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In 1990, Bruce Poon Tip launched Gap Adventures with the belief that other travellers would share his desire to experience authentic adventures in an authentic and sustainable manner.

Gap Adventures has grown from a one-man show to an award winning company of over 700 employees. A world leader in adventure travel, Gap Adventures offers more than 1,000 small group experiences, safaris and expeditions on all seven continents to more than 100,000 travellers a year.

The companya s worldwide adventures focus on cultural interaction, wildlife encounters, and active travel.
Highlights of Gap Adventures

2008

Gap Adventures was named #1 a Do It All Outfitter on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure magazine’s for the second year in a row.

For the seventh consecutive year, National Geographic Adventure Magazine selected a Gap Adventure tour as one of its 25 Best New Adventure Trips of the Year.

Gap Adventures was recognized as one of Canadaa s 50 Best Managed Companies.

Gap Adventures received the Environmental Industry Award from Flight Centre North America. The Globe Foundation also named gap Adventures as a finalist for The Corporate Award for Environmental Excellence a recognizing outstanding achievement in environmental stewardship in Canada.

Gap Adventures was voted as #1 Adventure Tour Operator by more than 3,500 Canadian Travel Agents in the 2008 Agentsa Choice Awards.
2007

Gap Adventures was named the #1 “Do It All Outfitter on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure magazine’s survey of Best Adventure Travel Companies in the World!

National Geographic also selected a Gap Adventures tour for its 25 Best New Adventures of the Year, marking the sixth consecutive year one of its tours has made the list.

Bruce Poon Tip wins Chinese Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year award as well as the New Pioneers award in the Entrepreneurship category.

Our Planet Positive Project takes form with the aim of planting 1 million trees in 18 months. As well, Gap Adventures passengers have the option of carbon offsetting their tours as well as their international flights.

Our travellers, staff and friends show their overwhelming support in aiding the international community by raising more than $100,000 CAD for Peru earthquake relief efforts, after southern Peru is devastated by an earthquake in August.

Gap Adventures expands our street-level presence with exciting adventure travel concept stores in Melbourne, Calgary and New York City.
2006

Gap Adventures was included in Canada’s Top 100 Employers for the second consecutive year, and Canada’s Ten Best Employers for Young People.

Our second concept store opens its doors in Vancouver.

Bruce Poon Tip embarks on sold out Canada-wide speaking tour with Learning Annex. Bruce also speaks at the inaugural United Nations World Tourism Organization Seminar on Ethics in Tourism in Quito, Ecuador and World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development in Brazil.

Our non-profit organization, the Planeterra Foundation, launches ‘dollar a day’ program to give back to the places to which Gap Adventures travels.

Bruce Poon Tip was awarded the Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year award (Hospitality & Tourism), and CondA Nast Traveler and Outpost Magazine both recognize us as an industry leader in their respective ‘Green List’ and 75 Great Adventures Guide.
2005

Gap Adventures opens our first adventure travel concept store in downtown Toronto, featuring special events, live performances and plenty of friendly, travel addicted staff to talk to.

The Great Adventure People TV series continues with season two, and episodes filmed in Italy, Spain, Morocco, Vietnam, India and Nepal.

The inaugural Antarctic season finishes with sold out departures and new sailing records, while Gap Adventures and its supporters contribute nearly $40,000 CAD in relief funding after Thailand (as well as Sri Lanka and Indonesia) are hit by a devastating Tsunami.
2004

Series one of the Great Adventure People TV series debuts. Episodes follow Gap Adventures travellers on trips to Ecuador, Galapagos, Patagonia, Tanzania and Kenya.

The first ever Planeterra skydive for charity is held under sunny skies, and is destined to be a popular annual fundraiser for community development and social projects around the world.
2003

Planeterra – the Gap Adventures Foundation is founded to give back to the people and places visited on Gap Adventures tours. Dozens of initiatives are developed and travellers are encouraged to visit these projects on their trips.

We’re on TV! The official Great Adventure People TV pilot for Peru is launched, and soon sets viewership records on the CTV Travel network.
2002

Bruce Poon Tip speaks at United Nations event for the International Year of Ecotourism, the only tour operator invited to speak at the conference, and also wins the Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Gap Adventures buys Global Connections, Canada’s largest flight consolidator to Latin America, enabling a full-service, low-cost, travel package for Canadian-based passengers.
2001

Gap Adventures was the proud recipient of the Millennium Ethics In Action award in recognition of its high standards.

The producers of the hottest show on TV – Survivor – asks Bruce Poon Tip to be an advisor for their show. Survivor winners and notables later take Gap Adventures tours to satisfy their need for adventure.
1990-2000: The Early Days

The Global Traders Leadership award was given to Bruce Poon Tip for his dedication to the business community and exporting, with 80% of Gap Adventures business comes from overseas.

CEO Bruce Poon Tip is also named to the prestigious ‘Top 40 Under 40′ list, while hitting the #6 spot on Profit Magazine’s Top 100 Canadian Companies in 1998, after placing 4th in 1997.

In the first year of international sales, many tours run with low passenger numbers at first, before word of mouth and sales explode! Gap Adventures races to meet demand, and never looks back.

The first brochure comes out in February 1991, with the first Gap Adventures booking in April. The pioneering first tours run in Ecuador, Belize and Peru.