Elevate Destinations, the eco-luxury travel branch of Elevate, Inc. was recently profiled in the Cambrige Chronicle for its unique social profit approach to travel.


Local shop Elevates travel experience
By Rachel Resnick, Correspondent

Lions, tigers and social profit, oh my! Travel with a conscience has made its way to the city in the form of Elevate Destinations, which sets itself apart from other travel agencies through its offering of custom-made luxury trips for people who want to see the wildlife of Africa, but are also interested in the social aspect of foreign cultures.

With exciting safaris and village visits in Africa and Nepal, Elevate Destinations allows clients to get up close and personal with lions, zebras, elephants and native Africans, as well as give back to the local communities.

The travel company, 4 Clement Circle, is a part of Elevate Inc., founded by its current president, Dominique Callimanopulos of Cambridge. Elevate Inc. is a social profit consulting company that offers a full range of fund-raising, philanthropy consulting and special event services in addition to the travel company.

Although it booked a few preliminary trips earlier this year, the company launched on a larger scale in October. With trips costing anywhere from $8,000 to $100,000 depending on trip duration, Elevate Destinations is not for the average backpacker. Due to its expense, the company expects to attract luxury travelers. Callimanopulos also stressed, however, that Elevate Destinations is good for people who
want to take that "trip of a lifetime." "It's not just for people who do luxury travel regularly, it's for the middle class, too," she said. Elevate Destinations caters to both families and corporate groups.

The main reason Callimanopulos cites for the costly trip prices is a concern for quality. In order to provide clients with first-class accommodations and quality safaris with knowledgeable guides, along with giving a 5 percent
social profit, it was necessary to set the prices high. "I want to protect the quality of the experience and be able to give back as well," she said.

Erica Disch, a local school teacher, went on an Elevate Destinations safari with her family this summer. While searching for socially responsible travel on the Internet, she came upon Elevate's Web site. "I wanted to be able to give something back and [Elevate] allowed me to do this," she said.

Currently, Elevate Destinations offers trips only to Africa and Nepal. Callimanopulos hopes to expand to other countries as well. She is currently considering trips to Fiji and Panama.

Elevate Destinations was a long time coming for Callimanopulos, who first considered the idea of social profit tourism in college. As an anthropology major at Wesleyan, she wrote a thesis on the impact of tourism dollars in
Third-World countries. "I've been traveling my whole life. I've always felt that tourism has a greater impact [in Third-World countries] than other efforts to give money," Callimanopulos said.

For more information, visit their Web site at www.elevatedestinations.com or call 617-661-0203.

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