NEEDHAM, Mass., Sept. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TripAdvisor today announced a commitment of at least $5 million from The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation over the next 3 years to aid the humanitarian refugee crisis. For its initial contribution, The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation will expand its partnership with The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Mercy Corps providing $1 million over 2 years to each organization. Additionally, through its TripAdvisor Media Group, the company has committed to provide in-kind support in multiple areas. The multi-year commitment was announced in advance of the White House’s Private Sector Call to Action Roundtable on September 20 at UN Headquarters.
“In the face of one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, we are called to action,” said Stephen Kaufer, president and CEO of TripAdvisor. “Millions of refugees are seeking safe haven, often without safety or clarity around where they will end up, and they truly need our collective support.”
Kaufer added, “This is a protracted crisis that is not going away overnight. It is reshaping economies and societies for the long-term. We know that no single company or organization can tackle this crisis singlehandedly and our donation and in-kind support is only a small fraction of what is desperately needed. With the state of the issue, governments around the world need to do more to find and implement lasting solutions; however, it’s incumbent upon the private sector to leverage our unique expertise, resources and capabilities in partnership with nonprofit organizations.”
Financial and in-kind support from TripAdvisor will address 4 key focus areas of needs identified:
- Meeting urgent humanitarian needs in Europe and the Syria region
- Enabling access to critical information via technology solutions for refugees to make smart and informed decisions along their journey
- Providing essential education and empowerment opportunities for refugee youth
- Supporting & strengthening resettlement opportunities in the U.S., and in other host communities
The UN reports that this is one the worst refugee crises and mass displacement of people since World War II, impacting millions of people who are seeking safe haven. As of the end of 2015, 65.3 million people – or one out of every 113 people on Earth – are impacted and seeking safe haven.
“Last summer as thousands of refugees arrived on the shores of Greece, TripAdvisor was one of the first companies to respond with relief support, also raising the profile of the crisis with their millions of subscribers worldwide,” said David Miliband, president and CEO of the IRC. “TripAdvisor’s leadership in the travel sector and continued investment will be invaluable in addressing the needs of refugees."
"We've been so grateful for TripAdvisor's generous support as Mercy Corps works to meet the needs of millions of people forced to flee their homes, and we're excited to expand on that partnership," says Neal Keny-Guyer, CEO of Mercy Corps. "In more than five years working in Syria, we've seen heart-wrenching, dark and frustrating days. What we've learned is that when organizations like TripAdvisor open their hearts and join us, we can change lives. Together we will find new ways to meet the urgent needs of today and build the foundation for a brighter tomorrow. "
The mission of The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation is to help strengthen human lives and communities around the world through commitments such as this. One year ago, TripAdvisor began its support of the refugee crisis providing a donation through The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation and appealed to its global community and employees with a gift matching campaign for a total donation of $1.4 million to both the IRC and Mercy Corps.
About The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation
The TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation is the corporate philanthropic arm of TripAdvisor Media Group. Since 2010, the Foundation has donated approximately $20 million to charitable organizations across the world addressing key humanitarian and societal issues. The Foundation was established with the mission to inspire and enable TripAdvisor’s employees to volunteer their time and skills for causes they care about and to help strengthen human lives and communities around the world through a variety of grant programs.
About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor ® is the world’s largest travel site*, enabling travelers to unleash the full potential of every trip. TripAdvisor offers advice from millions of travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools that check hundreds of websites to find the best hotel prices. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 350 million average monthly unique visitors**, and reached 385 million reviews and opinions covering 6.6 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 48 markets worldwide. TripAdvisor: Know better, Book better and Go better.
TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP ), through its subsidiaries, manages and operates websites under 24 other travel media brands:
www.airfarewatchdog.com , www.bookingbuddy.com , www.citymaps.com , www.cruisecritic.com , www.familyvacationcritic.com , www.flipkey.com , www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com , www.eltenedor.com , www.iens.nl , www.besttables.com and www.dimmi.com.au ), www.gateguru.com , www.holidaylettings.co.uk , www.holidaywatchdog.com , www.housetrip.com , www.independenttraveler.com , www.jetsetter.com , www.niumba.com , www.onetime.com , www.oyster.com , www.seatguru.com , www.smartertravel.com , www.tingo.com , www.travelpod.com , www.tripbod.com , www.vacationhomerentals.com , www.viator.com , and www.virtualtourist.com .
*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, May 2016
**Source: TripAdvisor log files, Q2 2016
CONTACT: Kevin Carter +1 781 800 5237 kcarter@tripadvisor.com
