Dragonair's inflight charity fundraising initiative, Change for Conservation, recently reached a significant milestone when the total sum collected passed the HK$6 million mark.
The money raised is used to benefit projects run by The Nature Conservancy in China's Yunnan province.
"I would like to thank all our passengers who have been and continue to be so supportive," said Dragonair Chief Executive Officer Kenny Tang. "The generous support of our passengers has made this ongoing campaign to protect the environment a big success."
The funds raised by Change for Conservation are used by TNC in remote areas of Yunnan province in mainland China. Over the years, TNC successfully supported the opening of the first national park in Shangri-La County in northwest Yunnan, including funding an inspection tour of New Zealand's national parks to gain useful insights and help speed up the establishment of the Yunnan park. TNC funding also helped the Yunnan Golden Monkey Conservation Association improve the monitoring of Yunnan's golden monkeys.
Other projects benefiting from Dragonair's passenger donations include the Green Building Project, in which TNC has worked closely with various organisations to promote environmentally friendly building concepts and the protection of natural forests while facilitating sustainable local development.
Change for Conservation was launched on January 1, 2004 with more than HK$2 million collected from passengers in the first year. The amount raised reached the HK$5 million mark by the end of 2006. Dragonair's cabin crew currently distribute Change for Conservation donation envelopes on some 500 flights every week.
"At Dragonair we believe it is important to work to enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve. We have been supporting the important work of TNC in Mainland China since 2004 through our inflight fundraising campaign, which is now the most successful charity campaign in the airline's history," said Tang.
Change for Conservation is one of the key elements in Dragonair's Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, which connects the airline with the community through projects relating to arts and culture, education, medical and relief efforts, and the environment.
Dragonair, an affiliate member of oneworld, is a Hong Kong-based airline operating a fleet of 31 passenger aircraft and seven freighters serving 33 regional destinations, including 21 cities in Mainland China.
