22 Jan Travel Leaders Group Foundations Make Donations to Australia
Financial gift from the company’s charitable arms assist bushfire relief efforts
New York, NY (January 22, 2020) — Today, Travel Leaders Group, one of North America’s largest travel agency companies, announced that its non-profit foundations, The ALTOUR Foundation, Family Bonds Foundation, and the Tzell and Protravel Foundation, have come together to contribute funds to the Australian Red Cross to assist with the bushfire relief efforts in Australia, where countless families have been displaced and more than one billion animals have lost their lives as a result of approximately 15 million acres of land burning in this top vacation destination.
“We are truly devastated by the deep losses our friends, partners and everyone across Australia are facing due to the dire situation caused by these bushfires,” said Travel Leaders Group CEO J.D. O’Hara. “It will take a tremendous effort for them to continue to fight these fires as well as to rebuild, and it is our intention to have these financial gifts help feed, clothe and provide shelter to those in need.”
The Australian Red Cross was chosen to receive the donations from Travel Leaders Group’s foundations because the Red Cross is a trusted partner worldwide in disaster response, with decades of experience providing organized relief for people affected by natural disasters, including earthquakes, cyclones, floods, storms, fire and drought and other emergencies.
Australia is a perennial bucket list destination known for its unique fauna roaming its national parks and sanctuaries, from kangaroos and wombats to puffins and koala bears. It is a dream destination with must-see attractions, such as the Great Barrier Reef and the iconic Sydney Opera House. In fact, Australia was the top-ranking, most-desired international destination to visit in 2020, as chosen by North American consumers who participated in a Travel Leaders Group survey conducted in fourth quarter 2019.
Funds from the Family Bonds Foundation consist of donations collected from travel advisors and employees across Travel Leaders Group, and they are distributed to support families, their children and communities experiencing hardships.
The Tzell and Protravel Foundation, which originally formed in 2012 to help victims of Hurricane Sandy, now provides funds, support and assistance to people and communities in need worldwide.
Through its ALTOUR Goes Green initiative, ALTOUR supports charitable organizations working to combat climate change and otherwise improve the environment.
“Those looking to support Australia tourism beyond monetary donations should consider booking a vacation there in the future, as tourism dollars are another way to help the local economy and small business owners regain their footing,” added O’Hara.
For up-to-date information on what areas have been affected by the fires, Travel Leaders Group recommends travelers visit the travel alerts page on the Australian Tourism website at Australia.com.
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About Travel Leaders Group
Travel Leaders Group (www.TravelLeadersGroup.com) is transforming travel with a commitment to our vacation and business travel clients through our progressive approach toward each unique travel experience. Having already assisted millions of travelers, Travel Leaders Group manages leisure, business and franchise travel operations under a variety of diversified divisions and brands. With over 6,000 agency locations, Travel Leaders Group ranks as one of the industry’s largest travel agency companies. Travelers also have access to The Travel Collection by Travel Leaders Group, a portfolio of select travel offers including discounts on international and domestic flights, value-added benefits at lodging establishments, shipboard credits on cruises and savings on escorted and vacation packages. Membership to The Travel Collection is offered at no additional cost to U.S. American Express Gold Card, Business Gold Rewards Card, Platinum Card® and Business Platinum Card® Members. For more information visit www.TheTravelCollection.com.