What is your favorite travel memory?
As for under-rated, I think Belize is hugely under appreciated, the combination of Caribbean beaches, tropical rainforest (complete with jaguars) and ancient Mayan ruins makes it an amazing destination and it's size makes it really easy to see it all!
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Being true to what you believe in. At Pod Volunteer, we started very small (a family business run from a living-room!) and we had very strong core values, as we have grown we have strived to never compromise on those values and I think it shows. We always question ourselves to make sure we are operating as ethically as possible and our projects are hand-picked and visited personally by our small team. We might not be the biggest, but we can be the best.
What unique qualities does your company possess?
Honesty, a true passion for what we do, expert knowledge in our locations and unwavering support of our volunteers. We are with our volunteers at every step of their journey and we get to know them personally, there is nothing better than seeing a volunteer's travel photos at the end of their trip and knowing what a difference they have made. I think we are also unique in how well we know our projects and the teams on the ground, we speak regularly and visit regularly (doing the role ourselves!) to ensure we know exactly what their needs are and how best we can support them.
Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of your current team.
When we won the British Youth Travel Awards "Best Volunteering Organisation" - a category which focused on on ethical and sustainable best-practice within the volunteering industry, To be part of such a small close knit team makes an award like this all the more special, we have worked incredibly hard to get Pod Volunteer to be the force it is today. It also made me very proud of our projects as each one on the ground is making such an impact on their community and their environment.