The non-profit partner of luxury travel company andBeyond for the last 32 years, Africa Foundation, has been relaunched as Wild Impact as it goes global, following the luxury travel company into Asia and South America.
andBeyond opened its first South American property, andBeyond Vira Vira in Chile’s Lake District in 2018, followed by its Asian debut, andBeyond Punakha River Lodge, in Bhutan in 2023. This year saw the launch of its 38 metre luxury expedition yacht Galapagos Explorer.
It’s a shift that will enable the two entities to grow their long-term partnership and collectively pursue their fully aligned Scaling Impact 2030 strategy, Executive Chairman and CEO Joss Kent explained.
“As andBeyond has grown and expanded in terms of the geographical areas where we operate, so Wild Impact has followed us into those remote and protected landscapes,” he said. “This latest development, which sees Wild Impact expanding outside of Africa, means that our two brands are more than ever completely aligned in terms of our vision and impact strategy. We are thrilled to witness the growth of Wild Impact to benefit partner communities in Asia and South America.”
Founded in 1992, Wild Impact’s vision has been to “uplift, upskill and empower” partner communities living close to core conservation areas, based on the belief that this support would underwrite the conservation of these wilderness areas.
While its name may be changing, its long-standing methodology will continue to anchor its work and activities, according to Wild Impact CEO Andrew Venter.
“Our rationale — our reason for existence, our partnership, our vision — is about underwriting the long-term conservation of the Earth’s wild places, through best business and not-for-profit practices,” he said.
“Our new name underlines our purpose to work collaboratively with our partner communities and key stakeholders to conserve these irreplaceable wild places across our global footprint.”
