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DIGITAL travel platform Agoda announced the launch of its fourth Eco Deals program at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Malaysia, expanding its partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
In line with the Forum’s theme “Unity in Motion: Shaping ASEAN’s Tourism Tomorrow,” the initiative supports wildlife conservation and the preservation of critical habitats in Asia.
Agoda has set a donation target of US$1.5 million, surpassing its previous goal of US$1 million by 2024. This year, the program was expanded to include Japan and Korea, reaching a total of 10 markets. As in previous editions, Agoda will donate US$1 million from every booking made at participating hotels to support WWF’s conservation efforts.
The Eco Deals initiative will fund a range of conservation activities, including wetland restoration in Japan, spoonbill conservation in Korea, and sustainable projects such as ecosystem restoration in Bukit Tigapuluh, Indonesia, tiger conservation in Malaysia, whale shark conservation in the Philippines, elephant conservation in Thailand, saola conservation in Vietnam, urban wetland development in Laos, and support for forest rangers in Cambodia. The Eco Deals program will be open for consumer bookings from January 20, 2025 through December 19, 2025.
As part of Eco Deals 2025, Agoda is launching the Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund in partnership with WWF-Singapore and the UnTours Foundation. The Fund will provide affordable and flexible investment capital to support transformative businesses that address sustainability challenges in the tourism sector.
Agoda is donating US$100,000 to the fund, with the potential to increase to US$150,000 if the US$1.5 million fundraising target is reached.
According to Damien Pfirsch, Chief Commercial Officer of Agoda, said, through Eco Deals 2025, we are committed to doing more to protect destinations and wildlife in Asia. Through our partnership with WWF, we want to ensure that future generations can affordably explore the world while preserving the beauty of nature.
“Since its launch in 2022, the Eco Deals program has become an important initiative for our hotel partners, providing an easy way to support wildlife and habitat conservation projects. Building on past successes, this year we are increasing the potential donation to US$1.5 million and expanding the impact to projects in 10 countries,” he said.
He explained that this expansion opens up even more opportunities for hotels to participate in this meaningful effort. In addition, the launch of the Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund will provide critical support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), enabling them to adopt sustainable practices and contribute significantly to the future of the tourism industry.
“Through the Eco Deals program, hotel partners can offer discounts of up to 15% to customers. In return, participating partners receive an Eco Deals badge and greater exposure across Agoda’s platforms, including social media, banner promotions, customer emails and in-app notifications, increasing their visibility,” Damien affirmed.
In addition, he continued that customers can easily discover Eco Deals through a dedicated Agoda page designed for easy access on both desktop and mobile devices.
Meanwhile, Vivek Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of WWF-Singapore, added: “Biodiversity is the foundation of life on Earth and is inextricably linked to the health of the planet and human well-being.
“As we enter the fourth year of our powerful partnership, Agoda and WWF have made significant contributions to conservation across the region – helping to protect tiger populations in Malaysia, restore degraded forest landscapes in Bukit Tigapuluh, Indonesia, and address elephant conflict and poaching in Thailand,” Vivek Kumar underlined.
This year, with the expansion of the program to Japan and Korea, we are poised to make an even greater impact. With WWF’s Living Planet 2024 report revealing an alarming 73% decline in global wildlife populations, the urgency to act has never been greater. Together with Agoda, we remain committed to building a future where people and nature coexist.
The Sustainable Tourism Impact Fund is designed to provide investment capital to MSMEs in the tourism sector in several Southeast Asian countries, fostering innovation and supporting conservation efforts to help shape a more sustainable future for tourism. [sources/photo special]
