Our Story

While Myght was founded in 2016, the idea for a responsible travel company to change lives and communities for the better began over a decade ago. Our founder, Javier Valdez was studying abroad in Costa Rica in 2009. When enjoying the excellence in bell service to plush-pillows and breathtaking balcony views, he fell in love with the hospitality industry. However, in stark contrast to the hotel’s luxury experience and natural beauty, he was shocked by the extreme poverty of surrounding communities and lack of economic opportunities. Over the next few years, he witnessed similar contrasts while globetrotting through Asia, Europe and Latin America and thought, “why isn’t the travel industry closing the disparities between travelers and local communities?” Thus, he was inspired to build something that had never been done before: an online marketplace that connects travelers directly to top responsible travel advisors that don’t just show travelers a facade of luxury and pristine sights, but also positively impacts the local community, environment, and economy.

Our Vetting Process

When you choose Myght, you can feel confident that the professionals in our network meet stringent standards for socially responsible tourism experience. We ensure every advisor, tour operator, supplier and destination works for the good of local communities. We look for:

√ Transparent operations
√ Trips that support community needs
√ Positive social and economic impact
√ Efforts to lessen negative impact
√ Protection of local cultures
√ Environmental benefits

Our Mission

Is to make responsible travel easy. We do this by creating a transparent and global network to connect travelers with top travel advisors and vetted suppliers with local expertise and experience.

Our Vision

Is to harness the potential of travel to create positive change around the globe, empower travel entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, and transform the travel industry into a force for good.

Our Founder

Javier created Myght because he believed that thoughtful partnerships between socially conscious organizations, professionals and travelers have the power to transform the travel industry into a force for good. In addition, Javier is passionate about giving back to his local community. Among other youth-focused travel initiatives, Javier is a board member of FLYTE, a youth travel nonprofit which enables youth to experience the life-changing power of education and travel. Before founding Myght, Javier spent over six years working at a global hotel chain and gained experience in operations, revenue and sales and event management. He holds a bachelors in Tourism and Business Management from Arizona State. In his free time, Javier enjoys exploring new destinations with his wife.