G Adventures Founder Challenges Travelers to ‘Embrace Haiti’, Offers 20% Off Haiti Tours in February

Small-group tour operator G Adventures announces a last-minute sale on February trips to Haiti, as the company’s founder and owner speaks out in support of the Caribbean island nation. From now through February 15^th, U.S.-based travelers can save 20 percent off the cost of nine-day and ten-day tours hosted by G Adventures in Haiti during February by calling: 1-888-800-4100 and mentioning promo code: “Embrace Haiti.”

The two eligible tours, which can also be booked online, are: “Highlights of Haiti & Carnival” for nine days departing February 2nd; and “Highlights of Haiti” for 10 days departing February 16th.

Both include immersive experiences in Jacmel, Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haïtien and other localities, and both invite travelers to learn about Haiti’s youth and arts culture through a “G Adventures for Good” experience made possible by a partnership with the Art Creation Foundation for Children and the Planeterra Foundation. The community-building initiative is a grassroots project that introduces extremely underprivileged Haitian children to the world of art, providing more than 100 students three meals each day, tuition for their schooling, uniforms, supplies, and mentorship in the arts. G Adventures travelers visit the project to have a meal and learn about Haiti’s artistic heritage.

• Watch the Video: G Adventures Embraces Haiti

Markdowns on G Adventures’ Haiti tours next month are offered in connection with comments from its founder and owner Bruce Poon Tip, who spoke up for Haiti and condemned the U.S. President’s reportedly disparaging remarks about the Caribbean nation and other “shithole” countries. In a note to staff, Poon Tip wrote:

"I have been disheartened by recent rhetoric that has degraded and dehumanized people from countries who are apparently not seen as equal to people coming from places like Norway. I came to the conclusion that being born in the Caribbean, not far from Haiti, I too could be considered as coming from a so-called ‘shithole’ nation. But the truth about people from these countries tells a far different story.

“Eight years ago, I boarded a plane for a different reason than my usual. The island nation of Haiti had just been struck by a devastating earthquake and I immediately jumped on social media with an urgent appeal: help us help Haiti. Together my team and I rallied everyone we knew to fill a plane with food and supplies to deliver by air to the disaster-struck nation.

“I was shocked by what I saw when we arrived and to this day, can’t escape the horrors I witnessed on the ground -- people anxiously waiting on the airstrips for aid when our plane touched down. There was total destruction and the country was forced into survival mode. Those memories still haunt me. What struck me most about the Haitian people however, was their strength and resilience under the most devastating conditions. The world responded, but at a pace that just didn’t seem fast enough. These people had lost everything; their homes, their possessions and their loved ones, yet they were still strong in faith and spirit.

“When one of our fellow global brothers and sisters is hurting, it is our duty to respond to that call for help. To use a natural disaster to form opinions on race, and to shape immigration policy through a negative bias, is simply inhuman.

“In 2013, our support for Haiti was returned when G Adventures’ non-profit partner, Planeterra, was contracted by the Inter-American Development Bank to consult on accessing Haiti’s tourism potential. What my team found when they arrived in Haiti was a vibrant country bursting with art and culture, friendly and welcoming locals, and a wealth of natural wonders like cave systems, waterfalls and swimming holes. As a result of our findings, we decided to launch our small group adventure tours in Haiti in 2015 - the first operator to do so - and we’re still running those trips today.

“Tourism is one of the main ways we can share wealth and opportunity with countries that most need it, and one of the main ways we help change the perceptions of a place. Yes, Haiti is still rebuilding, but it’s a beautiful country with a great deal to offer, and I am proud our travelers are helping make a difference to the lives of the people who live there and have endured so much.

“My hope is that this moment becomes a turning point, when we cast aside harmful misconceptions, and open our hearts to the gifts and promise that Haiti and other developing nations offer their visitors. Let’s embrace Haiti and give its proud people the curiosity and business they deserve.

For more information, consult your local travel agent, or call 1-888-800-4100 and visit: https://www.gadventures.com/destinations/central-america/haiti/.