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About Us

“Even if I don’t receive monetary gains, I would choose a supervisor like Charlotte every single time because we, as a team, believe in something beyond ourselves.”  – Mahendra Sherkhane (Volunteer)

About Us: Fair Tourism is a team who works enthusiastically on sustainable tourism, where nature is protected and the local people are actively involved. This is the only way we can keep the world beautiful for us & many generations to come.

Our goals are the following: Firstly, we want to make consumers and other stakeholders passionate about sustainable tourism, so we can create awareness of the importance of nature protection and involvement of local communities in tourism development. For example by organising workshops or guest lectures, exchange programs and developing educational materials. Secondly, we assist local communities in destinations with the development of small-scale tourism activities that contribute towards poverty alleviation and nature conservation. We work together with different stakeholders, like governments, tour operators, NGOs and local communities, to achieve this goal.

“Internship at Fair Tourism was a great opportunity for me to learn how CBT concepts are actually practiced in the real settings.” – Haruna Chinzei (Former Intern)

Fair Tourism started as a REISbeWIJS in 1989 to create a better awareness of ethically and environmentally friendly behavior by travelers. In the early days, they organized country days, developed educational materials (like study books & workshops or guest lectures) and set up an information center, making it the only communication organization in The Netherlands specialized in sustainable tourism. In 2004 the former board decided to stop with the foundation. Charlotte Louwman-Vogels, who was already active as a volunteer for the foundation since 2000, decided to continue with a new board. Since 2004 she is director of Fair Tourism and responsible for daily management, supported by the team and board.Furthermore, students and volunteers regularly assist with the activities run by Fair Tourism. We are happy to hear from you!

Meet our Team

Atippaj Pattapongwat

Good day to you all! I’m Atippaj Pattapongwat – or just Atip, a hardcore and adventurous trekker and traveling lover from Thailand! Now, I’m studying the MBA and serving as the President of Students’ Council here at National University of Singapore. During the past few years, I’ve been exposed to CBT and in love with it in all aspects. That’s why I would like to help Fair Tourism for anything I could to bring more awareness to CBT, sustainable and eco-friendly tourism. If you want to know anything about Thailand, feel free to connect with me via LinkedIn/Facebook using my name!

Atippaj Pattapongwat

Volunteer
Violeta

Hi! I am Violeta, studying Tourism Management at Inholland University of applied sciences. Originally from Greece, I came to the Netherlands five years ago to pursue my Bachelor’s in International Tourism Management. Since then, I have travelled and moved to various countries. I lived in UK and Spain. I love different cultures, so I hope to have the chance to live in more countries. In February, I began writing my bachelor thesis for Fair Tourism. Together we aim to facilitate CBT development in Jordan. I am looking forward to applying my knowledge and helping in the sustainable development in Jordan.

Violeta

Internship / Thesis Student
Annisa Anjarsari

Call me Nisa, a master student of Tourism, Society and Environment at Wageningen University. I’m from Indonesia. My interest in tourism has been growing since I took a job as tour guide during my bachelor. Currently, I am currently finishing my thesis about tourism and local culture, which makes me even more interested in sustainable tourism. It is also a reason why I am an intern at Fair Tourism, where I am developing a revenue model and assisting CBT development in Huay Sua Thao.

Annisa Anjarsari

Volunteer
Marcia Schmid

Hi! My name is Marcia, and I am from Switzerland. Currently I am finalizing my bachelor’s degree in Tourism majoring in sustainable tourism and international development. My bachelor thesis is focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on CBT-Projects in northern Thailand. I got inspired for the topic of my thesis through my trip to southeast Asia during summer 2019, where I experienced CBT myself. I love to travel and to get to know new people, their culture, and personal stories. I am now very happy to become part of the Fair Tourism team. As a volunteer, I aim to make my small but important contribution to a more responsible and sustainable tourism. Thereby I am excited to get deeper insights into the world of CBT.

Marcia Schmid

Volunteer
Alexandros Ousantzopoulos

My name is Alexandros and I come from Greece! I am currently studying Tourism Management at University of Breda. During my internship at Fair Tourism, I want to learn more about sustainability and better understand diverse cultures. I will be assisting the daily operations of the organization, writing articles and conducting research.

Alexandros Ousantzopoulos

Internship
Edwin Magio

Hello there! My name is Edwin Magio, an MSc student at Leeds Beckett University studying Responsible Tourism Management. I believe CBT is a force for good especially in Kenya where there are already initiatives committed to supporting the community wellbeing and protecting biodiversity. That is why I decided to write a thesis for Fair Tourism on CBT as a catalyst for transitioning from community exploitation towards community empowerment and expanding community benefits: Perspectives from Massai in Kenya. In my free time, I like taking a walk, watching the sunset in the evening and having coffee.

Edwin Magio

Thesis Student
Miruna Ilie

Hi everyone! I am Miruna, an empathic, perseverant, and kind person from Romania. In the upcoming academic year, I will be writing my thesis, followed by the internship for Fair Tourism, which will allow me to contribute to the development of sustainable and community-based tourism. As an International Tourism Management student, I have found my passion for CBT, social responsibility, and sustainable travel. Besides, I believe that compassion and giving back to the world are crucial for making a meaningful change. Therefore, my aspirations include being able to create empowerment, financial stability, and equality for communities across the globe, together with nature and animal conservation.

Miruna Ilie

Internship / Thesis Student
Kim de Leeuw

Hi, I am Kim. A 23-year old with a passion for sustainable travel. During my previous travels I have realised that the tourism industry is not always organised in a sustainable way and that is when I realised that this was something I would like to work on. Therefore, I have obtained a Bachelor of Science in Tourism at Wageningen University and NHTV Breda (now BUAS). Afterwards I did a Master of Science in Sustainable Development with a specialisation in International Development. Both studies contained a research project on tourism abroad, in Vietnam and Indonesia, and that is where I got to see how tourism develops in those regions. With the gained knowledge, I hope to assist Fair Tourism to spread sustainable tourism as a volunteer.

Kim de Leeuw

Volunteer
Ariq Radya Faustino

I'm working as a Volunteer or specifically Project Assistant for Fair Tourism. Hopefully in this position, I will be gaining a lot of experience and knowledge about tourism and sustainability. Moreover, I'm interested in learning about community based-tourism. This includes sustainability of tourism in the environment, human rights, and other aspects. Working in tourism is new for me and I'm really excited.

Ariq Radya Faustino

Volunteer
Kseniia Korchilova

Hi! I'm Kseniia Korchilova. I was born in Russia and earlier my life was mostly connected with working in Human Rights there. Now I am 26 and I live in the Hague. I am truly inspired by the potential of Sustainable Tourism and happy to learn more about different cultures, so I am glad to be a part of the team!

Kseniia Korchilova

Volunteer
Madeline

Hello! My name is Madeline, and I am in my final year of studies at Leiden University College. I am a passionate traveller and environmentalist; these two interests play an integral role in my travel experiences as I interact with new communities, cultures, and places. Within my major of World Politics, I have been able to focus my interests on the intersection of climate politics with Indigenous and Marginalised communities around the world. I connected with Fair Tourism a year ago, working with a small team to design a community-based needs assessment to provide a localised understanding of issues of equality impacting Maasai communities in the greater Maasai Mara region. Travelling around the world as a “tourist”, and hearing different communities' experiences from the other side of the industry has provided me with a variety of new perspectives and passions to bring into my work with Fair Tourism.

Madeline

Internship
Fleur van der Neut

Hi all! My name is Fleur van der Neut, a Bachelor of Science in Tourism graduate from Wageningen University. My passion for sustainable tourism, cultural heritage, and working with Indigenous peoples led me to the Fair tourism foundation. During my volunteer work, I will focus on the structure and organization of Fair tourism. I am excited about working closely with the people at Fair Tourism and hope to really make a difference within the company.

Fleur van der Neut

Volunteer
Elsa

Hi everyone! My name is Elsa, a Tourism Management student from the Netherlands. In the upcoming months, I will be writing my final thesis about the Uros who live on Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia. Hereby, I’ll be meeting new cultures. The Uros are already visited a lot by tourists, however, I think that there is a lot to improve in terms of CBT.

Elsa

Lea

Hello there! My name is Lea and I am doing my Bachelor’s degree in International Tourism Management at Hochschule Bremen in Germany. Originally from Germany, I did my semester abroad in Haarlem, Netherlands where I participated in the responsible travel track at Inholland Hogeschool. I gained knowledge about the implementation of responsible tourism and got introduced to Fair Tourism. Since art and sustainability are my passion, I am mostly doing the social media for Fair Tourism and am participating in ongoing projects.

Lea

Irse

My name is Irse and I am studying Tourism Management at the University of Applied Science Saxion, Deventer. Through my study, I started to look at tourism in a different way where sustainable and CBT travel is becoming increasingly important. That is where my interest started and why I am writing, in the upcoming months, my bachelor thesis here at Fair Tourism. The thesis will be focused on how Fair Tourism can develop a toolkit and work together with partners to create community-based tourism in Kenya. I am looking forward to dive into the CBT theme.

Irse

Anitha Pallangyo

Hi! My name is Anitha Pallangyo, I am a Volunteer at Fair Tourism. I am managing the website and social media pages for Fair Tourism; I have passion about community development and inclusion through providing financial solution. Thus, during my internship will learn more about community engagement activities and help Maasai people realize development opportunities.

Anitha Pallangyo


Previous Team Members

Smita Jagariya

Hello! I am Smita Jagariya studying Travel and Tourism Management from Amity University, Mumbai. I belong to a tribal caste called ‘Waghri’ who settled just a few decades ago. We have our own beliefs and rituals, basic rights like education to girls is still a taboo here. I will be one of the very first women to graduate in my community. As a kid I interacted with many volunteers from across the globe who came to teach us at the community centre. Learning about new places, culture, people, cuisine made me curious and drew my interest towards tourism. Later I was delighted to know my passion for tourism can be turned into a career. I have also started an instagram page associated with women solo travel. I'm interning with Fair tourism which is a perfect platform encouraging sustainable methods alongside promoting community -based tourism.

Smita Jagariya

Internship
Angelina Elido

Hi! I’m Angelina, a freelance digital creator and journalist with a passion for creating, sharing, and empowering wholesome experiences. Sustainability has always been very central in my interests and it was my focus when choosing to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Economics. I feel that many of our normalized systems neglect to address the long term effects of local tradition, community health, and the environment. As an avid traveller who also grew up in a heavily tourism-reliant city (Honolulu), I’ve been caught between the dichotomy of commercialism and the preservation of culture. This is why I would like to niche down further and focus my work on responsible and intentional travel. I’d like to be part of the solution -- a new way to travel which aims to reciprocate what is taken from the people and the places we visit. My goal for working with Fair Tourism to make positive impact and take part in this global shift toward a more mindful way to travel and live.

Angelina Elido

Volunteer
Sonam Zangmo

Hello everyone! My name is Sonam and I am a Fourth year Tourism student at InHolland University of Applied Science, Diemen. I am writing a thesis for Fair Tourism starting February 2022. A fun fact about me is that I was born in Tibet and I grew up in India and Nepal. And here I am in the Netherlands since 2013. I have always had a huge interest in people and cultures so travelling is a huge part of my life. About my thesis, I will come up with the development plan for the community based tourism in Dharamsala, India. I am looking forward to this journey!

Sonam Zangmo

Internship / Thesis Student
Tingwen Cheng

Hello there! I am Tingwen, a Taiwanese, a solo traveler, and a master student of Tourism, Society and Environment at Wageningen University. My interest in sustainable tourism has been growing since I participated in a consulting project in a tourist tea plantation during my bachelor. I am currently working on a thesis regarding Southeast Asian immigrants in Taiwan and their cultural perception, which inspires me to learn more about Southeast Asian culture and sustainable tourism. That is why I decided to work with Fair Tourism as an intern. I am motivated to apply my analytical skills and expand my knowledge in the field of CBT, with attention to boost the awareness of CBT to the public.

Tingwen Cheng

Internship
Denise van de Wolfshaar

Hi there, nice to meet you! My name is Denise. I am finalizing my Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management at Saxion University of Applied Sciences. Through my studies I gained a better understanding of what sustainable tourism entails and why it is necessary to build on a sustainable relationship with tourism. Because of my interest in sustainable tourism, I am currently writing my thesis for Fair Tourism. My thesis focuses on community-based tourism opportunities in Egypt and Jordan, such beautiful destinations with so much to offer! Next to writing my thesis, I am also working on several interesting projects, articles and communication for Fair Tourism. For the future, my hope is that I will be able to contribute to the development of sustainable tourism together with Fair Tourism!

Denise van de Wolfshaar

Thesis Student
Yulin Vacher

Greetings! My name is Yulin, and I’m a premaster student at the Radboud University, following the Tourism & Culture program. I love to travel and experience other cultures, but more importantly, I have a passion for sustainability and the tourism industry, two things that come together perfectly at Fair Tourism! I am looking forward to write my thesis on gender equality and also contributing wherever I can to the Fair Tourism’s inspiring mission towards a more just system that involves locals, takes care of nature and inspires travellers to be more sustainable. Let’s do this!

Yulin Vacher

Internship / Thesis Student
Robert Kieran

Hey, My name is Robert. I am a 20-year-old from Ireland with a passion for travel, experiencing new cultures and meeting new people. I also love sailing and adventure sports. I moved to the Netherlands to study as I felt I would get a much more international experience which is true! I’m currently studying Marketing Management in Fontys ACE and feel that creating a clearer picture for consumers about CBT and its benefits is very important for the modern consumer. With ethical consumption becoming relevant in all industries, it is even more relevant in Tourism. The communities that people travel to are so fundamental to a tourist experience. That is why I joined the Fair Tourism team. I feel that their goals for improving the industry can and have been beneficial to many people.

Robert Kieran

Internship
Myrthe Koster

Hi! My name is Myrthe, I’m in my final year of my bachelor at Leiden University College majoring in Human Diversity. I don’t directly study tourism as most of the other interns here, but that’s exactly why I joined Fair Tourism! I started as part of a course that I was taking on Development Project Management, and I’ve been here for more than a year now. At Fair Tourism I can learn about the tourism industry and gain more practical experience. It’s nice how I can bring in my interdisciplinary background. The past year I’ve been working on promotion, marketing, communication, and collaboration with all kinds of other organizations that are trying to stimulate sustainable tourism as well.

Myrthe Koster

Volunteer
Veerle Bijker

Hello! My name is Veerle. I am an enthusiastic, energetic, organized person who loves to be surrounded by others. At 16 years old I started the study Leisure and Event Management, and when I was looking for a minor to do in my third year, my eyes caught the minors about tourism. I have always been very interested in other cultures, but at that time it became clear I wanted to dig deeper into Tourism Management. During my minors, I learned a lot about CBT and about heritage, and I would love to put this new knowledge into practice by creating a professional product for Fair Tourism!

Veerle Bijker

Thesis Student
Bibi van der linden

Hi all! My name is Bibi, I am 22 years old and I am from the Netherlands. Currently, I am a fourth-year Tourism Management student at the university Inholland in Rotterdam. I love to travel, to be surrounded by my friends, and to help other people. In the past years, I have learned a lot about the tourism industry at school. And now the time has come to write my final thesis. I am going to write my thesis for Fair Tourism starting September 2021. My bachelor thesis is focusing on SEO optimization for the website. I am excited to be a part of the Fair Tourism team and to learn more about it.

Bibi van der linden

Thesis Student
Danielle Keur

Hi there! My name is Danielle, currently studying Tourism Management in the Netherlands and I am going to write my thesis for Fair Tourism starting September 2021. I am looking forward to starting this new learning experience with Fair Tourism! I am grateful to join a business that takes sustainable tourism so seriously since sustainable travel has always been important to me. In my free time, I love to explore new places and meet new people from different cultures. Community-based tourism is therefore close to my heart. Fair Tourism is always putting its best foot forward in helping local communities. During my research, I am going to focus on marketing and branding; raising awareness about all the amazing activities that Fair tourism does with these communities.

Danielle Keur

Thesis Student
Kristin Haesler

Hi! My name is Kristin. I am a 23 year old from Germany who likes to travel an explore nature. I am an absolute winter person, mainly because I have lived in Norway for two years. There, I volunteered for a cultural festival as well as for a dog sledding company. I am in my final semester of my bachelor studies "International Tourism" at Harz University of Applied Sciences, where i focussed on marketing and destination management. At Fair Tourism, I will do my internship where I will work on social media marketing and cooperations with tour operators. I would love to work on topics regarding poverty within the tourism industry and indigenous people as well!

Kristin Haesler

Internship
Shamany Sitabi

Hi there! My name is Shamany, and I am a Tourism Management student at Inholland University. I love traveling with my friends and getting to know different cultures. I have completed two minors: one in green adventure tourism and the other in business travel and incentives. In the past years I have learned a lot about the tourism industry by completing my internship and by participating in school projects. Now the time has come to write my final thesis, and I am very excited to be a part of the Fair Tourism Foundation. I am a real ‘people person’. I love to work with people, and I also like helping them. This is why I chose Fair Tourism because I want to contribute to something meaningful.

Shamany Sitabi

Thesis Student
Nadja du Clou

Hi! I am Nadja, a Tourism Management student at university InHolland in Rotterdam. I absolutely love traveling and learning about new cultures. After finishing my internship abroad I decided to enroll in a minor that focuses on responsible travel and community-based tourism. This minor made me realize that even though tourism is fun, it can put definite strains on communities and the environment . That is why I decided I do not just want to work in the tourism industry, but I also want to contribute to the development of responsible travel. So I am very excited to be writing my bachelor thesis for Fair Tourism!

Nadja du Clou

Thesis Student
Marie-Estelle Ölz

My name is Marie-Estelle, I am studying archaeology and art history and I am currently on a gap year. I am super happy to be starting my internship at the Fair Tourism Foundation as it is a way for me to combine my academic background and my passion for adventure and traveling.

Marie-Estelle Ölz

Volunteer
Sarah Walter

Hello everyone! My name is Sarah and I am in my final year of the Master programme in Tourism, Society and Environment at Wageningen University. Originally from Germany, I moved to the Netherlands five years ago to pursue my Bachelor’s in International Tourism Management and have travelled to and settled in various countries ever since. From September onwards, I will write my Master thesis together with Fair Tourism supporting their collaboration with the Kayan community in Northern Thailand. I am excited to apply all my skills and knowledge to research how the villagers can and wants to preserve their cultural heritage in the future. Would they like to apply for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Label and what benefits or dangers do they see in this, are just some of the questions that will focus on.

Sarah Walter

Thesis Student
Pinar Akun Akyalcin

Hi nice to meet you ! My name is Pınar After my 10 years experience in media , I joined Fair Tourism as a volunteer because I'm interested in marketing activities  around sustainable tourism I love travelling and discovering new places.

Pinar Akun Akyalcin

Volunteer
Lena Gottwald

Hi everyone! I am Lena and I am currently finishing my bachelor in sustainable tourism at the Rhine-Waal University in Kleve. I just started to work as a volunteer for Fair Tourism and I am very excited to get to know the team and to be involved in something meaningful. For the past 5 months I was doing an internship in Mexico with an organisation which is working with indigenous communities, focuisng on implementing a self-determined tourism from which both the indigenous communities and the tourists can benefit and to enforce and acknowledge the rights of the communities by the government and society.

Lena Gottwald

Volunteer

 

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