More than 360 departures available to travel on this October
G Adventures today announced the introduction of its Vaccinated Tours program, with each trip having a fully vaccinated chief experience officer (CEO or tour guide) confirmed to lead the tour, on which all travelers must also be fully vaccinated. When surveyed, 62%* of American travelers expressed that having a vaccinated CEO was actually more important to them than their fellow travelers being fully vaccinated, which 53% of travelers indicated they would prefer when traveling on a small group tour.
Due to the vast number of tours and destinations G Adventures is currently operating in, and the slower roll-out of vaccines in some destinations, the adventure operator is also introducing ‘Travel-Ready’ tours to ensure equitable access to tourism employment opportunities for CEOs in destinations which have not yet been able to administer vaccinations as widely as others, and the operator is also actively assisting CEOs to access vaccines in their home countries.
Of the tours departing in October, 304 departures across 116 tours will operate as Vaccinated Tours and 64 departures will be designated as Travel-Ready. On Vaccinated Tours, all travelers and CEOs must have received a full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose administered at least 14 days prior to day one of the tour. On Travel-Ready tours, all travelers and CEOs must have either received a full COVID-19 vaccination, or have a negative PCR test within 96 hours prior to day one of their tour’s departure. An icon will be featured next to each trip at www.gadventures.com to indicate which category of tour the departure falls under.
The Vaccinated Tours and Travel-Ready programs represent an evolution of G Adventures’ existing Travel with Confidence policy which remains in place. This policy was introduced in June, 2020, and saw the implementation of enhanced health, safety and physical distancing measures across all tours.
Jeff Russill, chief operating officer at G Adventures, said that while the company is prioritizing the placement of vaccinated CEOs, they also want to continue with the company’s mission of changing lives through travel in as many countries as possible, as quickly as possible, through community tourism.
“By October we will have successfully, and safely, run close to 1,000 tours since September 2020 – more tours than any other operator – supporting employment and boosting the local economies of countries that are dependent on tourism, such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, Morocco, Peru and Kenya. We are starting with Vaccinated Tours in October and will be adding future departures as we confirm CEOs and travelers are all fully vaccinated in order to lead and travel on those itineraries.
“As a global operator, we also want to ensure travel equity for those travelers who haven’t been able to be vaccinated as yet due to their age and / or home country, as we have travelers from more than 160 countries join our trips. We expect vaccination rates to increase in most destinations later this year, and as they do we will be operating even more Vaccinated Tours,” says Russill.
Example Vaccinated Tours and Travel-Ready trips that are available for travelers to book for travel in October include:
-
Peru Upgraded – This eight-day, action-packed trip offers up the highlights of Peru in a short amount of time. Visit local communities in the Sacred Valley, lean about ancient traditions in the Andes, check out the food scene in Lima and of course experience the absolute awe of seeing the mountaintop citadel of Machu Picchu. This Vaccinated Tour starting and ending in Lima and departing on October 9 is priced from $1,999pp**.
-
Egypt and Jordan Adventure – Get ready for a wide-ranging adventure showcasing the region’s natural wonders and fascinating cultures, offering the perfect combination of guided excursions with free time to explore. Our expert local leaders will share the archaeological and historical secrets of the ancient sites of Petra, Luxor, and the Great Pyramids of Giza. A 15-day Travel-Ready tour departing on October 29, 2021 and traveling from Cairo to Amman is priced from $2,899pp**.
-
Costa Rica Quest Plus – This action-packed tour of Costa Rica’s highlights is perfect for the adventurer with limited time who wants to explore the region’s diversity. Get adrenaline pumping, follow a trail to the base of a waterfall, melt away in thermal springs, or relax on a beach in the secluded spots only the locals know. This nine-day Vaccinated Tour starting and ending in San Jose has October departures starting at $999pp**.
For more information on G Adventures, please visit www.gadventures.com.
About G Adventures
Founded in 1990 by social entrepreneur Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures is a small group adventure travel operator offering more than 1,000 tours in 100 countries, on all seven continents. G Adventures’ award-winning trips support local communities, giving travellers meaningful experiences with people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, while offering them the freedom and flexibility to explore on their own. G Adventures’ responsible approach to travel is demonstrated through its ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives, which include travel guidelines for children, wildlife and Indigenous people, community-based social enterprise projects travellers can experience on a trip, and its industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’ assessment which measures how many traveller dollars stay in the local economy. G Adventures offers life-changing tours for individuals of all ages, interests and budgets. Because our world deserves more you. For more information please visit www.gadventures.com