Mandip Singh Soin, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Founding President of the Ecotourism Society of India and the founder of Ibex Expeditions, has been appointed an Ambassador for the industry-wide ‘10 MILLION BETTER’ campaign launched by Sustainable Travel International, a US-based non-profit organisation, to improve lives and protect places through travel and tourism.
The campaign has set a goal to improve the lives of at least 10 million people by 2025 and is the first to convene like-minded travel and tourism leaders, corporations, organizations, and destinations around a shared vision of a just and accountable industry demonstrating tangible impacts on a large scale, including growth in income and opportunity, and better protection of destinations’ natural, cultural and heritage sites.
Also for the first time, there is a new UN mandate to achieve this, and a new urgency and willingness for the industry to act in concert. The campaign will encourage stakeholders to set their own goals for improving lives, and to monitor and report their progress. To enable destinations and businesses to track and share their results and demonstrate collective impact, Sustainable Travel International is developing an open-source Impact Monitoring System.
“Mandip is an explorer, mountaineer, ecotourism pioneer, and adventure travel guru,” said Brian Mullis, Executive Board Chair and Founder of Sustainable Travel International. “His passion and experience will add depth and influence to the campaign in India, and he brings a strong, unifying voice to catalyse positive social and environmental change in the industry.”
“Since 2002, Sustainable Travel International has helped communities, hotels, airlines, cruise lines and governments to chart their roadmaps for responsible growth,” said Soin. “They have helped destinations and corporations protect the natural and cultural assets on which the travel and tourism industry depends, enhancing the experience of millions of visitors and improving the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe.”
Soin joins other distinguished tourism professionals as Ambassadors to the 10 MILLION BETTER campaign, including Andrea Pinabell, VP of Sustainability Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, and Nigel Pilkington, Director of PR & Communications Skål International. Other industry leaders that have joined the campaign include Carlson, Delaware North and Intrepid Travel, as well the environmental organization Sierra Club.
