In 1990, Bruce Poon Tip founded G Adventures in order to deliver authentic experiences to travellers who craved adventures beyond all-inclusive resorts. When no bank was willing to provide a loan, he started the company with two credit cards. Since then, G Adventures has grown to become a world leader in adventure travel, with offices around the world, offering more than 1,000 small group experiences on all seven continents to more than 100,000 travelers annually.
Passionate about sustainability and philanthropy, Bruce is an authority on social entrepreneurship, ‘quintuple bottom line’ versus 3BL, corporate social & environmental responsibility, leading with service and innovation. In September 2013 he launched his first book, Looptail, which became a New York Times bestseller.
Determined to lead his industry in sustainable tourism and community development initiatives, Bruce founded the non-profit Planeterra Foundation in 2003 to make a positive difference in the lives of people around the world. In recognition of Bruce’s dedication to ethical business practices’ and responsible travel, he received the Ethics In Action Award, World Savers Award by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, as well as the Travel and Leisure Global Vision Leadership Award for voluntourism. He has also received the Global Traders award for his groundbreaking ideas in exporting services.
Bruce has spoken at the United Nations launch of the Year Of Eco Tourism in New York. He has also been invited by the World Bank and UNESCO to represent a team visiting the People’s Republic of China to lecture on Sustainable Development. Bruce also received an invitation from the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders’ Forum to present at the inaugural United Nations World Tourism Organization Seminar on Ethics in Tourism. Furthermore, Bruce has been an advisor to the popular television show Survivor.
In addition to receiving an award as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, Bruce has also won Canada’s Entrepreneur of the Year twice and has been honoured as Canada’s 100 Leaders of Tomorrow. In Profit magazine, Bruce was featured as one of the Top 10 Entrepreneurs in Canada of the last 25 years.