plc. "We have done this
by learning, immersing and coming alongside the vision of our
partner communities in a way that supports holistic flourishing. We
participated closely with local community leaders and our partner
organizations to understand their hopes and dreams for the region,
and then identified specific, measurable success metrics we could
track to begin understanding definitively certain elements of the
impact story being woven together. It is humbling to see the
collective impact story we are beginning to affect in just a few
months."
During sailings to the beautiful Puerto Plata region on the
northern coast of the Dominican
Republic, mindful travelers playfully engaged and
participated alongside partners to learn, understand and address
the various opportunities for local families. To date, Fathom
travelers and local Dominicans have collectively:
Student English Conversation & Learning / Community
English Conversation & Learning:
- Impact: Fathom travelers provided approximately 17,500
hours of English interaction to individual adult and youth
students, better preparing youth and adults for future
employability and increased economic opportunity.
- Why It Matters: The largest driver of employment success in the
tourist-driven Dominican Republic
economy is English proficiency.
Water Filter Production:
- Impact: Fathom travelers produced and installed 730
water filters in community homes, positively impacting the health
and wellbeing of thousands of local Dominicans.
- Why It Matters: The estimated 3,650 Dominican recipients of
these filters will experience a reduction in instances of
waterborne illnesses, as well as cost savings from not having to
purchase expensive bottled water. Indirect benefits could include
better work and school attendance.
Reforestation & Nursery:
- Impact: Fathom travelers planted more than 16,000
seedlings and plants, offsetting the environmental impact of
travelers coming to the region.
- Why It Matters: Over time, Fathom's reforestation and nursery
efforts will contribute to more nutrient-rich soil, helping to
reduce soil loss, improve air and water quality, increase localized
biodiversity and potentially producing higher agricultural yields
for citizens.
Concrete Floors in Community Homes:
- Impact: Installed concrete floors in 40 homes, improving
the living environments for hundreds of local Dominicans.
- Why It Matters: Concrete floors provide a safer and cleaner
living environment for residents while reducing the health risks
associated with dirt floors.
Cacao and Women's Chocolate Cooperative:
- Impact: Fathom travelers cleaned 3,700 pounds of cacao
nibs, which translates to more than 109,000 finished
chocolate bars; they also have wrapped, packaged and prepared for
sale more than 57,400 products.
- Why It Matters: In a region with limited employment income,
Fathom and its travelers are helping this small woman-owned
business grow and thrive, which is contributing to the overall
well-being of its employees and their families as well as other
cooperatives.
Recycled Paper and Crafts Entrepreneurship:
- Impact: Fathom travelers produced more than 9,800 sheets
of paper.
- Why It Matters: By helping entrepreneurs expand both their
production and sales, Fathom travelers are creating critical income
opportunities and financial independence for women workers.
"We have seen tangible benefits thanks to our passionate
travelers," said David Luther,
executive director of Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral
(IDDI). "Revenues have increased, wages have gone up accordingly
and we've given hard-working and enterprising Dominican women a
workshop to stay close to their families. The quality of work life
has been greatly enhanced for the women who work there – and that's
after just 13 sailings. When we look at the potential long-term
impact, it's amazing to think what might be possible."
Fathom's Focus on Shared Value and Long-Term
Transformation
What sets Fathom apart is its shared-value partnership approach
to creating significant, lasting and sustainable social impact
within communities, while at the same time within the lives of its
travelers. Additionally, Fathom's human impact journeys embrace fun
and playfully engaging opportunities to develop human connections
with like-minded travelers onboard and become a part of a global
community that acts together for common good.
"My highlight of the trip was Community English. This impact
activity not only gave us direct access to Dominican families and
their homes, but we played an essential role in teaching them
English," said Laura Lawson
Visconti, a nonstop explorer from Truckee, Calif. "While this experience
impacted me deeply, and I had to allow some time to process on my
own later that evening in my cabin onboard Adonia, I was struck by
the joy I felt from each Dominican I met. After a few moments
together, we were family."
"The trip is not just about giving back, it's also about
cultural immersion, discovering the beauty of the Dominican
people/land, personal growth and yes, having fun," stated
Justin Walter, a writer from
Los Angeles, Calif.
"The Fathom experience attracts people who want to learn, give
and be transformed through travel," said Ellen Christiansen, a travel advisor from
Alexandria, Va. "A Fathom cruise
bridges together people of all ages. While on my journey, I met
everyone from young solo travelers to retired friends and couples,
to families with young children; all stages of life, but all there
with a sincere desire to give back in a unique new way."
Creating a Lasting Impact
The average household
income in the Dominican is about $6,000 a year and more than three million people
do not have access to piped water. However, the country has a
strong infrastructure for impact including proven community
development organizations with deep roots in the country.
Fathom worked closely with two of these organizations, along
with various other stakeholder groups throughout the country –
Entrena and the Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral, Inc.
(IDDI) – to identify the areas of most need and undertake a range
of projects focused on education, environment and economic
development to provide meaningful, long-term and sustainable
impact. Depending on travelers' interests, passions and desires,
they venture off into intimate communities for up to three days to
participate in social impact activities they care about, unleashing
their potential and instantly developing friendships and
partnerships.
While the impact results to date are real and tangible, Fathom
is eager to continue building on the foundation laid by the company
and its travelers to make meaningful, long-term and sustained
impact. Fathom will continue taking up to 700 travelers to the
Dominican Republic to adventure
and come alongside local citizens for three days a week every other
week, while continuing to closely monitor and measure its ongoing
impact. The company has the potential to offer thousands of
traveler impact days per month to its partner communities, so the
results over time have the potential to be substantial.
Prices for the seven-day trips to the Dominican Republic start at $299 per person, excluding taxes, fees, and port
expenses and including all meals on the ship, onboard social impact
immersion experiences, three on-shore social impact activities and
related supplies. Prices vary by season. To secure a spot on future
sailings, a fully refundable $300 per
person deposit is required for all cabin categories and occupancy
levels. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. To reserve
a spot on future sailings, guests may call 1-855-932-8466 or
through a travel professional. Learn more at www.Fathom.org.
About Fathom Travel
Fathom is the newest brand in the
Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK)
family, which carries nearly 11 million travelers a year to
communities around the world. Fathom invites travelers to
embrace the possibilities ahead and to journey into the heart of a
destination. Fathom serves travelers hungry to experience the
world richly and with purpose. What sets Fathom apart is the
rich and playful onboard and onshore journey, its alongsided
partnership approach with its partner countries paired
with a unique business model that allow travelers to travel
deep, build community with like-minded travelers and become
immersed in another culture.
Fathom offers uniquely different round-trip voyages
from Miami to two of the Caribbean's most desired destinations: the
Dominican Republic and
Cuba. In the Dominican Republic, travelers have the
opportunity to work side by side with local residents in existing
programs that matter to the communities, like planting trees,
making chocolate, and creating life-saving water filters. In
Cuba, travelers visit the
port cities of Havana, Cienfuegos
and Santiago de Cuba and
enjoy on-the-ground activities that provide the opportunity to
interact directly with Cuban people and gain insight into their
everyday lives, rich culture and history.
The Fathom experience is brought to life aboard the
704-passenger MV Adonia. The smallest ship in the P&O fleet,
the Adonia is the ideal home base to engage, mobilize,
educate and equip travelers on every Dominican Republic trip allowing for personal
enrichment while participating in activities that unite strangers
to become part of something bigger together. For Cuban voyages,
passengers enjoy premium accommodations including all the amenities
of a modern hotel, plus the convenience of having to unpack only
once while seeing the breadth of the island. Every night, Fathom
travelers return to the comforts of the Adonia, where they can
relax knowing that all the details of travel are handled.
For more information about Fathom or to book a voyage, contact
your Travel Professional, call Fathom toll-free at 1-855-932-8466
or visit www.Fathom.org.
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SOURCE Fathom