Russia has sanctioned G Adventures founder and prominent travel figure Bruce Poon Tip for his public stance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Poon Tip is one of 200 high-profile Canadians who have now been banned from entering Russia, as Moscow responds to sanctions imposed by the Canadian Government.
Poon Tip says he welcomes the sanction “as it gives us an opportunity to speak out again about the atrocity of the war against Ukraine”.
“What Russia is doing is horrifying. I will continue to support the further sanctioning of Russia until they leave the sovereign nation of Ukraine, and stop destroying a beautiful proud country and killing innocent people,” said Poon Tip following the latest round of reciprocal bans.
“As a company, G Adventures spoke out early. We cancelled all tours in Russia, and refused to accept Russian nationals residing inside Russia on our trips, or to take bookings from Russian agencies.
“The fact I am now being personally sanctioned in return underpins my commitment to fighting the good fight, though it continues to devastate me that the Russian tourism industry and local communities are the ones impacted by these reciprocal bans when it comes to accessing the benefits of tourism.”
Path to eace through travel
The G Adventures boss also reiterated his view that “travel can be the fastest path to peace”.
“It’s only by connecting with other cultures that we can foster connection and understanding between different countries and communities.
“If I have to be sanctioned to get this message across I’ll wear it as a badge of honour.
“Travel is the most powerful way we can open our hearts, minds, and eyes to the beauty of the world, especially in the darkest of times.
“This cultural exchange is the backbone of what I built this company on 32 years ago and it must continue, but not at the expense of innocent people.”
Last month, G Adventures announced a tie-up with Brisbane-based restorative travel technology start-up, Reforest, to start taking action on climate change through tree planting.
