One-on-one with Bruce Poon Tip, and the documentary that’s a must-see for all travellers

One-on-one with Bruce Poon Tip, and the documentary that’s a must-see for all travellers
By Dan lake


It could be seen as ironic that a documentary about the risks of over tourism was paid for by the founder of a large travel company. But, that’s just one of the many reasons The Last Tourist gives viewers a bit of hope that the industry could change its ways and become more sustainable.

The film project was led by Bruce Poon Tip from G Adventures, who joined with UN Messenger of Peace, Dr. Jane Goodall and Gary Knell from National Geographic.

The Last Tourist addresses the real impact of mass tourism as it traverses 16 different countries, magnifying its impact on the environment, wildlife, and vulnerable communities.

While its final presentation is grand in scale, it origins are much smaller.

G Adventures Bruce Poon Tip

“The original idea came in meeting that was held in our office almost six years ago, where we discussing the advancement of cameras on iPhones. They had become so good that we thought we could do our own documentary internally with their own content department,” Poon Tip told Travel Weekly.

“The first thought was that we could do a documentary short. And, we could just tell our story through a documentary.”

The project snowballed from there. The team brought in a writer, producers and eventually a director, and what was meant to be a short film became a feature length documentary.

“The movie which was originally going to cost tens of thousands was now going to cost millions, but we just went ahead and did it.”

Bringing in a wider team, and expanding the story outside of G Adventures meant Poon Tip had to relinquish control of the film, despite the fact he was paying for it.

He says this is something he struggled with throughout the creative process.

“I found it impossible.”

“I have run my own company for 33 years, and I have certainly become used to a certain level of control.” he said.

“I learned a lot. And, there were a lot of fights. I also learned what artistic freedom really means, and creative control and creative freedom,” he said.
I didn’t roll over easily, I’ll be honest. And, there were a lot of concerns on my part in terms of direction and content.”

There was a huge focus on animal welfare. That didn’t not come across my radar even though animal welfare is a big part of what we do,” he said.

Montego Bay, Jamaica

“I wasn’t wasn’t able to influence when I would have liked to but ultimately, the finished product speaks for itself.”

Despite the documentary highlighting the habits of the Instagram generation and how they affect conservation, Poon Tip says Gen Z is not to blame, and is often misrepresented.

“It’s really easy to shake our fists at these millennials because we don’t understand them or how they think.

We think they post online to be braggadocious or to create FOMO. And I just don’t think we truly understand the motivations of that generation just yet,” he said.

“I think we’re, it’s dangerous to it’s too quick to criticise, because on the other side, there’s so much data that shows that those young people are also completely driven by purpose. And they don’t want to work for companies that don’t drive a purpose that matches their values.”

So what can we do to change things? Poon Tip says there’s one action we can take that will have huge benefits.

“Follow the money,” he said.

“Find out where your money’s going. And it just takes very little time.”

Rated the number two documentary on Apple TV in Canada when it launched last year, The Last Tourist is available to stream via Prime Video, Apple iTunes, Google Play and Microsoft from 21 March.

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]