Despite the lockdowns currently impacting Australians, the rest of the world is slowly starting to reopen to international travel, with G Adventures last week celebrating its 250th trip to commence since the pandemic closed borders worldwide. Departures for nationalities able to travel have been ramping up in more new countries each month, with 165 trips scheduled to operate in July, and more than 200 departures scheduled for August.
To encourage Aussie travellers to book their own comeback tour to look forward to when they can get back out in the world, and to beat the inevitable rush of bookings when restrictions are lifted, G Adventures has updated its ‘Book with Confidence’ policy, which enables travellers to cancel and rebook their trip up to just 14 days before departure.
On July 11th, 2021, 11 G Adventures travellers set off from Cairo on the 250th tour to enjoy a 12-day Egypt Upgraded trip travelling from Cairo return. This month, Ecuador, Jordan, Portugal, South Africa and Spain joined Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Egypt, Greece, Iceland, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Tanzania, Turkey and the U.S. as countries now open and available for G Adventures travellers to visit.
Sean Martin, managing director for Australia and New Zealand at G Adventures, says that as soon as restrictions start easing in the company’s markets outside Australia, bookings pick up dramatically, and he hopes the new policy encourages more travellers to secure their bucket list trips and demonstrate their commitment to the travel industry, as well as the communities it serves when it comes time to travel again.
“While international travel may currently seem a long way off for Australians, what we’re seeing in the U.S and Canada for example is that as soon as border restrictions and quarantines start lifting, business comes racing back. As vaccination rates increase, the next step is for the government to relax border restrictions for fully-vaccinated travellers.
“Our 250th trip proves that safe international travel is possible, and we can’t wait to welcome Aussies back onto our trips as soon as we can. The local communities we visit are delighted to welcome our travellers back, and we are excited to get back to doing what we do best – changing people’s lives through travel.
“We also want our valued agency partners to know we are up and running – there will be no slow ramp up to operations – operationally we are back and we are ready. We also want to encourage agents to book their travellers now, so the trip they want to do is available for them to travel on when demand returns,” says Martin.
Example itineraries that can be booked for 2022 with the new Book with Confidence Policy include:
Walking the Camino de Santiago – On this eight-day trip, complete the last 100 km of the pilgrimage route to Santiago and receive a “compostela” at the finish. Refuel with tasty Spanish food and take the time to stop and smell the flowers – it’s active but at a slower, more picturesque pace. Priced from $1,499pp* for an eight-day trip from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela.
Highlights of Portugal – Get your fill of history and culture at UNESCO World Heritage Sites like the Monastery of Batalha, Coimbra University, and the picturesque town of Sintra (optional). End the tour in Porto, where the majestic Douro Valley begs for you to lounge back with a glass of port wine in hand. Priced from $1,659pp for a seven-day trip from Lisbon to Porto.
Highlights of Jordan – Explore ancient sights and lost cities, overnight in a Bedouin tent and dine amidst the dramatic desert scenery of Wadi Rum. Take in Petra’s fascinating history and marvel at its thrilling beauty, and still have a chance to relax in the therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea. An eight-day trip from Amman return is priced from $1,599pp.
Galapagos – South and East Islands aboard the Yolita – The southern and eastern islands play host to some of the best snorkelling spots within the Galápagos, including Islote Champion and Kicker Rock, where you will see some of the most diverse and impressive marine life around. Relax on the white-sand beaches with iguanas and sea lions, then head to Punta Pitt in search of three distinct species of booby. A seven-day trip from Quito return is priced from $4,959pp.
For more information or to book, please visit www.gadventures.com.
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