Published 20th Apr. 2026
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Introducing travel heroes: individuals who inspire us with their innovation, dedication and creativity within the travel industry. These are people who embody the Original Travel mission and values in their work and who deserve a moment in the spotlight. Developed from our Original Traveller feature, read on as we celebrate our favourite global champions of sustainability, cultural heritage and conservation.
To be responsible for one game-changing travel concept is impressive; to be the creative force behind two is downright remarkable, and yet that’s what the husband-and-wife team of Sonu and Eva Shivdasani can rightly lay claim to. The visionaries behind the Soneva (Sonu and Eva, get it?) brand, with its extraordinary properties in the Maldives and Thailand, kickstarted the concept of barefoot luxury with their ‘No News, No Shoes’ policy. The other innovation feather Sonu and Eva sport in their caps is a genuine commitment to sustainability. Where other hotels can occasionally be guilty of ‘greenwashing’, from the very beginning the Soneva properties walked the eco-walk better than anyone. No plastic water bottles, a large percentage of restaurant produce from their own gardens, a foundation supporting local communities, coral reef protection programmes - all things that Soneva committed to way before it became fashionable. We say hats (and shoes) off to Sonu and Eva.
American-born Patti Seery moved to Indonesia in the 80s and fell hard for the country. Over the next 30 years she became a global champion for preserving the culture and crafts of Indonesia’s indigenous tribes, often travelling between the archipelago nation’s remoter islands by traditional phinisi cargo boats. Seery reserved a special passion for these phinisis, that had for centuries plied the waters of the Spice Island trade routes, and eventually she decided that – despite having never even owned a boat before – she would build her own. She embarked on this labour of love with a team of traditional Konjo boat-builders from a tiny community on Sulawesi Island. The end result, Silolona, was the luxury liveaboard phinisi that launched a thousand island-hopping dive boats (including her sister boat Si Datu Bua) in Raja Ampat, Komodo and other beautiful parts of Indonesia. Seery sadly died in 2020, but lived long enough to see a fitting tribute to her passion when UNESCO recognised the unique cultural heritage of Sulawesi boat-building and seafaring tradition. Patti, you were a true inspiration. RIP.
Before their paths even crossed, Douglas and Kristine Tompkins were already making waves, Doug as a wilderness advocate and co-founder of The North Face and Esprit; Kristine (then McDivitt) as a conservationist and CEO of Patagonia. Then, in 1990, while working to protect a remote rainforest in Chilean Patagonia, they met and later married. From this point on, they devised a joint mission: to protect and restore wild beauty and biodiversity. Through their Tompkins Conservation, they’ve helped to protect over 14 million acres of land by creating an extraordinary 15 national parks in Argentina and Chile and worked to reestablish more than two dozen endangered species. Over three decades of philanthropic work, they’ve spearheaded environmental campaigns, supported activism, engaged in regenerative agriculture and published books on environmental topics. Then, in 2015, tragedy struck. Doug died in a kayaking accident, and the world lost a true visionary and conservation champion. His legacy is to be considered one of the most successful conservation philanthropists in history and Kristine, now president of the Tompkins Conservation, continues to expand their initiatives to this day.
Located in Kenya’s Laikipia region, Il Ngwesi Lodge was founded in 1996 by Kip Ole Polos and other local Maasai leaders. Recognising the challenges facing their land and people, they sought an alternative approach to traditional livelihoods like cattle herding, which was increasingly strained by droughts, limited grazing areas and conflicts over wildlife. Ecotourism offered the potential to protect their land and culture while fostering economic resilience, and so Il Ngwesi, Kenya’s first community-run lodge, was born. Meaning ‘People of Wildlife’ in Maa, Il Ngwesi is entirely owned and managed by the local Maasai community and built using local materials to blend harmoniously into the landscape. Staying at the lodge is an immersive experience; guests engage with Maasai culture and explore the surrounding ecosystem. Revenue from the lodge goes back into local projects, including schools, healthcare facilities and water access, allowing the Maasai to fund initiatives that improve their quality of life while maintaining their cultural heritage. Il Ngwesi has received widespread recognition for its commitment to conservation and community empowerment, and its success has inspired many similar community-led conservation projects across Africa.
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Based in Lombok, Indonesia, Project Hiu (hiu means ‘shark’ in Bahasa Indonesian) was founded by ocean conservationist Madison Stewart to tackle one of marine conservation’s lesser-known crises: shark fishing. As apex predators, sharks are vital to maintaining balance in marine ecosystems, helping to keep populations of other species in check. Unfortunately, generations of local fishermen have caught sharks to survive, their livelihoods bound to a trade that threatens both the species and the surrounding reefs. Rather than condemn them, Project Hiu offers an alternative: tourism. Through education and collaboration, former shark fishermen are retrained as guides, skippers and snorkel instructors, sharing their knowledge of the sea with visitors, who come to swim alongside living sharks rather than see them hauled ashore. The initiative provides new income streams that protect these ecosystems while supporting coastal communities. Project Hiu stands as a model of pragmatic conservation – proving that empowerment, not punishment, is the surest way to preserve Indonesia’s extraordinary ocean life for generations to come.
Header image by Anna Salvador
Practical advice and inspiration for your next trip
Meet Jean-Francois Rial, CEO of Voyageurs du Monde – the French tour operator that’s been Original Travel’s parent company since 2017. A passionate advocate for sustainable travel, he’s been proposing ways for the industry to play its part in protecting the planet. Off the clock, he also runs an organic vegetable farm in France’s Orne region, proving that even CEOs can get their hands dirty. Intrigued by the people shaping the future of travel?
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