by Jim Byers
Last updated: 5:20 PM ET, Thu August 26, 2021
G Adventures has announced the introduction of its Vaccinated Tours program, with each trip having a fully vaccinated chief experience officer (CEO or tour guide) confirmed to lead the tour, on which all travellers must also be fully vaccinated. When surveyed, 56%* of travellers globally expressed that having a vaccinated CEO was actually more important to them than their fellow travellers being fully vaccinated, which 45% of travellers indicated they would prefer when travelling on a small group tour.
Due to the vast number of tours and destinations G Adventures is currently operating in, and the slower roll-out of vaccines in some destinations, the adventure operator is also introducing 'Travel-Ready' tours to ensure equitable access to tourism employment opportunities for CEOs in destinations which have not yet been able to administer vaccinations as widely as others, and the operator is also actively assisting CEOs to access vaccines in their home countries.
Of the tours departing in October, 304 departures across 116 tours will operate as Vaccinated Tours and 64 departures will be designated as Travel-Ready. On Vaccinated Tours, all travellers and CEOs must have received a full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose administered at least 14 days prior to day one of the tour. On Travel-Ready tours, all travellers and CEOs must have either received a full COVID-19 vaccination, or have a negative PCR test within 96 hours prior to day one of their tour's departure. An icon will be featured next to each trip at www.gadventures.com to indicate which category of tour the departure falls under.
The Vaccinated Tours and Travel-Ready programs represent an evolution of G Adventures' existing Travel with Confidence policy which remains in place. This policy was introduced in June, 2020, and saw the implementation of enhanced health, safety and physical distancing measures across all tours.
Jeff Russill, chief operating officer at G Adventures, said that while the company is prioritizing the placement of vaccinated CEOs, they also want to continue with the company's mission of changing lives through travel in as many countries as possible, as quickly as possible, through community tourism.
"By October we will have successfully, and safely, run close to 1,000 tours since September 2020 - more tours than any other operator - supporting employment and boosting the local economies of countries that are dependent on tourism, such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, Morocco, Peru and Kenya. We are starting with Vaccinated Tours in October and will be adding future departures as we confirm CEOs and travellers are all fully vaccinated in order to lead and travel on those itineraries.
"As a global operator, we also want to ensure travel equity for those travellers who haven't been able to be vaccinated as yet due to their age and / or home country, as we have travellers from more than 160 countries join our trips. We expect vaccination rates to increase in most destinations later this year, and as they do we will be operating even more Vaccinated Tours," says Russill.
Example Vaccinated Tours and Travel-Ready trips that are available for travellers to book for travel in October include:
Local Living Italy: Amalfi Coast - On this trip, travellers will live like one of the region's (incredibly lucky) locals, discovering the small towns, mountain trails, and local customs of this uniquely beautiful place. Explore the ruins of Pompeii in the morning, hike the coastline of the Med by afternoon, and tuck into bed in a converted 17th-century monastery home base at sundown. An eight-day Vaccinated Tour travelling from Naples return, on October 09, 2021, is priced from $2,379pp**.
Classic Mexico Adventure - Cities, beaches, jungle, and the curious spices of mole sauce all await on this 14-day tour that sees travellers hit the beach, discover the ruins of the Mayans, and wander colonial cities. A 14-day Vaccinated Tour departing from Mexico City to Playa del Carmen on October 02, 2021 is priced from $2,239pp.
Egypt and Jordan Adventure - Get ready for a wide-ranging adventure showcasing the region's natural wonders and fascinating cultures, offering the perfect combination of guided excursions with free time to explore. Our expert local leaders will share the archaeological and historical secrets of the ancient sites of Petra, Luxor, and the Great Pyramids of Giza. A 15-day Travel-Ready tour departing on October 29, 2021 and travelling from Cairo to Amman is priced from $3,839pp.
For more information on G Adventures, please visit www.gadventures.com.
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