At Adventure World, there seems to be almost as much altruism as there is adventure. At a travel industry event at the Australian Museum on Wednesday, the soft adventure company officially unveiled its new mission to ‘Travel with Purpose’.
At the heart of this mission will be Adventure World’s ongoing partnership with the Australia Museum, the company’s Conservation Collection – which comprises immersive small group tours to Asia, Latin America, and Africa – and a new partnership with Animals Asia, an animal welfare organisation with a particularly strong focus on ending bear bile farming in Vietnam.
“Adventure World is so proud of our Travel with Purpose philosophy, it’s intrinsic in everything we do, and now is the perfect time to launch it to the Australian market, along with seeing it in action through our support for the Australian Museum,” Adventure World managing director Neil Rodgers said.
“Adventure World’s Travel with Purpose ethos, is about gaining deeper connection, knowledge and understanding of the places travellers go, the people they meet and wildlife they see, with the goal of helping them to better the planet and inspire others to do the same.”
Travel authentically
Speaking at the Sydney event, Rodgers said Adventure World wants to make travel “sustainable for the long-term, knowing that tourism can have both an exceptionally positive and potentially negative impact on people, wildlife, and the planet”.
“When you travel with Adventure World you will experience the destination in the most authentic way possible,” he added.
Animals Asia founder and CEO Dr Jill Robinson threw her support behind the Conservation Collection and the organisation’s partnership with Adventure World.
In a presentation that brought some to tears, she also spoke of Animal Asia’s own efforts in rescuing elephants and supporting ethical elephant tours in Vietnam – and of course, its rescue of over 670 bears.
“We are building the last bear sanctuary in Vietnam in order to save the remaining bears from the country’s bile farms,” said Dr Robinson, who is considered the world’s leading expert on the cruel bear bile industry.
“Bear bile farming has been pushing moon, and sun bears towards extinction. Upon completion, this new sanctuary will be a historic milestone, as it will bring an end to the cruel practice of bear bile farming and provide a safe haven for all the rescued bears.
“Once the last bear is saved, this trade will be history for Vietnam and set a precedent for other countries in the region to follow.”
How Adventure World is helping
Adventure World customers can see for themselves the good work that Animals Asia is doing in a new add-on for 2023. As part of a 4-day, 3-night package in Hanoi, travellers will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes day tour of the Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary, as well as an introduction to Hanoi through its markets and cuisine.
Adventure World will also donate a ‘Mend a Broken Bear’ package (valued at AU$300) for each Adventure World Asia booking made.
A virtual guest speaker at the event, Australian Museum CEO Kim McKay spoke of the long-standing relationship between Adventure World and the museum, which will continue with AW’s sponsorship of the Ramses Exhibition next year.
The museum also gave each person in attendance a double pass for its ‘Sharks’ exhibition.
For more information on AW, visit www.adventureworld.com.au.
Adventure World is part of The Travel Corporation (TTC), which recently held its first combined tour brands event since the pandemic began.
