Bruce Poon Tip says he is truly “humbled” by being appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his services to both Canada and humanity – endeavours the G Adventures founder calls his “calling.”
The social and community travel pioneer, who has seen his company grow from a small operation on Dupont Street in Toronto in the early 1990s to now conducting business in 100 countries worldwide, was one of nearly two dozen people named to the Order for 2023 and is the first person in the travel industry to receive the title of Officer in 34 years – one year longer than G Adventures has been in operation.
The Office of the Order of Canada states that the honour is how the country recognizes those people who make extraordinary contributions to the nation, while the level of Officer recognizes “achievement and merit of a high degree, especially service to Canada or to humanity at large” and surpasses the rank of ‘Member’ in the system of Canadian state orders.
“The contributions of these trailblazers are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country,” says the Office. “Their grit and passion inspire us, teach us, and show us the way forward.”
Poon Tip, 56, who was born in Trinidad and emigrated to Calgary with his family at the age of six, says being invested into the Order is the most humbling honour he could receive, especially as an immigrant to Canada at such a young age.
“Canada has afforded me the gift of opportunity,” he said. “This great nation took my family and I in and has given me the privilege and means to build a business. It’s enabled me to make my ideas become a reality – creating a community that is based on giving back to others – both nationally and internationally.
“G Adventures was founded on the ethos of changing people’s lives through travel. Combined with the work of Planeterra, the non-profit foundation I founded in 2003, we have had a huge impact on local communities around the world, using tourism as a driver of wealth distribution and poverty alleviation in some of the world’s poorest countries.
He continued: “I accept this recognition with great pride on behalf of myself and my family. I am grateful and truly overwhelmed, and I would like to thank everyone involved in helping to make this happen for me through the nomination and recommendation process.”
And, he added: “I am committed to continuing my service to Canada, as well as to the world at large. It’s my calling and my passion. This recognition means so much, as it supports the vision I believe so strongly in.”
Poon Tip, who has presented at the United Nations and hosted TED talks, is also an author and filmmaker, having penned the best-selling “Looptail: How One Company Changed the World by Reinventing Business” – a 2013 book on social tourism endorsed by the Dalai Lama, who wrote the forward; and made the influential 2022 documentary “The Last Tourist,” which challenges both travellers and the travel industry to “rethink travel” in a more sustainable way.
The last known travel industry member to be appointed Officer in the Order of Canada was former Air Canada CEO Pierre J. Jeanniot, who was made an Officer in 1989 for “play(ing) a key role in making this national carrier one of the 10 largest airlines in the world.” Similarly, Claude Taylor was made an Officer in 1986 for “turn(ing) Air Canada into a world leader in air transportation.”