G Adventures founder, Bruce Poon Tip
The Planneterra Team
Erika Harms, Executive Director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
Karma Chameleons, Sam Burrows
Kyle Jordan, and Will Matthews of
G Adventures' Culture Club
The adventure travel company formerly known as Gap Adventures marked last week’s United Nation’s World Tourism Day with a celebration featuring a few of sustainable tourism’s most influential figures and their own new identity.
Travel industry types and the general public gathered at Toronto’s Winter Garden Theatre for the Future of Tourism 2011 conference. David Suzuki, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Executive Director Erika Harms, Planeterra Executive Director Megan Epler-Wood, travel blogger Gary Arndt and Bruce Poon Tip, founder of what will be henceforth known as G Adventures, shared their insights via video link or from the stage speaking about their campaigns to help raise awareness for sustainable tourism.
The night was comical, dramatic, emotional, and most importantly, informative.
Red-vested ushers greeted travel industry guests at the theatre’s grand entrance for a pre-show VIP cocktail reception. Open Jaw had the opportunity to rub shoulders with the G Adventures folks and the Planeterra team for a brief presentation about the GSTC.
There was no doubt that the highlight of the show was the wisecracking Poon Tip. He seized the moment to reveal the company’s new name and divulged that after almost 5 years and spending close to $5 million on litigation instigated in the U.S. by Gap, he decided to free himself and move on as G Adventures. Not one to shy away from the dramatic statement, Bruce shared, “I’ve always believed that the secret to happiness is freedom, and the secret to freedom is courage. This year, we are taking a bold step with our identity – a change that’s an evolutionary step into the future.”
Poon Tip couldn’t resist the opportunity to take a few jabs at Gap clothing and their lawyers with a special onscreen image. A great dane looking down on a tiny Chihuahua. The Chihuahua’s dialogue bubble read, “F*ck you.”
Audience members and viewers from around the world who tuned into a live webcast learned of G Adventures’ philosophy. “There is a reason why people choose to see the world with us that goes beyond merely offering great trips,” said Poon Tip. “We are a company devoted to building communities, promoting happiness and changing lives.”
Their Planeterra Foundation is dedicated to transforming lives in a number of ways. A Toronto fundraiser last year led to the opening of 3 eye care centres in Cambodia, Tibet and Tanzania. Within 2 weeks of Haiti’s disastrous earthquake, Poon Tip’s team was able to fill an Air Canada aircraft with food and relief supplies.
Poon Tip concluded the evening stating, “I’m not here to preach. I’m here to inform you.” With trailblazing entrepreneurs like Poon Tip, the future of sustainable tourism seems to be in good hands.
