TORONTO — After the deals and discounts of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, corporations and other organizations are giving back today, on Giving Tuesday.

Here’s a look at what two big names in the travel industry – Air Canada, and Planeterra – are doing to mark Giving Tuesday.

AIR CANADA

The Air Canada Foundation is promising to match Aeroplan points donated by Aeroplan members, starting today and running through Dec. 5. Donations help provide sick children with access to specialized healthcare across Canada.

Helping kids reach medical care is what the Air Canada Foundation Aeroplan Points Matching Week is all about: helping children reach medical care, says Valérie Durand, spokesperson for the Air Canada Foundation.

“We are grateful to Aeroplan Members for their donations, which relieve a burden and ultimately allow parents to focus on their children during difficult times,” says Durand.

Until Dec. 5, members who donate Aeroplan points to the Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program will double the impact of their contribution as the value of the points donated will be matched, up to 500,000 points, by Aeroplan.

Through the generosity of Aeroplan Members, the Air Canada Foundation donates millions of Aeroplan points to 15 pediatric hospitals across Canada every year to help children reach the medical care they need away from home.

Since the introduction of the Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program in 2003, sick children, accompanied by a parent, have been able to obtain the medical care needed away from home. Driving long hours can be strenuous for both the child and the parent, notes the foundation, especially when several visits to the hospital are required each month or when treatments last several months. Travelling by air helps families avoid hours on the road and alleviates some of the financial burden of travel expenses, which can cause serious economic and emotional hardship to families.

For more information on the Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program and its impact, visit www.aircanada.com/foundation.

PLANETERRA

Planeterra, the world’s leading non-profit dedicated to supporting communities through tourism, has launched its biggest holiday campaign to date: ‘The Wish List’.

Organizers say the aim of this year’s fundraiser is to support five of Planeterra’s community tourism enterprises, which will begin receiving travellers in 2022 but still require sponsorship for training, equipment and even tuk tuks before they can open their doors to international groups.

The Wish List allows supporters of Planeterra and community tourism, to be part of making ‘wishes’ come true this holiday season after a difficult two years with limited income from international travel.

Funds raised this year will go towards things like tuk-tuks for a women-run transport service in Cambodia, art supplies for an an Indigenous artisan cooperative in Mexico, in-person training for a youth art tour in Argentina, uniforms and kitchen appliances for a cafe in Mongolia that employs individuals with Down syndrome, and a new roof for a coffee cooperative in the Galapagos.

Donations to the campaign this year, up to US$15,000, will also be personally matched by the founder of both Planeterra and G Adventures, Bruce Poon Tip, who says that getting these enterprises back on their feet as soon as possible through the Wish List fundraiser is essential.

“These grants will be welcomed by local social  enterprises, and G Adventures is committed to integrating these experiences into trip itineraries in 2022 as part of our Project 100 program, which means these community tourism projects  will be supported into the future while also giving travellers a meaningful and memorable experience,” says Poon Tip.

Over and above the capacity building grants the fundraiser will generate is the commitment from Planeterra to provide training, support and mentorship through the Global Community Tourism Network, which launched earlier last year.

“The Global Community Tourism Network now provides training, resources, and mentorship to over 340 communities in 74 countries,” notes Planeterra President, Jamie Sweeting.

“We want to take this to the next level as travel re-emerges in 2022, so we’re asking travel lovers to help us grant these special wishes this holiday season, and to support our continued work to help communities get the most out of the tourism industry.”

Planeterra will celebrate the funding of each project before moving on to the next enterprise’s fundraising goal. Organizers invite industry colleagues, travellers and more to visit The Wish List campaign to support communities this holiday season.