9 Inspiring Companies Changing the Way We Travel

Unpacked by Afar

In our annual Travel Vanguard awards, Afar honors nine companies that are working to improve the world and how travelers experience it. We launched the Afar Travel Vanguard in 2016 to celebrate organizations that are making travel a force for good. This year, we received more than 100 nominations from travel professionals and organizations around the world. Narrowing down the list was no easy task since, fortunately, there are more organizations than ever pioneering efforts in sustainability, diversity, or accessibility.

Our nine honorees include a cruise line providing vital medical care to residents of remote islands, a destination focused on making vacations easier for neurodivergent people, and a resort company supporting and elevating its local communities. May their stories inspire you to travel more respectfully and consciously.

In this episode, we talk with Ellen Carpenter, a NYC-based writer and editor who interviewed all nine winners.

Meet the winners of the 2025 Afar Travel Vanguard

Visit Myrtle Beach: For making vacations smoother for autistic families

Tourism Cares: For connecting travelers with more meaningful experiences across the world

Visit Lauderdale: For being a committed ally to LGBTQ+ travelers

Quark Expeditions: For showcasing the culture and food traditions of Greenland and Canada

Sandals Foundation: For lifting up its Caribbean communities

Destination Canada: For developing and supporting under-visited regions across the country

Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy: For investing in the futures of people in the areas where its guests travel

Paul Gauguin Cruises: For providing much-needed medical assistance in French Polynesia

Switzerland Tourism: For uniting the Swiss tourism industry in a shared commitment to sustainability

Resources

• Meet the previous members of the Afar Travel Vanguard.
• Explore Ellen Carpenter's work.

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Travel Tales, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.