Agoda Commits 1.5 Million to Fund Asian Conservation Projects
Digital travel platform Agoda has announced the launch of its fourth Eco Deals program at the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Malaysia, expanding its ongoing partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature. The initiative supports the protection of wildlife and the conservation of critical habitats in Asia, in line with the forum’s theme “Unity In Motion: Shaping ASEAN’s Tourism Tomorrow.”
Agoda has set a donation target of $1.5 million, surpassing its previous year’s goal of $1 million. The program has expanded to include Japan and Korea, covering 10 markets in total. For every program booking made at a participating hotel, Agoda will donate $1 towards WWF’s conservation efforts.
The Eco Deals initiative will fund a wide array of conservation activities, including restoring wetlands in Japan, protecting spoonbills in Korea, and ongoing projects such as advancing tiger conservation in Malaysia, protecting whale sharks in the Philippines, conserving elephants in Thailand, safeguarding saolas in Viet Nam, restoring ecosystems in Indonesia, developing urban wetlands in Laos PDR, and supporting rangers in Cambodia. The Eco Deals program will be open to consumers for bookings from January 20, 2025, to December 19, 2025.
Agoda is also introducing the Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund in collaboration with WWF-Singapore and UnTours Foundation. The fund provides affordable and flexible investment capital to support change-making businesses addressing sustainability challenges in the tourism sector. Agoda is designating $100,000 to the fund, with the potential to increase to $150,000 upon reaching the $1.5 million donation target.
The Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund is designed to provide investment capital to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the tourism sector across several Southeast Asian markets, fostering innovation and advancing conservation to help shape the future of travel in a more sustainable way. Eligible MSMEs seeking funding to enhance their sustainability efforts in the travel sector can apply for low-interest loans ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.
Through the Eco Deals program, hotel partners can offer customers discounted rates of up to 15%. In exchange, these participating partners receive the Eco Deals badge and are featured prominently across various Agoda platforms, enhancing their visibility.
Agoda’s global network encompasses diverse accommodations and experiences, furthering its dedication to a more sustainable future for travel. Collaborations with organizations like WWF and UnTours Foundation bolster Agoda’s efforts, ensuring a positive ecological and socio-economic impact can be made through every journey.