Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund Expands Investments Across Southeast Asia

Livingseas Asia (left) and Bambike Ecotours (right) join the Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund in the latest round of investments.

The Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund led by Agoda, WWF Singapore, and UnTours Foundation, is investing in sustainable tourism businesses across Southeast Asia.

At Agoda, we believe the future of travel depends on the resilience of the destinations we serve.”

— Timothy Hughes, Vice President of Corporate Development at Agoda

MEDIA, PA, UNITED STATES, April 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund, a partnership between Agoda, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore, and the UnTours Foundation, has announced its second round of investments alongside early impact results from the Fund’s inaugural cohort.

The Fund is part of Agoda’s broader sustainability strategy and builds on its partnership with WWF-Singapore through Agoda’s Eco Deals program. Through Eco Deals, Agoda works with hotel partners across Asia to offer travelers discounted stays while directing a portion of proceeds to WWF’s conservation initiatives. Those funds also support the Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund, extending conservation impact to small tourism enterprises strengthening ecosystem health and community resilience at the destination level.

Designed to provide affordable, flexible financing to small and medium-sized tourism enterprises, the Fund supports businesses that integrate environmental restoration, climate resilience, and inclusive economic development into their core operations. Each new investee receives USD 25,000 in loan capital to expand impact-driven initiatives across the region.

New Investments

Livingseas Asia (Indonesia): Livingseas Asia combines dive tourism with coral reef restoration in Padangbai, Bali. Its nonprofit arm, the Livingseas Foundation, has restored more than 7,300 square meters of degraded reef, deploying artificial reef structures and planting over 320,000 coral fragments, with measurable biodiversity recovery. The Fund’s investment will support the construction of modular housing for staff and trainees near the restoration site. This will expand Livingseas Asia’s hosting capacity and strengthen the Foundation’s ability to deliver marine education, conservation training, and reef restoration activities.

Bambike Ecotours (Philippines): Bambike Ecotours connects bamboo agroforestry, fair trade bicycle manufacturing in rural communities, and regenerative tourism experiences. The loan will support the development of Ligtasin Cove in Batangas, a bamboo-built tourism destination that will include coastal ecotours and a bamboo nursery for reforestation and erosion control. The initiative aims to create local jobs while expanding lower-carbon tourism experiences that connect travelers with community-led environmental restoration.

“At Agoda, we believe the future of travel depends on the resilience of the destinations we serve,” said Timothy Hughes, Vice President of Corporate Development at Agoda. “These investments support local pioneers integrating environmental restoration and community well-being into their operations, demonstrating the potential of impact-driven travel.”

Six-Month Results from the First Cohort

Six months after the Fund’s initial investments, early results across Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines demonstrate encouraging environmental and community impact.

Local Alike (Thailand): Local Alike expanded its Travel With Care initiative into 10 community-based destinations, launching 16 regenerative tourism activities that include mangrove restoration, forest protection, sustainable fisheries, and preservation of Indigenous knowledge. The organization also activated partnerships with the Department of National Parks and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, establishing an impact monitoring framework and initiating a national white paper.

Ecohotels (Philippines): Ecohotels advanced its Bahay Farms initiative by onboarding 22 local farmers and planting 500 mango trees, strengthening future food production and community income. The company also increased plant-based menu offerings from 35% to 50% and launched its Green Warriors workforce program, training 15 participants, five of whom have already transitioned into hospitality roles.

Sejiva (Indonesia): Sejiva expanded its responsible tourism model in West Java and Jakarta, introducing new heritage walking tours and coral restoration experiences that connect travelers with local ecosystems and cultural knowledge. The investment also strengthened Sejiva’s marketing capacity, allowing the organization to scale its #travelpositive campaign and awareness programs to reach a broader audience.

“We are incredibly encouraged by the impact created so far by our inaugural cohort,” said Sarah Payne, Senior Director of Impact at the UnTours Foundation. “These businesses are expanding regenerative tourism models, strengthening local livelihoods, and embedding measurable environmental outcomes into their growth. Their progress shows how flexible financing can translate into tangible impact on the ground.”

Tourism enterprises across the region advancing conservation, climate resilience, sustainable mobility, and community-led economic development are encouraged to apply for the next round of funding at: https://untoursfoundation.org/sustainable-tourism-impact-fund.

Jonathan Coleman
Co-CEO, UnTours Foundation
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