Kino Italy | 👨👨👧
Idea: KINO Italy creates a coworking experience that lures remote workers from crowded digital nomad hotspots and welcomes them to Italy’s declining towns, where they can positively impact local communities .
Why it matters: For small towns and villages with declining populations, taking advantage of the work-from-anywhere revolution is an opportunity to revitalize flagging economies.
How it works: As the pandemic makes remote work mainstream, Serena Quirona and Andrea Mammoliti partner with local communities to host month-long coworking retreats in lesser-known locations. I saw an opportunity to change the narrative. Having both spent time themselves in popular remote work destinations like Portugal, they say such arrangements require a more participatory approach, one that includes and benefits local residents. I saw it with my own eyes. The walled Tuscan village of Pitigliano is one of his participating destinations, with KINO working directly with local authorities to arrange short-term accommodation for workers, who can also work in co-working spaces and with local residents. social events will be available. The company will host several pilot retreats in 2022, followed by its first retreat in 2023, and has cumulatively hosted nomads from more than 18 countries on six different retreats to date, and plans to host nomads from more than 18 countries in 2024. has plans to expand.
Expedia Group | 🚀
The idea: Expedia Group’s Open World Accelerator is designed to help startups in the technology industry accelerate growth and make travel more accessible.
Why it matters: In early 2023, Expedia Group announced the first group of open world accelerator programs. This is an initiative aimed at boosting start-ups in the travel tech industry, with the hope that these companies will grow and serve as a model. Also for other small businesses. The theme of the first program is “Accessibility and Inclusion,” with carefully selected brands including Green Book Global, a review website for Black travelers, and Becoming RentABLE, a short-term rental platform with 36 filters for a variety of disabilities. Start-up companies participated.
How it works: For approximately six months, this cohort received technology and business mentorship from industry experts, non-equity grants, and access to Expedia Group’s online platform. The program concluded in June with his “Demo Day” at Expedia Group headquarters in Seattle. There, startup investors and Expedia Group representatives met to discuss partnerships with the first startup group. Additionally, several pilot programs are already being tested for improvements. Expedia Group accessibility features. The company plans to announce subsequent program themes in the near future.
Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) | 🌱 👨👨👧
Mission Statement: Indigenous Tourism Council of Canada (ITAC) helps businesses across Canada ensure quality and authenticity through national guidelines and branding.
Learn more: Around the world, national associations such as the NZ Maori Tourism Association support and promote indigenous tourism. There are also quality assurance marks, such as Tourism New Zealand’s Qualmark, which identify high-quality travel experiences, including those run by Indigenous peoples. In 2021, ITAC launched The Original Original label, combining both concepts to highlight the quality and authenticity of Canada’s Indigenous-owned businesses. This award is only given to companies that are at least 51% owned by Indigenous people. Since then, this initiative has resonated around the world. In Finland, researchers commissioned a presentation from ITAC to inform their own standards for Sami tourism labels.
Why it matters: The appropriation of Indigenous culture by non-Indigenous tourism operators has long been an issue. Certification labels allow travelers to better identify Indigenous-owned tourism businesses.
