“I’m told it makes the first couple of days at your destination


much more bearable when kids aren’t jetlagged!” AIR NEW ZEALAND’S KERRY REEVES TELLS US ABOUT THE SKYCOUCHES, P39


in the world. Now carrying more than 100,000 travellers per year, G Adventures’ January sales were 125%up compared to 2008. Even a high-profile legal battle with clothing company Gap last year, in which Poon Tip lost $5 million before reluctantly renaming “Gap Adventures” to G Adventures, only enhanced his brand following if anything.


A lack of other similarly engaging


travel brands has created brand disloyalty in travel, he suggests. “If you look at a company like Apple, people are queuing round the block for the latest iPhone or iPad. But so few


travel brands offer something that really resonates with the customer and creates loyalty, and so of course the customer shops on price or convenience instead,” he points out.


Inspiring customers You might argue that it is rather easier for an operator like G Adventures (whose clients tend to be more affluent and globally-aware) than a mass-tourism operator, to engage customers in the importance of holidaying responsibly. And Poon Tip is the first to agree that his own niche product – active, small group tours, often in emerging destinations – might suit only 30% of holidaymakers. But he lays the responsibility of educating consumers on how and why they might holiday differently in the hands of the travel seller. “I’m not against cruise companies or people who just want to lie on a beach for a week but there are better ways to do it,” he says. “If a customer asks for a cruise, ask if they’ve ever considered small ship cruising in Greece or the Galapagos. “Encourage them to leave their all-inclusive compound to spend money locally, or add on a volunteering day. Maybe they can’t afford a trip like ours, and maybe they are just looking for a cheap


Planeterra set up a weaving cooperative in Peru’s Ccaccaccollo community in 2005


deal, but agents should still try to inspire them.”


In the UK, 90% of G Adventures’


sales are through agents, and back in 1990, the operator was entirely trade- facing, so Poon Tip has worked alongside agents closely enough to understand their business. Promoting sustainable holidays is not only the “right thing” for agents to do, he claims, but might also be the retail sector’s saving grace. He describes the “last-minute” culture of the past 20 years as giving birth to too many “bucket shops” making money out of selling distressed stock. “I’m not criticising those people who can only afford last-minute prices,” he points out. “But people come to a travel agency because they want help, they want to understand. The travel sellers which are being decimated are those that are not educating their clients,” he argues.


Sustainable growth If Poon Tip regrets one thing about the way his own business has developed since its inception, it’s that he did not appreciate the effect of climate change earlier – and the extent to which the travel industry would be held accountable for it. “Climate change took me for a


loop,” he admits. “When I started the company, we focused on cultural sustainability. Now customers are


asking what we’re doing about climate change – but our business model is built on air travel.” “But air travel is not even


COREVALUES


driven by tourism,” he adds. “Ask any airline how they set their routes and schedules and it’s for business travel. Tourists just fill up the back of the plane.”


That said, G Adventures has just


recruited a new product developer to expand the operator’s European product, with an increased emphasis on rail-accessible tours. “That’s definitely something we can see more space for in the business,” he confides. At Planeterra’s Future of Tourism forum last week, Poon Tip warned that tourism will be “unrecognisable” if it continues to develop in an unsustainable fashion. Given that he can never hope to reach every single holidaymaker with his message, I ask how optimistic he is about the future of the industry.


He tells me that a cultural shift towards donating money to charity has given him plenty of hope for the future: “It’s trendy to give now, which is a very good thing,” he explains. And a growing consumer demand for responsible holidays – even in the mass-market – means he’s confident the industry can adapt. “When one of our key partners


Lead with service “By continually striving to exceed expectations – both our travellers’ and ours – we’re better able to connect with


our travellers and change the way they see the world.”


Do the right thing “A commitment to continually challenge ourselves to see the big picture and bring about meaningful and positive change whenever we can.”


Embrace the bizarre “Bizarre? Maybe. Exciting? You bet. Coincidence? Absolutely not.”


Create happiness and community “A unique combination of respect and enthusiasm prevents us from losing sight of what matters most – community, people, cultural exchange – and reminds us that creating happiness is a privilege we all share together.”


comes to us and asks about sustainable projects, I’m really excited. Consumers are driving that change,” he claims. “Could the industry be doing more?


Yes. But it’s doing a lot already – and it can only get better.”


05.04.2012 31


We love changing people’s lives “Our goal is to ensure an authentic and unforgettable life-changing experience for everyone. After all, if you’re not changing, you’re not growing. And isn’t that what life is all about?”


G Adventures: Its core values


Poon Tip attributes a staff turnover rate of only 3%, and a repeat customer rate of 60%, to a strong set of brand values with which both staff and clients engage. Here is an abridged version:


LeonardoTamburri


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