MEDIA KIT
It began with one man...
In 1990, Bruce Poon Tip was living in a garage apartment in Toronto when he had an idea to change the
face of travel – a small-group adventure company that bridged the divide between backpacking and coach
tours. He wanted to develop tours that got to the heart of a destination and met the people who live there.
At a time when the concept of sustainable travel didn’t yet exist, Bruce was about to become one of travel’s
first disruptive innovators.
…and two credit cards
When no bank was willing to provide him with a loan, Bruce funded his startup by maxing out two credit
cards. From there, two tours were launched in Ecuador and Belize, and the stage was set for a new style of
travel that gave travellers the opportunity to explore the world with like-minded people and interact with
locals in the countries they visited.
Now it’s a global social enterprise
G Adventures is now the world’s largest small-group adventure travel company, with more than 700 tours
on all seven continents. Built on a foundation of strong core values, G Adventures creates tours that support
small businesses and help communities to help themselves.
And we’re just getting started
It’s our mission to help travel become the greatest form of wealth redistribution the world has ever seen.
Our travellers contribute to local economies, support small businesses, and fund the development of
G Adventures for Good projects that strengthen the communities they encounter with us.
OUR STORY
“We get back what we put
in. You just have to believe
that what you’re doing is
important, that it’s worth the
eort, and you’re doing it for
reasons other than just to
make money.”
– Bruce Poon Tip, Founder, G Adventures
Entrepreneur, leader, and philanthropist Bruce Poon Tip is the founder of adventure travel company and social
enterprise G Adventures. Following a transformational backpacking trip to Asia, Bruce had an idea to change
the face of travel. At the age of 22, on two maxed-out credit cards, he started G Adventures, a small-group
adventure company that would bridge the divide between backpacking and mainstream travel to give travellers
the opportunity to foster meaningful connections with local communities.
Passionate about travel’s power to change the world for the better, Bruce has become a global leader on social
entrepreneurship, leadership, immersive travel, and innovation.
He has addressed the United Nations and the World Bank, spoken at the headquarters of Apple and Google, and
delivered keynote speeches at TED events and entrepreneurship conferences around the world. In 2016 Bruce
was honoured with an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Bruce’s first book, Looptail: How One Company Changed the World by Reinventing Business, was a New York
Times bestseller. His second book, Do Big Small Things, is an inspirational look at life and travel, and how doing
big, small things can lead to happiness.
MEET BRUCE
‘90
G.A.P Adventures founded
by Bruce Poon Tip in
Toronto, Canada.
‘11
‘14
‘18‘16
G.A.P. Adventures is
rebranded G Adventures.
G Adventures becomes first travel
company to launch tours in Haiti
following the 2010 earthquake.
Opens a new oce in Berlin,
Germany, its 28th worldwide.
A partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute
is announced to form the Jane Goodall
Collection of wildlife tours, and the company’s
animal welfare guidelines are published.
‘96
Bruce presents at the World Bank
in Washington as a recognized
ecotourism expert, and launches
the first Ecotourism Tour Operator
Standards.
‘03
The company’s non-profit
organization, Planeterra,
is established.
‘09
Bruce gives up his title of CEO and
awards it to the company’s tour
guides, who are now known as
Chief Experience Ocers.
‘92
Bruce exports concept of
sustainable small-group travel
to an international audience at
World Travel Market in
London, UK.
‘02
Bruce delivers a speech to
the UN General Assembly
to support the UN Year of
Sustainable Tourism.
‘06
New oces are opened in
London, Buenos Aires,
Nairobi, and Melbourne.
‘13
Bruce releases his first book, Looptail:
How One Company Changed the World
by Reinventing Business.
‘15
G Adventures celebrates its 25th
anniversary by launching a new
programme of trips in partnership
with National Geographic.
‘17
G Adventures acquires established British
brands Travelsphere and Just You.
‘10
The HR department is eliminated
and the Talent Agency is created.
Company surpasses $150 million
in sales.
OUR FIRST 28 YEARS
66M
Number of women tourism
employs worldwide
10
%
Percentage of global GDP
fuelled by travel and tourism
(totalling US$7.6-trillion/year)
$200B
Amount of US dollars directed into
emerging market countries every
year thanks to tourism
83
%
Percentage of the developing
world for which tourism is the
principal export earner
227M
Number of tourism-related
jobs in the world. That’s
1 in 11 of the world’s total
67
%
Percentage of countries surveyed*
in which tourism is growing more
rapidly than the economy as a whole
*by the WEF & WTTC
TOURISM: A FORCE FOR GLOBAL GOOD
Our travellers by home region
*Based G Adventures data during calendar year 2017
Other
USA
CAN
AUZ/NZ
EUROPE
UK/IE
30%
21%
15%
16%
16%
2%
28
oces
worldwide
2,200
employees
160
200,000
travellers from
countries
We operate more than
tours in 100+ countries
700
G ADVENTURES – A GLOBAL GLANCE
Changing the travel business, one great idea at a time
THE G DIFFERENCE
As small-group adventure travel pioneers, we’ve always done things a little bit dierently.
To us, there’s no such thing as “outside-the-box” thinking because we don’t believe in
boxes. Check out a few of the ways we live the G Dierence.
100% GUARANTEED DEPARTURES
Every G Adventures departure is guaranteed
to run, meaning once a traveller is booked
and paid, they’re going. A trip won’t be
cancelled by us for any reason (beyond
harsh weather or safety issues).
LIFETIME DEPOSITS™
Our Lifetime Deposit policy protects
travellers from unexpected events that may
cause them (for any reason) to cancel or
delay their trip. Whether they opt to use it
again for the same trip, transfer it to another
one, or just hold onto it for now, we’ve got
them covered. They can even pass it on
to a friend or donate it to Planeterra for a
G Adventures for Good initiative.
24/7 SERVICE
When your business covers the whole world
like ours does, you have to be available and
accountable all the time. If a traveller’s got a
question about a tour – even if it’s the one
they’re currently on – we’re here to help.
Always. We never sleep. Never.
NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS
If a traveller is going solo, we believe they
shouldn’t have to pay extra for making
new friends and having the time of their
life. That’s why we don’t charge single
supplement fees. We’ll partner them up
with a same-sex roommate (or several for
multi-share accommodation) to ensure
they pay the same as everyone else.
CHOICE
Not to toot our own horn or anything, but
we oer the widest variety of destinations,
departure dates, Travel Styles, and Service
Levels in the business. No matter where,
when, how, or why someone wants to
travel, we’ve got the trip of a lifetime for
them. Toot.
VALUE
What a traveller saw and did should be the
most memorable part of their trip, not the
price they paid for it. We oer unforgettable
travel experiences at the most competitive
prices you’ll find anywhere. How? By
following an approach to travel that keeps
operating costs low and savings high.
SATISFACTION
We’re pretty proud of our customer
satisfaction record. A whopping 99% of
our travellers report satisfaction with our
service on their tour. How do we do that?
By listening. We keep what passengers love,
and tweak whatever just didn’t hit the mark.
It’s just one of the many ways we lead with
service.
GLOBAL NETWORK
There’s a great big world out there, and
with 28 sales and operations oces
worldwide, you’re never far from one.
And with a fleet of exclusive boats, lodges
and vehicles at our disposal, we can
deliver an experience that’s consistently
G Adventures from start to finish.
PRIVATE GROUPS
Group tours are a great way to meet people,
but sometimes travellers just want to keep
the experience between family and friends.
Some travel companies will only arrange
private tours for groups of 12 or more, but
we’ll happily arrange one for smaller groups.
Other companies settle for mission statements. At G Adventures,
we live by our five Core Values: We Love Changing People’s
Lives, Lead With Service, Embrace the Bizarre, Create Happiness
& Community, and Do the Right Thing.
These values form the foundation of our strong company
culture – known collectively as G Nation – and are designed to
be embodied by all sta wherever they work: both inside and
outside the company, with each other, our business partners,
and our travellers.
In 2009, we introduced the “Happiness Business Model”
for our sta, a pivotal innovation that has fostered a global
culture of happiness and freedom, creates a sense of
community, and speaks to a higher purpose.
OUR CULTURE
Each G Adventures tour is led by an expert CEO (Chief
Experience Ocer) responsible for oering local insight,
pursuing great experiences as they happen, and adding a unique
personal perspective to every adventure. What matters most to
a CEO is making the tour the best it can be.
Whether it’s insider access to a normally restricted place,
advice about where in the city to explore, or simply a unique
take on the culture, CEOs are so much more than guides;
they’re the key to an incredible experience.
MEET OUR CEOs
Planet Earth is an amazing place, but it’s far from perfect. Since the very beginning, G Adventures has operated with the belief
that travel is an exchange, not a commodity. As a social enterprise, the planet is our product. Its social and environmental welfare
is fundamentally important to us – not just as a business, but as human beings, too. When you travel with us, you’re giving back
as much – if not more – than what you take away, often in ways you’d never expect. We describe this feedback loop and the
experiences that strengthen it: “G Adventures for Good”. Here’s how we spread G Adventures for Good around the world.
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL
Don’t just see the world. Make it better.
ANIMAL WELFARE
G Adventures recognizes the importance of
animal welfare. That’s why we have adopted
the guidelines developed by the Association
of British Travel Agents (ABTA) in conjunction
with the Born Free Foundation, a third-party
organization whose mission is to protect
animals from abuse.
CHILD WELFARE
G Adventures believes that it is critical
that no child is ever harmed as a result
of tourism. Travellers have the power to
make a true impact in the communities
they visit, and that’s why we actively work
to ensure child welfare is protected in the
places we operate.
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL WITH
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Connecting curious travellers with
Indigenous communities is an essential
part of our identity at G Adventures. We
are committed to respecting the rights,
history, and culture of Indigenous people
while ensuring that tourism supports their
well-being.
Visit gadventures.com/responsible-travel for more information.
Number of people employed
globally by G Adventures’ contracted
service providers.
112,000
On average, 3 family members
are supported by each employee
of our service providers.
FAMILIES
50% of our suppliers worldwide
contribute to non-profit
organizations or local groups.
SUPPORT
83% of supplier management
sta are local.
LOCAL STAFF
9/10 of our suppliers purchase more
than half of their supplies from local
producers, markets, and farms.
FRESH
97% of our on-tour suppliers employ
sustainability practices in their operations.
SUSTAINABILITY
91% of our on-tour hotels, restaurants, and
tour providers are owned by local people.
LOCAL
All figures derived from G Adventures’ global survey
of suppliers conducted as part of G Local, a sustainability framework
developed in partnership with Sustainable Travel International (STI) and
the Planeterra Foundation to evaluate localized impacts and guide G
Adventures’ purchasing decisions.
Nearly 100 of our on-tour
experiences in over 40
countries include visits to
Indigenous communities.
GLOBAL
100
65% of included meals are
based on local food and
traditional cuisine.
FOOD
65%
For every $1 spent locally, there is an economic
stimulus of $8.
ECONOMIC STIMULUS
$8
EVERYWHERE IS LOCAL
Everywhere we go, from the biggest cities to the tiniest villages, we opt for local
businesses and services whenever we can. Last year, we became the first travel
company to conduct a supply chain assessment based on our core values –
the G Local Survey – to study the real-world impact of our travellers on the
communities we visit. The numbers speak for themselves.
At its heart, travel is about exchange. That’s why G Adventures ensures that the communities
our travellers explore get something back from the experience, too. Since 1990, we’ve
integrated 50 self-sustaining G Adventures for Good initiatives into more than 180 of our
itineraries. These projects address local challenges, providing benefits for Indigenous people,
empowering marginalized women, and granting disadvantaged youth access to education,
employment, and brighter futures.
Visit gadventures.com/50-in-5 for more information.
G Adventures for Good projects
G Adventures for Good projects are community
development initiatives sponsored and supported
by G Adventures and implemented by our not-
for-profit partners, the Planeterra Foundation.
Experiences at these initiatives are built into
G Adventures tour itineraries, connecting the
projects to an existing customer base and helping
them become self-sustaining enterprises.
The 50 in 5 campaign
G Adventures is raising $5 million to establish 50
new G Adventures for Good projects all over the
world, growing our global project total to 75. By
2020, over 90% of our travellers will be connected
to these vital community initiatives, allowing us to
impact even more lives.
G ADVENTURES FOR GOOD
Changing the world through travel
!Khwa ttu San Cultural Centre
Cape Town North, South Africa
The San people of Southern Africa have
historically faced centuries of political and cultural
oppression. The !Khwa ttu San Culture and
Education Centre provides tailor-made training
for women and men of Southern Africa, and
travellers can learn about San culture and history
at the interpretive museum. Visits help trainees
gain experience with international tourists while
garnering support for the centre’s eorts to
preserve San culture and history.
› 30 students in training annually
› 150 community members benefiting
Wiwa Tours
Sierra Nevada, Colombia
Since 2015, G Adventures has been working with
Wiwa community leaders to identify economic
opportunities in communities along the Lost City
trekking route. A new community enterprise along
the trail has led to a much-needed tourism boost.
The Wiwa have a strong desire for tourism that
upholds their cultural values and that’s exactly
what travellers get from this new touring business
launched in early 2018, located just outside a
Wiwa village.
› 100 people who are directly employed
› 1,000 G Adventures travellers will visit each year
Sthree Craft Shop and Café
Kandy, Sri Lanka
Sthree Craft Shop and Café is a
G Adventures-supported social enterprise created
in partnership with The Women’s Development
Centre, an organization that supports training and
work opportunities for local women and disabled
youth from the Kandy area. “Sthree” means
“women” in both Tamil and Sinhala – fitting as the
shop and café is a place for local women to hone
their hospitality skills, while selling handicrafts
sourced from all over Sri Lanka.
› 100 entrepreneurs with improved market access
› 2,000 G Adventures travellers will visit each year
OUR NEWEST G ADVENTURES
FOR GOOD PROJECTS
A TOUR FOR EVERY TRAVELLER
The quintessential G Adventures experience, Classic trips
deliver the perfect balance of must-see highlights, cultural
exchange, insider access, unbeatable value, and the kind
of spontaneous, you-really-had-to-be-there moments that
make your trip memorable.
Youth is a limited-time oer. Get more out of yours with
18-to-Thirtysomethings tours – fast-paced and aordable
adventures designed for young travellers. Explore the
world by day, stay up all night, and do it all again tomorrow
someplace new with friends you’ll want to hang on to
forever. You’ve got the rest of your life to take it slow. Live
fast now.
Active adventures get you closer to the destination by letting
you hike, bike, and multi-sport your way through it. We
provide the equipment, the experts, and the opportunity,
you provide the energy. On your mark. Get set. Go Active.
Before we took to the skies, we rode the rails. The steam
locomotive connected the world like no technology that
came before it. linking isolated communities to the big
cities. Climb aboard and see your world in a new way
There’s adventure aplenty out there beyond the shore, but
unless you’ve got gills or flippers, you’ll need a ship to find
them. Marine tours are designed for travellers of all stripes,
from experienced cruisers and sailors to landlubbers who’ve
never set foot on a boat. And they go just about everywhere
there’s water. If you can float there, you can go there.
Always dreamed of getting deep inside one of the world’s
greatest or most out-there destinations? You can now.
Unpack once on a Local Living tour and go undercover in
some of the world’s most interesting places in search of life
as it’s lived every day.
Open up the world of adventure travel for kids aged 4
and up and let them experience their planet on their own
terms. Everything is new and exciting when you’re a kid.
Travel with yours and discover your world for the first time
all over again.
National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures is an exclusive
collection of small-group tours designed to take you deeper into
the cultures and habitats of the world’s greatest destinations.
These aren’t just trips; they’re opportunities to see the world through
the eyes of National Geographic-supported wildlife researchers,
historians, nature conservationists, and others. And with upgraded
accommodation, privates transfers, and more inclusions than on
other G Adventures tours, you won’t sacrifice comfort when you’re
roaming the planet.
You’ve waited your whole life to explore the world like they do in
National Geographic magazine. Now’s your chance.
IMAGINE A NEW WAY TO
EXPERIENCE THE WORLD
Adventure begins where
the wild things are
The Jane Goodall Collection by G Adventures
is a selection of incredible wildlife-centric
tours in the world’s most remarkable
destinations. Featuring 20 small-group
adventures, this collection brings curious
travellers into close contact with our planet’s
most fascinating creatures in a manner that
respects their freedom.
JANE GOODALL
COLLECTION
For media inquiries, image and logo requests, or to invite G Adventures founder
Bruce Poon Tip or other company leaders to participate in a speaking engagement,
contact us at the appropriate number below or email [email protected]
Casey Mead
Global PR
+1 (416) 432 2368
Kim McCabe
United States
+1 (917) 456-6860
Leah Whiteld
United Kingdom and Ireland
lwhit[email protected]
+44 7969 667132
Anja Kocherscheidt
Central Europe
+49 40 3600 62890
Tim Chan
Canada
+1 (416) 568 9983
Bella Twomey
Australia and New Zealand
+61 434 692 254
@gadventures
gadventures.com
CONTACT US
