A KickStart beneficiary in Kenya: one of the groups Elevate Destinations supports.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - November 18, 2008 - For one week before Thanksgiving, Elevate Destinations, a leading philanthropic travel company, will match all donations submitted to its online giving program: Travel Matters.

Founded in 2005 by Dominique Callimanopulos, a worldwide traveler concerned about the inequities between tourists and host communities, Elevate Destinations designs extraordinary individual, group and family adventures, providing travelers with the opportunity to better understand the environmental, socio-cultural and economic needs of the countries they visit. A percentage of each trip is always donated to the protection of natural resources and community development in host destinations.

In addition, Elevate Destinations sponsors an online giving program, Travel Matters, which accepts donations to vetted non-profits active in environmental protection and community development around the world. This carbon-effective "armchair" travel philanthropy program permits donors to make a difference to people, land and wildlife abroad without getting on a plane! Donors are encouraged to support destinations that they have traveled to, destinations that they will be traveling to or social causes of interest.

Through Travel Matters, individuals can assist with saving elephants in Bostwana, help street children in Cambodia, increase literacy in India and sponsor micro-financing in Mali, to name just a few of the varied causes the program promotes. Some of the better-known non-profits Travel Matters benefits are: The Rainforest Alliance (protecting worldwide ecosystems), Action Against Hunger (providing food to people in distress) and Direct Relief International (delivering medical relief to underserved populations).

In a time of economic distress at home, Thanksgiving may be a perfect moment to make a positive global impact by sharing what you have with those in need. By donating through Travel Matters this week, one's gift will reach twice as far.

To view matching gift announcement, please visit: http://www.elevatedestinations.com/press/givethanks.html"¨"¨

For more information about Travel Matters, please visit: http://www.elevatedestinations.com/travelmatters.html"¨"¨

For more information about Elevate Destinations, please visit: http://www.elevatedestinations.com

Email Elevate Destinations directly: info@elevatedestinations.com"¨

Elevate Destinations

Elevate Destinations

Founded by Dominique Callimanopulos in 2005, Elevate Destinations is a leading global sustainable travel company that caters to luxury-oriented travelers seeking once-in-a-lifetime adventures to exotic destinations where they also have an opportunity to better understand the environmental, socio-cultural and economic needs of the places they visit. Elevate Destinations offers customized group tours and retreats to Africa, India, Latin America and Southeast Asia, and organizes donor trips for both profit and non-profit organizations. For more information, visit www.elevatedestinations.com

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