SUMMIT


Summit delegates


G Adventures’ Change Makers Summit: Fourteen UK agents were among I


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‘Traditional fams are boring’ says Poon Tip


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Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip has described traditional fam trip models as


“boring” and criticised the way some agents are offered fam trips. Te adventure operator’s


inaugural Change Makers Summit, in Peru, welcomed not only top sellers but also agents who champion the brand and are likely to sell it. Poon Tip said: “I’ve been saying


for a very long time about my unhappiness with the general concept of fams and how traditional and how boring they’ve become. Tey just


Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures


I’m there to sell what


we do and how we do it better. I don’t think the traditional fam trip is the most effective way


needed some kind of innovation.” Neelan Kanda, director of


Sapphire Adventures, agreed, adding: “In some cases you don’t learn much about the destination at all and you go from one hotel to another. “However, first-hand experience


on the ground sampling an operator’s programme is invaluable and makes it so much easier to sell.” Poon Tip also criticised the way


some travel companies offer fam trips to agents as a perk rather than select agents based on their interest in the destination or operator. Referring to some trips that


G Adventures runs for partner agencies, he said: “We don’t get to choose the agents. [Tey are] not the bestselling agents or the most-effective agents. [Te fam] is used as an incentive [whereas] we are trying to put over a different agenda. “We want agents to learn what


we do and we want to create a meaningful relationship with agents that are likely to, or somewhat intentioned to, sell our programmes.” Poon Tip said: “We’re trying to


limit these fams with partners and to try to think of other ways to motivate their agents. People are afraid to talk about this because it’s so important


to the incentive side of the business.” ›What do you think? Email benjamin.coren@travelweekly.co.uk


12 13 JUNE 2019


G Adventures aims for 100 social projects


G Adventures is launching Project 100, which will bring the total number of social enterprise community projects to 100 by 2020. Te announcement came


as the operator hit its target of launching 50 social enterprise community projects in five years through its not-for-profit foundation, Planeterra, with a year and a half to spare. G Adventures formed


Planeterra in 2003 to develop and support small communities around the world in the destinations to which its customers travel. Victoria Houle, Planeterra


director of development, said: “We started with 25 [already open] and added 50. We achieved our goal a year and a half early, so raised the game and launched Project 100. “Last year, 58,000 people


benefited from Planterra projects. G Adventures covers our operational costs, which means 100% of what we raise goes back to the community.”


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