G Adventures to double Australian program

G Adventures to double Australian program
By admin


The fledgling Australia and New Zealand program from G Adventures has seen "huge success", according to founder Bruce Poon Tip, prompting the adventure travel firm to double its 2014 program. 

Although the progam was only launched in October 2012 with just three months until its January start date, departures have been largely full, he revealed.

"There was an immediate take to the product because Australia is so developed and well known," he told Travel Today, adding the reaction to the product had surprised a number of sceptical observers.

"There was a lot of doubt that we would be successful, and once we did it I think it shocked a lot of people."

Poon Tip himself had some concerns over whether launching a program in such a developed destination would sit within G Adventures' ethos.

"We're an adventure company that offers cultural immersion-type expereinces and that's easy in developing countries," he said. "But we always questioned whether we can run tours within our brand promise in developed countries and whether people would believe it."

But a strong incorporation of Indigenous experiences into the program has countered that issue, with the operator determined not to offer "dinner and show" products that make up the cultural offering of some other tour providers.

"We found it surprising that nobody else was doing anything like we are doing," Poon Tip said.

"We had many companies that were offering to just put a G on the side of their bus and run people up and down the coast, but we stayed out of Australia until we could do it right ourselves."  

The Indigenous focus is its main point of difference, he added, highlighting it as a major driver of the program's success with Indigenous communities "very open" to working with the firm.

However, other parties have not been as accommodating, he revealed with many organisations resistant to letting the firm enter the market.

Meanwhile, Poon Tip expressed surprise at the number of Australians that were booking a place on one of the domestic itineraries.

"We've seen the reports that more people are travelling outside Australia which is a huge benefit for us, but we've had great success with people travelling inside Australia too," he said.

The new program will be released in October.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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