HopInterview with a Hopineo ambassador on the point of leaving
Kahina is leaving soon for a HopTour throughout Latin America. Take-off : 1st September ; Destination : Mexico.
Hopineo makes the introductions with this new passionate HopAmbassador !
Hopineo : Who are you ? What is your background?
Kahina : Insatiable curious and passionate about travel, I have always been fascinated by the discovery of new cultures. Enthusiastic about nature, I enjoy getting lost off the beaten track and meeting with locals.
My trips forged a deep consciousness of environmental issues in me. When we are confronted with reality we can not ignore it anymore.
What is your main source of inspiration?
A quote summarizing my vision of travel : « He who travels without meeting others does not travel, he just moves about » Alexandra David-Neel.
My life experience has been marked by perpetual changes. My most memorable experiences have always been preceded by a certain risk taking and a desertion of my comfort zone.
One of my favorite authors : Paulo Coehlo for its spiritual trips.
Another inspiring author on travel and discovery of new cultures theme : Ludovic Hubler and his book Le monde en stop.
Why this trip ? What will be the common theme? How long time ?
The governing principle of my trip : meeting with entrepreneurs of sustainable tourism swapping my skills and time in exchange for a room and food.
This experience will allow me to discover and share best practices.
This project begun to materialize in Peru during a volunteer mission in ecotourism. I worked with an NGO during my few weeks off end of last year. That was my 2nd experience in this field but always in parallel of my main occupation in the hospitality industry.
Back to France, I decided to make a major change : that the majority of my time would be dedicated to my passion and that it could contribute even in a modest way, to raise awareness among the greatest number.
I do not have the pretention to change the world, I only wish to play my part through communication and the exchange of best practices with the aim to promote the entrepreneurs of sustainable development.
My dream of the moment : that my passion for travel and my dedication to work contribute to a cause that I value a lot ; the respect for our beautiful planet. I do not know yet how long will last this trip…[/vc_message]
Your definition of sustainable travel ?
Responsible travel could be summarized in one word : Respect.
Respect for the environment, respect for cultural ressources and local populations.
We have the chance in some countries to have a high purchasing power compared some other countries.
This gives us the luxury to chose how we spend this money when we travel, while living a unique experience.
If by this choice we could make a positive impact on the life of local populations instead of deteriorate them, this is a good start !
What would be a better world to you ?
I remain optimistic about the future of the world despite the alarmist messages.
Generally speaking, we are more informed and involved on sustainable development matters. We also have powerful communication tools than can also spread positive messages.
However the awareness must be generalized through information and education.
To me a better world would be caracterized by the search for new experiences rather than the race for material acquisitions.
In this sense, the openess of mind provided by travel and education contribute to make the world a better place.
Your definition of Hopineo ?
Hopineo is a non-profit collaborative platform promoting sustainable tourism giving visibility to responsible tourism structures and tourism professionals involved in this process and through the collective intelligence sharing best practices.
The last word ?
I will end with a quote from the one who discovered the continent I am about to land in :« We never go as far as when we do not know where we go », Christopher Colombus.
Have a nice trip Kahina !!
Article written by Mahery for the Beneficiaries Home