Abercrombie & Kent supports Porter Assistance Project

07-10-2009

 

 

DOWNERS GROVE, IL – July 8, 2009… As exotic destinations become more commonplace, travellers are seeking out opportunities for a more unique or broadening experience, often through a challenge of some sort to one's physical, emotional or mental capabilities -- or in the case of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, all three. "I've discovered that for those who try to climb Kili, the mountain is almost always a metaphor. You climb it not just to reach the summit, but to prove something to yourself,” says Richard Wiese, former president of The Explorers Club. "However, for thoughtful travellers, there is a responsibility to research and choose a company that practices and promotes responsible, sustainable tourism.”

 

Wiese has teamed up with award-winning travel company Abercrombie & Kent on Mt. Kilimanjaro: To the Summit on a Mission, a Philanthropic Journey offering not only a challenge for the body, but a chance to give something back as they deliver the third in a series of weather stations to monitor the climate changes affecting Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. Wiese will point out the changes he has seen on the mountain over the years due to global warming. "People who take a trip like this are looking for more than just adventure and challenge,” adds Wiese. "They want to be involved in a project that is related to understanding how global warming is changing our world. This is important scientific research that is being supported by tourism dollars.”

 

Abercrombie & Kent was recently recognized as a Partner for Responsible Travel by the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC), a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote responsible and sustainable connections between travellers and the people of developing mountain regions of the world.

 

Since much of a climber's success in summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro depends on the assistance of the porters, Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy has pledged ongoing support for IMEC's Kilimanjaro Porter Assistance Project, which seeks to improve their working conditions by:

•     Providing individual porters with warm, high quality clothing free of charge.

•     Offering free English language, First Aid and HIV/AIDS Awareness classes.

•     Educating guests about acceptable standards of porter treatment.

 

Abercrombie & Kent goes to great lengths to design travel that offers privileged access and cultural insights, while protecting the very heritage that makes travel worthwhile with a philosophy that is governed in equal parts by an unswerving commitment to conservation and the mission of providing "memories of a lifetime.”

 

Mt. Kilimanjaro: To the Summit on a Mission, December 27, 2009 – Jan 8, 2010 with Richard Wiese; thirteen days from $7,795, plus $1,200 donation (tax deductible) required. For more information go to www.abercrombiekent.com or call 800.554.7094 to speak with an expedition specialist.

 

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About International Mountain Explorers Connection A U.S.-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote responsible and sustainable connections between travelers and the people of developing mountain regions of the world. Through IMEC's local projects in Moshi, Tanzania and Kathmandu, travelers gain a greater understanding of labor issues surrounding the tourism industry. For more information on IMEC, go to http://www.mountainexplorers.org/club/about.htm.

 

About Abercrombie & Kent

Born as a safari outfitter in 1962, Abercrombie & Kent's unparalleled travel services now extend around the globe to more than one hundred countries on all seven continents. The company built its award-winning reputation by being the first to bring unexpected comforts and amenities to remote destinations. Described by the Los Angeles Times as "a highly respected company dedicated to conservation and environmentally intelligent tourism,” A&K's contributions were recognized at the Conde Nast Traveler World Savers Congress and earned the World Travel & Tourism Council Green Award for Corporate Social Leadership and the ASTA/Smithsonian Environmental Award. 

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