Kind Holidays invites other players in the hospitality industry to join us in this initiative. Together, we can offer these deserving families a chance to create precious memories that will be treasured for years to come.
Join us in making a lasting difference, one holiday at a time.
The benefits of Kind Holidays extend beyond our valued guests. Participating hoteliers also cite the profound effect this initiative has on staff morale, seeing firsthand the impact of their work on these courageous families. It’s a powerful reminder of the difference we can make in people’s lives when we come together as an industry.
Join us in making a lasting difference, one holiday at a time.
Are you interested in giving back to society and making a difference? One way is by providing free accommodation to charities. This guide will walk you through the steps of locating charities, communicating with them, and organising accommodation details.
Start by identifying charities that could benefit from free accommodation. Use platforms like GoFundMe or national charity databases to search for such organisations. Use search phrases such as “holiday”, “holidays for disabled children”, “holidays for children’s hospices”, etc. to narrow down your search.
In the UK, Charity Choice is an excellent platform that allows filtering by sector and geographic location. This feature can help you find the most suitable charities.
Before reaching out to charities, consider the logistics involved. Some charities might only be able to use local accommodations due to cost and time constraints. Think about travel, insurance, and finances to ensure the accommodation you provide meets their needs.
Once you’ve identified suitable charities, the next step is communication and coordination. Reach out to them, discuss their needs, and how you can help. This process, while straightforward, can be incredibly rewarding.
Each September, contact your charity partners to arrange accommodation details for the following year (January – December). This will give both parties ample time to prepare and make necessary arrangements. With this said, you may find that giving away last minute unused space is more suitable for your organisation. There are no fixed rules, you contribute how and what you want.
Ensure that the accommodation you offer caters to the specific requirements of the beneficiaries. For instance, if you’re providing holidays for disabled children, wheelchair-friendly units should be available.
To ensure optimal use of allocated space, release unconfirmed reservations into your system six weeks before the holiday start date. Allow charities to substitute families up until the holiday date if necessary. Once again this is how we do it. You decide what works best for your hotel(s).
If a charity can’t make use of your accommodation, consider donating free holiday vouchers for auctions and raffles at their fundraising events. This way, you are still contributing to their cause.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to provide meaningful support to charities and make a significant impact in the lives of those they serve. It also provides a tremendous boost to recruitment, retention and staff productivity. Remember, every small act of kindness contributes to a better world.
Dimitris Manikis, President of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Europe, Middle East & Africa says:
“Hoteliers (once you have watched the Kind Holiday video) don’t feel guilty about the good lives that you have got because you can improve someone else’s.”
