Local Voices, Global Impact

Have you ever traveled somewhere new, only to be met with a wall of buses, back-to-back boat excursions, walking tours with headsets, and rows of chain restaurants that leave you wondering what’s actually local anymore?

It’s a common travel experience and a sign of overtourism at work. When destinations are built to cater to mass crowds rather than preserve what makes them special, the real heart of a place can get lost in the shuffle.

But here’s the good news: tourism doesn’t have to look like this. At Collette, we believe that travel should celebrate the people who live in these places, not push them out. It should amplify local voices, support small businesses, and protect cultural traditions, not drown them in generic experiences.

Tourism, when done right, has the power to inspire, preserve, and connect. That’s why we launched the Collette Cares Impact Initiative Microgrant Program: an effort to put more resources directly into the hands of the people and small businesses who make each destination so vibrant. The shop owner who’s been making traditional textiles for generations. The family-run café that’s been serving locals long before it was in any guidebook. The community project focused on preserving culture, protecting the environment, or empowering women. These are the voices we want to support.

Designed exclusively for our on-tour partners, the Collette Cares microgrants, ranging from $250 to $2,500, support small, community-rooted efforts that reflect the true spirit of responsible tourism. Whether it’s a project focused on sustainability, cultural heritage, or gender equity, we’re proud to invest in initiatives that ensure travel doesn’t just take; it gives back.

Mass tourism often funnels money into large-scale, foreign-owned operations that share limited value with the communities they operate in. We believe the heart of a destination lives in its local people, businesses, and traditions — not in the pages of a bucket list. That’s the kind of tourism we want to be part of.

Through our small group Explorations tours, we create space for real connection, with smaller group sizes, locally owned accommodations, and Impact Moments that spotlight the organizations and individuals making a difference in their communities. The microgrant program is one more way we’re deepening that commitment, helping our partners and their communities not just host travelers, but thrive in part because of them.

Tourism doesn't have to erode culture or overwhelm communities. It can empower, preserve, and enrich — when it's done thoughtfully. We don’t need less tourism. We need better tourism. And we’re proud to be building that future together.