Poon Tip: Travel Can Change the World

For some, travel represents a getaway to forget the stresses of everyday life. For others, travel represents the promise of bringing people together and changing the world in the process.

Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures, wants to use travel to make the world a better place. And he thinks travel agents can profit by sharing in his vision for travel and for social entrepreneurship.

After founding G Adventures and traveling to Tibet in the 1990s, Poon Tip became a friend of the Dalai Lama and began using his tour company to enrich and support local communities around the globe.

Brands that matter
“There is a saying that there aren’t many things you can buy and come out richer afterwards; travel is one of those things,” Poon Tip said during a keynote address last week at Travel Market 2014 at the Boca Raton Club & Resort in Boca Raton, Fla.

Poon Tip encouraged travel professionals attending American Marketing Group’s conference for its member agents to become leaders by involving themselves in movements that are socially responsible.

“Leadership today is about being a part of something bigger than yourself,” said Poon Tip. “Consumers want to relate to something, and the only brands that matter in the future are brands that make people’s lives better.”

Change the world
The world is changing – and travel agents can take advantage of shifts in consumer expectations and the travel industry at large, Poon Tip said.

“As in any industry that’s changing dramatically, those who can harness the change are in the best position,” Poon Tip told Travel Market Report prior to his speech.

Poon Tip believes that business, including travel, can be a force for good, a vision he shares in his 2013 bestselling book, Looptail: How One Company Changed the World By Reinventing Business.

He has lived that philosophy since starting his Toronto-based adventure travel company in 1990 at age 22. Today he is widely recognized as a leader in sustainable travel and social entrepreneurship.

Change for the good
Today’s travelers are looking for a purpose – not simply an itinerary, Poon Tip said. At the same time, consumers are connecting with brands in new and more complicated ways.

These changes, together with the availability of free marketing tools such as Twitter and Facebook, are good news for agents who can be nimble and creative.

“For small entrepreneurs, creativity matters more than ever. Travel agencies are the best kinds of small businesses that can benefit from this whole paradigm shift,” Poon Tip said in an interview.

Connect deeply
It’s important for agents to understand the intense nature of the relationships today’s consumers have with brands, according to Poon Tip.

“Marketing used to be a one-way street. Now it’s a two-way conversation. Consumers can ask questions, get reviews, ratings and find out so much more than in prior days.

“It’s a much more complicated relationship. But once someone is loyal to the brand, the opportunities are much greater,” said Poon Tip.  

One of the most exciting aspects about today’s business environment – and a huge plus for retail travel professionals – is the fact that the tools for connecting with customers are free, he said.

It’s emotional
Connecting on an emotional level is the secret to successful promotion, regardless of the product. And there’s no better product than travel for creating an emotional connection – and loyal customers.

As an example, G Adventures is experiencing great success with programs that connect travelers to their destinations in a meaningful way. Its “Local Living” tours feature the Amazon jungle in Ecuador, nomadic life in Mongolia and a hill tribe experience in Thailand.

“Travel is one of the most inviting and exciting products in terms of engaging people. It transforms people and changes their lives. We can create a bond,” said Poon Tip.

“It’s an amazing time to be in this business.”