SUSTAINABILITY
REPORT 2020
Important Legal Information
This report contains information about Despegar.com. Despegar.com disclaims any duty or obligation to update such information. Any “forward-looking statement” is made only as of the date such information was originally prepared by Despegar.com and is intended to fall within the safe harbor for forward-looking information provided in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, may be
forward-looking statements. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements include, among other things, statements about our strategic and operational initiatives; our innovation agenda; and our risk management. Results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Factors that can cause results to differ materially include those described under “Forward Looking Statements” in our most recent Form 20-F filed with the SEC. This report may contain links to other Internet sites, and may frame material from other Internet sites. Such links or frames are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information in such site has been endorsed or approved by Despegar.com.
The inclusion of information in this report should not be construed as a characterization regarding the materiality or financial impact of that information. For a discussion of information that is material to Despegar.com, please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Reports on Form 20-F.
The COVID-19 global pandemic has demonstrated that travel enriches our lives. Despegar has revolutionized travel for more than two decades, enabling Latin Americans to see the world and each other. Our Company’s innovative approach to travel, our deep understanding of local country norms and our dynamic and nimble corporate culture enable us to offer to more than 23 million customers a uniquely personalized experience. We are proud to extend this value proposition to Best Day and Koin’s customers.
We remain deeply committed to Despegar’s longstanding philosophy of ongoing improvement, as we’ve demonstrated with the many initiatives we’ve established throughout the years to ensure our Company contributes meaningfully to the communities where we operate.
We’re therefore extremely proud to introduce Despegar’ inaugural Corporate Sustainability Report to you today. The report illustrates those developments and objectives which underscore our committed, transparent and quality work in this area.
The Covid-19 pandemic had an unprecedented adverse effect on the travel sector globally, within the emerging markets in particular, and Despegar was no exception to these headwinds. We were therefore forced to discontinue certain initiatives due to these unique circumstances. However, I’m pleased to note that most will be resumed in the second half of 2021.
However, it’s important to note that many of our initiatives remained in place, with benefit of technology which enabled interactions and with thanks to our outstanding Despegar team that rose to the challenge on various fronts. Their
dedication enabled our Company to develop innovative capabilities that provide meaningful future benefits.
We are acutely aware of our responsibility as a company to be transparent and to communicate not only our business results but also our company’s potential impact on the broader community. We believe this successfully establishes long-term relationships with all of our stakeholders based on a foundation of trust.
Therefore, while we’re excited about the progress we’ve made thus far, we believe there are further opportunities ahead for improvements and change, and to continue evolving. While the future likely holds many challenges, this initial report is an important starting point.
As always, thank you for your support.
Damián Scokin
CEO Despegar
ESG is an important component of our Company’s success, and has been integrated within our corporate strategy and aligned with our long-term objectives. Further, the process of developing Despegar’s inaugural report began with our Board’s unanimous support and commitment.
