Dominique Callimanopulos started Elevate Destinations in an effort to repair the estranged relationship that travelers often have with native communities around the world. Her interest in calming this tension was so strong that it became the central focus of her academic and professional career. As Wesleyan University Dominique wrote her anthropology thesis on the impact of tourism in the Seychelle Islands, a mission that inspired her later work to combine travel, non-profit organizations, and philanthropists into one rewarding business venture.

Since then, every Elevate Destinations trip has been planned to benefit both environmental preservation and community development. In order to ensure that the mission of Elevate Destinations is always in the forefront, they only hire commited individuals who show tremendous ability and personal integrity. Elevate Destinations makes bridging travel and philanthropy easy-they'll even donate funds to a specific group of your choosing. Their new online travel philanthropy program, Travel Matters, will allow travelers to donate to pre-screened, non-profit, and charity organizations in the countries that they visit beginning in Fall of 2006.

If you're interested in planning a trip through Elevate Destinations, you can choose from places like Kenya, South Africa, India, and Nepal-all traveled in luxury style of course. In Kenya, funds are donated to the Gallmann Africa Conservancy (www.gallmannkenya.org), an organization that's focused on protecting wildlife, environmental education, community service, and the preservation of tradition Kenyan culture. The conservancy was started 30 years ago by author Kuki Gallmann in the 100,000 acre wildlife reserve of Ol Ari Nyiro. Ol Ari Nyiro boasts extraordinary research and educational facilities in addition to the myriad of wildlife it plays home to. In South Africa money goes towards funding the South African Youth Leadership Initiative (SAYLI), an organization that works to strengthen young, socially oriented entrepreneurs who are commited to the UN Millennium Development Goals for Southern Africa. SAYLI encourages change by providing young leaders with a program that works with each individual to enhance their personal and professional work. In India funds go to the Floating Desert School whose mission is to bring education to rural areas through a "floating school" that can move around, serving a larger number of people than a traditional school could. The flexibility of the floating school model enables needs of specific villages to be met. The model is inherently flexible, adapting to the needs of each dynamic and particular village.

Elevate Destinations also provides funding to the Thoreau Group's Tsunami relief efforts in India. This non-profit organization is dedicated to development and disaster relief and is currently working to provide funds to Tsunami victims on the islands of Andaman and Nicobar. These isolated islands are reported to have lost anywhere from 20% to 30% of their population-leaving some tribes with only a few survivors at best. In Nepal, Elevate Destinations funds the Nepalese Youth Opportunity (www.nyof.org), an organization that provides hope for poverty stricken children by providing financial support for schools, homes, and medical and nutritional programs. Elevate Destinations also works with the Society for Nature Conservation and Rural Development (SNCRD), a non government organization, founded six years ago by Lieutenant Colonel Hikat Bisht. The primary mission of SNCRD is to free Kamaiyas who are bonded laborers forced into slavery.

For those of you who believe in contributing to a greater cause while resting on sandy white shores, Elevate Destinations is for you. Elevate Destinations ability to innovate and create meaning in the oftentimes materialistic industry of luxury getaways is one that can inspire all of us to work towards a greater good. Elevate Destinations is proving that vacations can be about much more than 18 holes-and customers around the world are agreeing.