Award-winning adventure-travel pioneer signs to speak at World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi

Bruce Poon Tip, founder of Gap Adventures, the world’s largest adventure travel company, will be a keynote speaker at the inaugural World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi conference taking place this November at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).

Canadian Bruce, an award-winning sustainability pioneer, founded Gap Adventures as a 23-year-old in 1990 with two credit cards. His driving force was a desire to create a sustainable travel experience that strived to minimise its environmental impact, to respect local people and cultures, offer economic benefit to local businesses and communities and provide a memorable experience for travellers while protecting destinations for future generations.

With more than 850 employees, Gap Adventures now offers 1,000-plus small group experiences, safaris and expeditions on all seven continents, to more than 100,000 travellers a year.

Now the innovative leader, who in 2003 launched the non-profit Planeterra Foundation to make a positive difference to people’s lives, is bringing his cause to Abu Dhabi.

 “I launched Gap Adventures with the belief that other travellers would share my desire to experience authentic adventures in a responsible and sustainable manner and I hope that by learning about our journey and success at the Abu Dhabi congress, other industry leaders will also recognise why putting in place measures to make tourism more environmentally and culturally aware can also create growth opportunities.

“I am looking forward to engaging with the audience in Abu Dhabi given the investment being made in the region’s tourism sector and the particular challenges the industry faces in the Middle East and North Africa,” said Poon Tip.

In recognition of its dedication to ethical business practices and sustainable tourism, Gap Adventures was awarded the 2009 World Savers Award by Condé Nast Traveller magazine, as well as the 2009 Travel and Leisure Global Vision Leadership Award for voluntourism. Poon Tip has been twice honoured as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and was recognised as the 2009 Awards of Merit Travel Personality of the Year. He has also been presented with the Global Traders Leadership award for excellence in exporting and international business.

 “Securing Bruce as a speaker is something of a coup for World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi and we can look forward to a thought-provoking address,” said Ahmed Hussein, deputy director general, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, which is the event’s headline sponsor.

The inaugural World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi, which will run from November 22 to 24 and feature an associated exhibition, is designed to provide travel and tourism industry leaders and investors with a greater insight into sustainability within the sector and how it can be used to enhance business outcomes. It is being organised by the UAE’s Streamline Marketing Group (SMG).

Poon Tip joins an increasingly powerful speaker platform which includes: Gopinath Parayil, founder and CEO of India’s leading responsible travel company Blue Yonder; Arnfinn Oines, social and environmental conscience officer, Six Senses Resorts & Spas and Faith Taylor, VP for sustainability and innovation, for Wyndham World, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies and ranked by Fortune magazine amongst the world’s ‘Most Admired Companies.’

“Bruce Poon Tip is heading what is shaping up to be a stellar speaker platform,” said Rick Theobald, event director, SMG. “He is a genuine sector pioneer and his insight and experience sums up what this event is all about. Using tourism as one of the key economic diversification drivers lies at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s 2030 plan, but this also has to be achieved based on the fundamental principal of environmental sustainability. This is the case across the region and internationally, which is why this event is so vital for global industry leaders and investors.”