A MESSAGE TO OUR TRUFAMILY

Dear TruFamily,

As you are all aware, COVID-19 has had a significant impact on day to day life and the world as we know it. We are in unprecedented times as shops, bars, restaurants and hotels are closing their doors for up to 2 months. Countries have closed their borders, airlines have halted flights, and stock markets have seen the biggest declines in over a decade.

It is safe to say that we have reached a defining moment in history for all industries worldwide. Although the world is facing uncertainty, we must remain calm, stay safe and look after each other. No one knows what will happen next; however, we do know that the world will recover and when it does, we will still have the burning desire to continue exploring the world and create life-changing experiences.

When we set up TruTravels, we wanted to build a company that would create life-changing group travel experiences which truly benefited all those involved (customers, staff, suppliers and communities). That meant using our business as a force for good, that can leverage the travel industry's huge potential to alter perspectives and address issues of inequality, ethics, social and environmental responsibility. Today, we are proud to say we are certainly on the right track, and this is because we believe that at TruTravels, we have the best team in the business. We have built a family that is like no other and all of you that have been on tour with us will know this first hand, as you have become part of that family.

We believe tourism is the best form of wealth distribution and one of the best hopes of solving the inequality issues that still exist in the world today. Unfortunately, it is this industry that is among the hardest hit by this crisis. The travel industry alone is responsible for 1 in 11 jobs globally, so as a result, communities all over the world will be feeling the impact of this global shutdown. Tourist hot spots around the globe are currently empty, and millions of jobs around the world are disappearing or at risk.

It is important to remember all of the incredible people that make up the travel industry, you local tour guide, tuk-tuk driver or street food vendor, who's livelihoods are now at risk and for whom life has just become a lot tougher. We must do what we can to protect the industry and all those who depend on it, including our wonderful staff. The best thing all of us with the desire to travel can do right now is not to put off booking your next trip, but to book it in the future when things are back to normal. We all need something to look forward to right now, and it would provide a much-needed boost to the confidence of the travel community.

To make this a bit easier for those of you who might want to travel with us in the future, we have set up an initiative that has the potential to help some of the people within the communities that rely on us, including our amazing guides.

If you are in the position to, we are now offering you the chance to buy travel vouchers, these lifetime vouchers are fully flexible, they are not committed to a date or trip, and you can decide to use them at any time. What we will do is gift you an additional 10% as a thank you for your faith in us and the travel community. In addition, we will also donate 10% of the value of your voucher to our Community Fund where every penny will go to those in our network who need it most.

So… We are calling on you, past and future travellers to help protect the industry. The world will get through this crisis, and when it does, it will need your help to bring income back to the people who make your trips so special.

Stay safe and look after one another.