Caldera Impact is a Vanuatu-based social enterprise working with island communities across the Pacific to design and deliver community-led tourism experiences rooted in sport, culture, and place. The company partners closely with local leaders, youth groups, and village councils to create trail running events and outdoor experiences that generate immediate income while laying the groundwork for longer-term tourism development.
At the center of its model is a simple idea: use a single, well-designed event to unlock broader economic opportunity. These events bring visitors into remote communities, where spending flows directly to local providers through lodging, transport, food, and on-the-ground services. From there, Caldera Impact works alongside communities to build out trails, support small business development, and strengthen the systems needed to sustain tourism activity beyond the event itself.
Operating in destinations that often sit outside traditional tourism routes, the company is helping position these communities as emerging adventure travel destinations while ensuring that development remains locally led and aligned with cultural values.
The Caldera Impact Origin Story
Caldera Impact grew out of years of on-the-ground work in Vanuatu.
Founders Marc Giraud and Lea Faccarello had been working in adventure tourism and destination marketing through their company NAOIA, designing experiences and supporting tourism development across the islands. Through this work, they saw both the potential and the limitations of tourism in remote communities.
Many of these places had strong cultural identity, natural assets, and community interest in tourism, but lacked the infrastructure, visibility, and support needed to attract visitors in a consistent way. At the same time, traditional tourism models often struggled to reach these communities in a way that felt accessible or beneficial at the local level.
The idea behind Caldera Impact was to take a different approach. Rather than starting with infrastructure or long-term planning alone, the team began using events as an entry point. Trail runs and outdoor experiences could bring immediate attention, generate income, and create a shared moment that communities could build around.
Over time, this approach evolved into a more structured model. Events became a starting point for trail development, training, micro-enterprise creation, and broader tourism planning, all done in partnership with the communities themselves.
Caldera Impact was formally launched in 2025 to scale this model, building on several years of pilot events and community engagement across Vanuatu.
How Caldera Impact Is Making A Positive Impact
Caldera Impact creates impact by linking tourism activity directly to community benefit.
Each event is designed so that spending stays within the host community. Income flows through local lodging, transport, food, guiding, and event services, creating immediate economic opportunities. For example, the Yasur Volcano Run engaged hundreds of community members and generated significant income across multiple villages.
At the same time, the work extends beyond the event itself. Communities receive training in areas like guiding, event coordination, and business development, helping build skills that remain locally after the event is over.
Infrastructure developed through these events, such as trails, visitor facilities, and shared spaces, continues to support both residents and future visitors.
The model also emphasizes inclusion. Events are designed to involve women, youth, and local athletes, including the introduction of Vanuatu’s first para-athlete race category.
Together, these elements create a pathway where short-term tourism activity leads to longer-term opportunity, with communities maintaining a central role in how tourism evolves.
Why the UnTours Foundation Invested in Caldera Impact
Through the Reset Tourism Fund, with funding from Skyscanner, this investment supports Caldera Impact as it builds a model of tourism that creates direct benefits for communities while protecting the environments they depend on.
Skyscanner’s partnership with the UnTours Foundation focuses on supporting businesses that put communities at the center of tourism, create fair and inclusive economic opportunities, and prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term growth. Caldera Impact reflects these priorities in a clear and practical way.
The business is working in remote island communities where tourism has historically been limited or difficult to access. By using events as an entry point, it creates immediate income while also building the foundation for longer-term tourism development that remains locally owned and managed.
What stands out is how the model connects short-term activity with lasting outcomes. Events generate income, but they also lead to new trails, small businesses, and skills that stay within the community. This creates a more durable pathway for tourism to support livelihoods over time.
This investment supports Caldera Impact as it expands to new communities and continues developing a model that aligns closely with Skyscanner’s goal of making travel a force for good.
How You Can Support Caldera Impact
Caldera Impact is creating tourism opportunities in remote island communities by working directly with local partners. By participating in or supporting these events, you help generate income for host communities and contribute to the development of locally led tourism. You can also support their work by sharing their story, connecting them with partners, and supporting travel experiences that prioritize community benefit.
