“A destination should leave its mark on us, not the other way around.”
As news of the couple whose names were carved into the wall of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, makes headlines around the world, responsible travel entrepreneur, founder of G Adventures, and executive director of documentary film The Last Tourist, Bruce Poon Tip, has launched a global search for ‘Ivan + Hayley’ in an effort to educate them to be more conscious travellers.
Should they be found, Poon Tip invites Ivan and Hayley to travel with the community tourism pioneer with a ‘reward’ trip also being offered for any one person who assists in reaching them.
“While it’s shocking to see anyone deface an ancient landmark like the Colosseum, it’s not as uncommon as many would think. When filming The Last Tourist, we captured footage of tourists behaving in the most unconscious ways, from spray painting landmarks to bragging about destroying 6,000 year old rock formations. Unfortunately, travellers often suspend the values they abide by at home the moment they step on a plane, and it’s this mindset that needs to change,” says Poon Tip.
“Rather than condemning Ivan and Hayley, I’m launching an appeal to find them, and to invite them to GX, G Adventures’ inaugural annual community travel summit, which is taking place in September in Peru. At this industry-wide event they’ll have the opportunity to experience the concept of community tourism firsthand, and to learn the value of protecting the destinations they visit.”
Poon Tip is also the executive producer of The Last Tourist; a powerful new responsible travel documentary which launched in the UK in May and addresses the underbelly of the travel industry, pulling back the curtain to examine the impact of mass tourism on destinations, the environment and local communities. The documentary can be viewed on Amazon, Apple TV, Sky, Vubiquity, Google, Microsoft and Rakuten.
“I encourage everyone to watch The Last Tourist. Being able to travel is a privilege that only a small percentage of the world has, and travellers need to understand that power and the responsibility that comes along with it,” says Poon TIp.
Anyone who can help bring ‘Ivan and Hayley’ to G Adventures will be rewarded with their own ticket to the GX Community Tourism Summit, as a thank you for helping to shed light on the need for a more socially conscious approach to traveling*.
*Terms and conditions apply.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
