The Way Forward Is About Everybody

In a wide-ranging conversation with Bruce Poon Tip, the founder of G Adventures makes the point that: “Travel is a privilege, not a right. When you decide to take a holiday, and to travel, it’s a big decision that can impact a lot of lives, so I hope people change how they think about making a decision to take a holiday – and realize what a privilege it is to be able to make that choice.”

In Unlearn: The Year The Earth Stood Still, Poon Tip wrote about how travel would change, observing that there would be a difference between what he’d like to see and what may actually be possible.

And responding the question of what he’d like to see and he believes may actually be possible, G Adventures founder said:

“I think anything is possible. I think anything is possible for people to change how they take their holiday time. I am the eternal optimist when it comes to these things. It doesn’t need to be a lot of people, it just needs to be a small group of people to change the landscape of our industry. What I’d like to see is people becoming more connected to destinations, more purposeful in their choices and why they want to travel between countries, and not be booking based on amenities and thread counts on sheets.”

And he continued: “That’s a dangerous place for us to be in tourism, and in travel, if people are more concerned about amenities – so it’s my hope that people get more connected and purposeful in their decision making, and understand their privilege when it comes to being able to travel.”

He pointed out that: “There’s a very small population on the planet that has the privilege to decide they want to take a holiday. Travel is a privilege, not a right. When you decide to take a holiday, and to travel, it’s a big decision that can impact a lot of lives, so I hope people change how they think about making a decision to take a holiday – and realize what a privilege it is to be able to make that choice.”

For the full story, check out the latest issue of TRAVEL COURIER.