How Sweet It Is: Voluntourism, Eco-Travel & Lesbians

You’re looking out over the ocean, cocktail in hand, a woman by your side, watching the sun dip beneath the blue green horizon. It’s been a good day… you've made some friends, gone for a swim, helped paint a school, had a massage and were kind to the environment….

Starting in 2009 that vacation itinerary will come to life with a new player in the travel market. But Sweet isn’t just another travel business… it’s targeted to lesbians and offers vacations with a purpose, combining travel, eco-tourism and volunteer opportunities.

Sweet founders Shannon Wentworth and Jen Rainin bring both travel and philanthropic experience to Sweet. CEO Wentworth was formerly with Care2, a social network that connects activists. Plus, she’s worked in marketing at PlanetOut Inc. and at lesbian travel competitor Olivia. Rainin runs The Kenneth Rainin Foundation, dedicated to supporting the arts, education and medical research.

So far, Sweet has two trips planned for 2009. Their Aug. 16-21 Salmon River Idaho rafting trip provides camping and rafting equipment, gourmet meals and nightly entertainment. A Western Caribbean cruise, November 8-15, leaves from New Orleans on the Norwegian Cruise Lines Norwegian Spirit and visits Mexico, Belize and Honduras. They’re also working on a resort trip and some small ship travel.

Sweet is into responsible travel. “We’re trying to be as green as we can be so we’re offsetting all the carbon for air travel, hotel stays and all the carbon created by the actual cruise for everyone onboard through CarbonFund.org,” Wentworth says. The organization supports renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects.

“We’re reforesting an area around the Tensas River [Louisiana]… the trees are going to pull carbon out of the air and are also going to help prevent erosion along the river bed… we are planting seeds for a cleaner and greener future,” Wentworth explains

Sweet also plans volunteer activities in the ports they visit, including beach cleanup, building projects and community gardens.

“We were born from that place of wanting to give back... and wanting to make the world a better place while we are having fun,” Rainin says.” Sweet is on the cutting edge… people are looking for what is going to provide meaning… what kind of positive impact they can have on this world and particularly in these times where travel is getting a little bit tougher … if people can feel good about what they are doing while they are on vacation, it’s a winning idea,” Rainin adds.

“What I found in looking at my own travel options,” Wentworth says, “were some environmentally friendly things... ecotours or voluntours… where the price point was just too high for me.” She also worried about whether she was going to feel comfortable as a lesbian.

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