Our very own Karryon.com.au and Travel to Change the World Founder Matt Leedham has been named in The Sun Herald’s annual ‘Heroes of travel awards 2019.’
The highly esteemed annual list features 31 travel changemakers who have turned their passion into reality to help educate and inspire others to think differently and make positive change on their travels.
“These people are travel’s heroes, as recognised by Traveller on Sunday in this, our third annual edition recognising their achievements and their positive impact on our travels and the ways in which we travel.”
“From India to Fiji, from Mongolia to West Africa, this issue celebrates the people who make a difference to the way we travel. Their ranks include restaurateurs and eco-warriors, architects and of course tour guides – all people who help us experience the world in a new way.”
Matt Leedham made the list thanks to launching www.traveltochangetheworld.com after three years of sharing responsible travel stories with the travel trade via karryon.com.au and hashtag initiative #traveltochangetheworld
Matt Leedham, Wadi Rum in Jordan. Pic: Craig Platt
“Recognising a growing appetite for sustainable travel stories on his travel trade website Karryon.com.au, Byron Bay writer and creative director Matt Leedham, originally from the UK, created Travel to Change the World in May,
The new website is a platform for positive, inspirational stories about individuals and businesses making travel more sustainable and aims to inspire travellers to make better decisions when journeying.”
Speaking about being included in this year’s honours list, Matt Leedham said;
“This is unbelievable and I feel incredibly humbled to have been included amongst what is such a remarkable group of individuals. I’ve always said that I believe it’s all of our responsibilities working in the travel industry to make a difference so this is a wonderful recognition of it all coming together. It really feels like just the beginning and I’m extremely excited about what we as an industry can achieve together to make more positive change in 2020 and beyond.”
Some of the other travel heroes of 2019 on the list include; Skroo and Jude Turner – Spicers Hidden Vale, Greta Thunberg – Environmental Activist, Thomas Goetter – Executive Chef Scenic Eclipse and The Evanson family – Founders of Turtle Island in Fiji.
The list also features the ‘Villains of the year’ which this year includes Boeing for their handling of the 737 Max, The Directors of collapsed UK travel company Thomas Cook, Thailand Tiger Zoo’s, Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas and the many inexperienced climbers of Mount Everest.
You can read the full list and article here.