In 2020, when the pandemic paused travel across the globe, Vincie Ho saw an opportunity to reshape sustainability in the travel industry. Using her background in higher education, as well as her firsthand experience, she founded RISE Travel Institute (RISE stands for Responsible, Impactful, Sustainable, Ethical), a nonprofit dedicated to educating industry professionals and providing them with the tools to travel sustainably and responsibly. RISE aims to promote conversations about climate justice, animal welfare and social equity. Here, Ho shares the story behind the institute, its mission and her vision for an ethical future in travel.
What personal experiences motivated you to create RISE?
In my 20s and 30s, I became an avid traveler and witnessed firsthand how tourism can both uplift and harm communities, wildlife and the environment. The more I traveled, the more I realized I was participating in a carbon-intensive activity and also unknowingly contributing to systems that could hurt people, children and animals, even with the best intentions.
I founded RISE with a mission to equip travelers and tourism professionals with the knowledge and tools to make tourism more responsible, impactful, sustainable and ethical once travel resumed.
How has your own journey shaped the way you lead RISE?
Different identities shape very different lived experiences. As someone who is hard of hearing, when I started backpacking in Europe in the late 1990s, it was easy to miss train announcements in small towns.
Being a woman of color has also posed challenges, both while traveling and in life more generally. These experiences made me wonder about the unique challenges people with other identities face in their daily lives, at work and while traveling.
I believe leadership today isn’t about top-down authority or control. It is about listening, inspiring compassion and fostering collaboration rooted in mutual respect and support. That philosophy also guides our educational programs: Travel and tourism are not solely about the traveler’s experience, but also about engaging in respectful and equitable exchange with the communities that host us, so everybody benefits. That principle is at the heart of what we advocate for at RISE.
Travel and tourism are not solely about the traveler’s experience, but also about engaging in respectful and equitable exchange with the communities that host us, so everybody benefits.
RISE is built on four pillars of change — animals, economy, social justice and the environment. Can you share a recent program or initiative that illustrates one of these pillars in action?
We’re launching a new Carbon Literacy and Climate Justice Training for Travel and Tourism Professionals this November. This program directly addresses the gap we see: the absence of consideration for climate justice in sustainability practices. It aims to step up carbon literacy in travel companies at all levels of operations, from leadership to frontline staff, helping us understand the basic science behind climate change, its impact on us in general and on the travel industry, what climate justice is and how to communicate effectively about climate change in both our personal and professional lives.
What resources or programs does RISE offer for travel advisors looking to make a tangible impact?
I’d highlight our Flagship Program as the most valuable resource for travel advisors. It provides concepts and frameworks that will help advisors understand the inequities present in the global tourism industry and recognize the urgent need to shift from an extractive, tourist-centric model to a regenerative, community-first approach. This foundational understanding equips advisors to make thoughtful, responsible recommendations that support communities around the world.
What misconceptions about sustainable travel come up most often?
That [sustainable travel] is just about reducing plastics or offsetting carbon. True sustainable travel looks at the whole picture — how tourism affects local ecosystems, economies and cultures. As we say at RISE, destinations are not just “places to visit;” they are people’s homes. Advisors and travelers need to shift their mindset toward prioritizing the well-being of host communities.
True sustainable travel looks at the whole picture — how tourism affects local ecosystems, economies and cultures.
If you could leave advisors with one takeaway, what would it be?
Every recommendation matters. By deepening their own understanding, advisors can guide clients toward trips that are not only enriching, but also respectful and sustainable. Thoughtful, educated travelers tend to have more meaningful experiences and fewer frustrations — benefiting both the destination and the advisor.
