It’s been a fantastic first half of 2026 for the LATA Foundation. Thanks to the incredible support of our members and partners, we’ve already hosted three successful fundraising events, raising over £22,000 to support our work across Latin America.
From community-led conservation and sustainable tourism projects to fundraising events and new partnerships, there is plenty happening across the Foundation this year.
Supporting earthquake response in Venezuela
Following the recent earthquake in Venezuela, the LATA Foundation donated £5,000 to Healing Venezuela to support the provision of medicines and medical supplies.
Find out more about Healing Venezuela or donate
Our 2026 projects
Our 2026 portfolio includes community-led initiatives demonstrating how tourism can protect biodiversity, strengthen cultural heritage and create sustainable economic opportunities across Latin America.
These projects reflect our continued commitment to supporting grassroots organisations where tourism can be a force for positive impact.
Protecting manta rays through regenerative tourism
Image credit: Farah Hamden
Galápagos, Ecuador
The LATA Foundation is supporting a project with the Galapagos Conservation Trust to protect manta rays and develop more sustainable tourism practices around their habitats.
A new local intern, Johnny Fuentes, has been recruited. A local NGO, FUNCAVID, is hosting him while he supports technical, scientific and educational activities linked to the project.
Significant progress has also been made on risk mapping, with new GPS and aerial data being used to identify where manta ray aggregation sites and boat traffic routes overlap. Fieldwork has also produced the first data download from acoustic traffic receivers.
Local stakeholder surveys and a global literature review are helping to inform new tourism guidance. Following an initial workshop on 5 March 2026, the project’s framework was formally recognised by the Galápagos National Park Directorate, which has expressed an intention to scale the model to help protect other megafauna across the Galápagos.
Next steps include analysing fine-scale acoustic data on manta ray movements, running workshops for Isabela tour operators, guides and community members, and creating educational resources for Naturalist Guides and the ‘Gill Club’, a local all-girls science initiative.
Find out more: https://latafoundation.org/projects/galapagos-conservation-trust/
Empowering women through sustainable tourism
Belize
At the women-run Community Baboon Sanctuary in Bermuda Landing, work is continuing on the development of folklore trails celebrating the area’s cultural heritage.
Traditional Creole stories are being recorded and linked to QR codes to create an interactive visitor experience. The community is looking forward to preserving and sharing these stories ahead of the opening of the Belize River Valley Kriole Folklore Village.
The village will create new opportunities for community-led tourism and help generate sustainable income for local families, particularly women.
The Community Baboon Sanctuary has also completed the final activity from its 2025 LATA Foundation grant. On 10–11 July 2026, Belize Tourism Board-certified trainer Hugo Panti delivered the final homestay training, focusing on operational standards, guidelines and compliance.
A total of 25 participants, including 23 women and 2 men, completed the course and will receive official certification. Participants were highly engaged throughout the training and expressed their appreciation to the LATA Foundation for making the opportunity possible.
Find out more: https://latafoundation.org/projects/community-baboon-sanctuary/
Our 2025 Impact Report
The LATA Foundation has published its first-ever Impact Report, highlighting our work and achievements throughout 2025 and looking ahead as we move towards 2027 and our 20th anniversary.
The report provides an overview of our fundraising activity in 2025 and the impact this has enabled. It also includes case studies from the Community Baboon Sanctuary in Belize and Pro Eco Azuero in Panama.
From protecting biodiversity and strengthening cultural heritage to creating sustainable livelihoods through tourism, the report brings together the stories behind the grassroots projects supported by the Foundation.
Find out more about the Impact Report: https://latafoundation.org/impact-report-2025/
Fundraising and events
Fundraising events are a vital part of the LATA Foundation’s work, helping us generate support for community-led projects across Latin America while bringing the LATA community together.
LATA Challenge 100 – Amazon 2026
LATA Challenge 100 – Amazon 2026 launched on 1 August, bringing together colleagues, teams and companies across the LATA community for a shared fitness and fundraising challenge.
Participants are working together to turn movement into impact, with every kilometre logged contributing to a collective journey along the Amazon.
Find out more about LATA Challenge 100
LATA Expo 2026
LATA Expo 2026 was a fantastic year for the Foundation, with a record £17,100 raised through the raffle and auction.
The event also provided an important opportunity to connect with partners and supporters. The Foundation held 31 meetings in total, including 22 with tour operators and 9 with exhibitors, alongside many other conversations at the Foundation stand.
These conversations help us raise awareness of our work and strengthen collaboration across the Latin American travel sector.
A huge thank you to everyone who donated raffle and auction prizes and to everyone who supported and took part.
Bristol Latin BBQ
On 9 May 2026, we held a community fundraising BBQ in Bristol, raising £275.
As the Foundation’s first event outside London, it was a great opportunity to introduce our work to a new audience in a relaxed and engaging setting.
We are keen to build on this momentum and expand our regional presence, with further events outside London being explored for 2027.
A special thank you to fundraising volunteer Carmen Todd for her support in making the event possible, and to Senderos for donating our top raffle prize: a swim and lunch for two at Bristol Lido.
Support LATA Foundation projects
Get involved
Everything the LATA Foundation does is made possible by the generosity and engagement of our LATA network.
There are lots of ways to get involved, from taking part in fundraising events and volunteering your time to supporting our projects through donations or corporate partnerships.
Volunteering with the LATA Foundation can also provide valuable experience and opportunities to build professional relationships across the Latin American travel community.
Deliver your impact with the LATA Foundation
The LATA Foundation is the LATA community’s Foundation, helping organisations deliver meaningful impact across Latin America.
We work with partners to create tailored approaches that align with their values and objectives, supporting grassroots projects where tourism can help build capacity and create positive change.
Choosing the LATA Foundation as your CSR partner enables your organisation, teams and clients to contribute directly to community-led projects across Latin America.
Get in touch with Abbi at abbi@latafoundation.org to discuss how we could work together.