Bruce Poon Tip says sanctions are necessary against Russia over its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. But the founder of G Adventures, a recognized global leader in socially conscious travel, says it breaks his heart to do so.
In a letter released to the trade yesterday, Toronto-based Poon Tip says his company is doing its part to hold Russia to account for its actions by cancelling all tours to the country, no longer accepting Russian nationals residing inside Russia on its trips, and ceasing to take bookings from Russian agencies.
Foremost, Poon Tip says he recognizes that “for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, the nightmare is already very real,” adding, “It is unthinkable that we are faced with a scenario where a sovereign European nation has been invaded, unprovoked and without justified cause. I stand with Ukraine. I stand for freedom and democracy.”
At the same time, he says, he also feels for the “everyday (Russian) people who may not agree with – and who may even be brave enough to protest – their country’s politics” who will be impacted by sanctions and forced global isolation.
“However,” he maintains, “these sanctions are essential in order to apply pressure on the entire country and to invoke change. There are many fine people in Russia who are now forced to become part of the solution. At this advanced stage where war has already commenced, there are only three options: deposed leadership, a complete regime change, or retreat from actions already taken. All of these come back to an internal solution created by global pressure and unfortunately good people become an important part of the story.”
Moreover, he muses, “The past two years we have been living through a global pandemic that has caused physical separation for millions around the world. For the first time in our lifetime, we faced a common enemy, which gave us the opportunity to bring humanity together in a shared mission to eradicate the virus. We should have emerged shoulder to shoulder, more unified, compassionate, and empathetic than ever before. And yet, here we are, on the precipice of a more dangerous chapter of our civilized history, driven purely by the need to divide.
“We are living in dangerous times, where people are divided and looking for division and this just shows us we still have a long way to go. We owe it to future generations to do whatever we can to bridge these divides.”
Poon Tip says he believes “travel can be the fastest path to peace…” and urges people who can travel to do so.
“Travel is the most powerful way we can open our hearts, minds, and eyes to the beauty of the world, especially in the darkest of times,” he says. “Let us continue to stand together, for peace.”