If it’s cool to be kind, Travellers Choice must be among the coolest folk in travel. Of course, a lot of businesses could lay claim to this. But at the 2024 Travellers Choice conference in Sydney last weekend, it felt like the kindness factor went to a whole new level. This writer hadn’t heard “kindness” uttered that much at a conference, ever… and it stemmed from Animals Asia Founder Jill Robinson.
A Kleenex salesperson would have done well setting up a desk between the Travel Corp and Intrepid stands, such were the emotions (tears of sadness and joy) among those who heard the inspirational philanthropist speak.
As the conference’s keynote speaker, Hong Kong based Robinson took Travellers Choice members, partners and probably even the A/V crew and Hilton Sydney staff on an emotional rollercoaster as she regaled the origins of the animal welfare organisation to the work they still do with such perseverance and passion – especially around the elimination of bear bile farming, but also against riding tourism, which Jill described as the “most awful, awful industry”.
“So today we’re going to take you on a little bit of an adventure… of travelling with kindness as we go through a study of the last 26 years of Animals Asia, where we’re travelling with kindness, we’re travelling with education, animal welfare, conservation, as we’re helping and working with communities and endangered species, ending bear bile farming in Vietnam.”
Robinson was supposed to speak for about 40 minutes; she spoke for an hour, with the help of imagery and videos of rescued bears like Aussie, Rainbow and Mandela, which were oft confronting, sometimes inspiring, but always moving.
“This is all about kindness from beginning to end, from the very first rescue to the very last breath of those bears’ lives, and often people like Jane Goodall coming along… she named one of our bears, Mandela, in recognition and celebration of how forgiving these bears are after being imprisoned for so many years,” she told guests at the event.
And this is where organisations like Travellers Choice and Adventure World, who supported Robinson’s trip to Australia and operates tours to Animals Asia sanctuaries, come in.
After Robinson’s address, Travellers Choice Managing Director Christian Hunter played a video from his recent visit to one of Animals Asia’s sanctuaries in Vietnam during which he announced that the travel agency network had committed to becoming a guardian to one of the organisation’s rescue bears, Bong Bong.
“It’s an amazing, amazing facility, and we’re so proud to be part of it,” Hunter said in the video.
“I saw on the back of these jerseys, some words that were written… about kindness in action. And if there was ever an example of kindness in action, this is it. We’re so proud to be part of this project.”
In his opening address at the conference, Hunter said that the work Animals Asia does makes you “realise that there is so much that we can do to make the world a better and more sustainable place through our own actions, but also through placing a greater focus on kindness”.
“There is so much out there that we can do, and it really will allow us to lead the conversation, because it’s going to become a lot more prominent,” he added.
Adventure World Managing Director Neil Rodgers also thanked Travellers Choice members while introducing Robinson to the stage.
“So, last May, I had the great privilege of taking 12 of your leaders for the Travellers Choice Awards to Vietnam,” he said.
“I was watching them going through the sanctuary with the bears because I wanted to see how they would react, and my heart… that was it, because they now have enabled what you’re going to see today and the great work that Travellers Choice is leading in our industry.
“So when you hear about sustainability, all I say is make it personal. Find your passion point and you will be authentic and lead with it.”
Robinson joined the choir of those thanking Travellers Choice and Adventure World.
“Our tagline is ‘kindness in action’, and that’s what fits in with Adventure World, with Travellers Choice, with every single person here supporting our goals, supporting our aims, in the travel and tourism industry as well, because it is all about kindness.”
Yet you may wonder what kindness has to do with running a travel business? Kindness builds trust and loyalty and can turn one-time customers into long-term clients. By treating people with respect and empathy, businesses create a positive reputation that attracts more clients and fosters a supportive workplace. Simple acts of kindness, like listening and showing appreciation, lead to stronger relationships and sustained growth.
Travellers Choice does this. And it just reported a record profit too. Just saying.
For more information on Animals Asia, visit www.animalsasia.org.
Read our wrap of the Travellers Choice National Awards Gala Dinner at Sydney Town Hall to find out who took home all of the group’s gongs. And catch up with more from the conference here.
