G Adventures has launched a new Travel with Confidence Plus Collection of 37 trips in 27 countries that incorporate additional physical distancing measures and are available for departures from 2 October 2020 up to 31 December 2021.
G Adventures has also partnered with the Adventure Travel Trade Association and Cleveland Clinic to create a set of industry health and safety guidelines to assist with the safe return to operation of 10 adventure activities. Already released are the guidelines for trekking, biking, and rafting, as well as one overarching industry guideline.
In a survey in May by G Adventures of 4,000 members of its global consumer panel to research predicted travel trends post-pandemic, 69% of travellers said they expect to see travel companies make changes to their health and safety measures. Of those, 51% expect operators to implement physical distancing measures for future travel arrangements, while 88% of respondents also expect increased sanitisation and cleaning procedures.
The new Travel with Confidence Plus Collection includes all the new health and safety measures outlined in G Adventures’ Travel with Confidence policy, plus added steps for travellers looking to go the extra physically-distanced mile when travelling as part of a small group:
- Smaller group sizes: All trips will have an average of 8-10 travellers as opposed to the average group size of 12. This means being able to stay at smaller hotels and dining at smaller restaurants with fewer people around the dinner table.
- Private transport: While G Adventures is using more private transport where possible on all trips, this collection only uses private vehicles (except for aircraft) with daily assigned seating for added distance on the vehicles.
- My Own Room: This option is available for 50% off across all tours in this collection for people wishing for their own space to relax and sleep.
- More personal space: All rooms on trip will be either double or single and have ensuite bathrooms. There will be no multi-share accommodation or shared bathroom facilities on any trip in this collection.
Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures’ founder, said that the new collection is designed to encourage people to start feeling comfortable and confident about travelling again, and to reassure them that their concerns regarding enhanced distancing and hygiene measures have been heard. “We absolutely understand different people are going to have different comfort levels, and it is our job to make sure we cater to all our travellers with trips that meet them where they are at so we can get all our travellers out exploring the world again.
“By its very nature small group travel allows for more freedom and space, and our team of Chief Experience Officers around the world are dedicated to keeping our travellers safe and well. Their role is going to be more important than ever, and we hope this new collection enables us to change even more lives through travel, and that we re-emerge from this pause as more considerate travellers.”
Travel with Confidence Plus Collection
The new Travel with Confidence Plus Collection includes trips from G Adventures’ Active, Classic and Marine travel styles. They include (with prices based on two people sharing a twin room and excluding flights):
- Walk the Camino de Santiago – Plus: Take on your own pilgrimage along a route filled with beautiful countryside and rustic villages of Northern Spain. An eight-day trip is priced from €1,029pp, departing from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela.
- Costa Rica Adventure – Plus: Costa Rica is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, with volcanoes, wildlife, rainforests, and beaches to explore. A 16-day trip is priced from €1,369pp travelling from San Jose return.
- Sailing Thailand – Phuket to Phuket – Plus: With an experienced captain, navigate the southern islands, dine on Thai cuisine, and sleep moored under the stars. A seven-day trip is priced from €1,319pp travelling from Phuket return.
- Best of Iceland – Plus: This is a fast but full visit around Iceland that combines free time to experience plenty of the highlights. Priced from €1,929pp for a seven-day trip from Reykjavík return.
Book with Confidence Policy
G Adventures has also implemented a Book with Confidence policy enabling travellers booking tours departing before 31 December 2020 to cancel and rebook up to 14 days prior to departure. Those with trips departing between 1 January 2021 and 30 June 2021 can cancel and rebook up to 30 days prior to departure.
