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Awards and Recognition
G.A.P Adventures is consistently rewarded and recognized for the quality of their adventure products and business achievements.
Video: A look at G.A.P Adventures
Bruce Poon Tip, CEO, accepting Entrepreneur of the Year award.
National Geographic Traveler's Tours of a Lifetime
In 2009 National Geographic Traveler awarded G.A.P Adventures a spot on their Tours of a Lifetime list. G.A.P Adventures Voodoo Trail trip which visits Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso, was featured in the culture category. G.A.P Adventures has won this award for the third time.
British Youth Travel Award
In 2008, G.A.P Adventures won the 2009 British Youth Travel Awards in the Green Tourism Category. This award recognizes the efforts that youth travel organizations make to maximize their positive impact on the environments and local communities in which they operate. Entrants were required to demonstrate proven commitment to sustainable best practice through innovation that is having a positive long-term impact.
National Geographic Traveler's Tours of a Lifetime
In 2008, our Project Cambodia trip was selected by National Geographic Traveler magazine for its Tours of a Lifetime issue. Project Cambodia offers travelers the opportunity to assist a local community by helping to assemble wheelchairs for landmine victims.
Environmental Industry Award
In 2008, G.A.P Adventures received the Environmental Industry Award from Flight Centre North America. This award recognizes a travel industry supplier partner that has made the greatest effort to minimize their environmental impact.
Agents' Choice Awards
In 2008, G.A.P Adventures was voted by more than 3,500 Canadian Travel Agents in the 2008 Agents’ Choice Awards as #1 Adventure Tour Operator. G.A.P Adventures was also awarded a top spot as one of the Best Environmentally Friendly Companies. G.A.P Adventures was awarded the most number one votes – winning the top spot in each region in order to place first in the Adventure Tour Operator category, beating out the second place finisher by more than 1,700 votes.
Travel Personality of the Year
In 2008, G.A.P Adventures CEO, Bruce Poon Tip was awarded with the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies' Travel Personality of the Year Award which recognizes and honours individuals whose careers have made an enduring impact on the development and expansion of the travel industry.
Tanzania Tourist Board Humanitarian Award
In 2008, G.A.P Adventures received the Tanzania Tourist Board Tour Operator Humanitarian Award. This prestigious award recognizes tour operators for their outstanding support and highlight those companies who give back to the local communities they visit.
Cause + action award
In 2008, G.A.P Adventures was pleased to be awarded Strategy Magazine's cause + action award, which honours brands that are making a socially responsible difference.
The Corporate Award for Environmental Excellence
In 2008, G.A.P Adventures was named a finalist by the Globe Foundation for the Corporate Award for Environmental Excellence which recognizes outstanding achievement in environmental stewardship in Canada. This award is presented annually to companies and industry groups who have balanced competitive business strategies and sustainable development.
Canada's Top Women in Human Resources
In 2008, G.A.P Adventures Director of Human Resources, Sue Silk, was named to the Women's Post list of Canada's Top Women in Human Resources.
Best 'Do it all Outfitter' on Earth
 | For the past two years, National Geographic Adventure magazine has named G.A.P Adventures on its Best Outfitters on Earth competition. G.A.P Adventures received an overall score of 96.6% for 2009 and 95.9% for 2008 for its excellence in quality of service, spirit of adventure, sustainability and education. |
Travel Mole Web Awards
 | G.A.P Adventures' website was selected by the Travel Mole Web Awards as one of the best tour operator websites in 2007. |
Chinese Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year
In 2007, Bruce Poon Tip was honored with the Chinese Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year award. The award recognized G.A.P Adventures’ operating success, profitability, and financial health and growth as well as Bruce’s innovation as an industry leader and his corporate citizenship.
New Pioneers Award
In 2007, Bruce received the New Pioneers award in the Entrepreneurship category. These awards publicly recognize the accomplishments made by immigrants and newcomers to Canada.
Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year
 | G.A.P Adventures CEO and founder Bruce Poon Tip was awarded with the Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Hospitality & Tourism category in 2006 & 2002. |
Canada's Top 100 Employers and Canada's Ten Best Employers for Young People
 | In 2005 & 2006, G.A.P Adventures received recognition as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers and Canada's Ten Best Employers for Young People. In 2006-7, G.A.P Adventures was also selected as one of Greater Toronto’s Top 50 Employers. |
Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies
 | From 2006-8, G.A.P Adventures has been recognized as one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies. This prestigious award honours companies operating at the highest levels of business performance. From thousands of entries, G.A.P Adventures rose to the top for being a dynamic, aggressive company which focuses on its core vision, creates stakeholder value and excels in the global economy. |
Green List
 | In 2006, Condé Nast Traveler named G.A.P Adventures to its 12th annual Green List. The list, which identifies ecotourism's crème de la crème, selects its top candidates by their commitment to environmental initiatives, contributions to local communities, and the quality of the guest experience. Conde Nast Traveler states that G.A.P Adventures is among those winners who demonstrate "the best ways to preserve the environments and cultures that make this planet worth exploring." |
Innovative Executive of the Year
In 2006, Bruce Poon Tip was named an "all star exec" for his leadership style, innovative marketing strategies, commitment to in-house information technology, strong industry partnerships and bold acquisitions.
Ethics in Tourism
Bruce Poon Tip, CEO of G.A.P Adventures, spoke about our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Tourism at the inaugural United Nations World Tourism Organization Seminar on Ethics in Tourism in Quito, Ecuador. G.A.P Adventures was the only Tour Operator invited to the conference which was attended by representatives from national and local government, industry and tourism associations and NGOs.
75 Great Adventures for 2006
Outpost magazine's annual Global Travel Guide ranked four of our adventures in its 75 Great Adventures Guide for 2006. The following G.A.P Adventures trips were recognized: Ethiopia Simien Mountains, Brazil Tall Ship Adventure, Project Guatemala and Madagascar Adventure.
National Geographic 25 Best New Adventures of the Year- 2002-8
For seven consecutive years, National Geographic Adventure Magazine has selected a G.A.P Adventures tour as one of its 25 Best New Adventure Trips of the Year. This year, our Voodoo Trail trip was selected. In past, our Cycle Tibet, Brazil Tall Ship Sailing Adventure, Nicaragua Volcanoes and Islands, Antarctica Classic, Greek Islands Sailing Adventures, Egypt and Costa Rica trips have been featured.
Profit Magazine 50 Fastest Growing Companies
Profit Magazine featured G.A.P Adventures in their annual ranking of the 50 fastest growing companies in Canada for five consecutive years. G.A.P Adventures was awarded the Premium Growth Award for appearing on the list for five straight years, the longest of any company. Profit Magazine also recognized CEO and founder Bruce Poon Tip as Entrepreneur of the Decade.
Top 40 Under 40
This prestigious list of leaders under 40 recognized G.A.P founder and President, Bruce Poon Tip. 'The Top 40 Under 40' is voted on by Industry and Government who choose people who show outstanding leadership under the age of 40. Whilst there are people recognized from Government, Non Profit and Entertainment, Bruce earned his award for his dedication to sustainable tourism, his work with the World Bank and industry leadership.
50 Best Managed Companies
As a finalist for two years in a row, G.A.P Adventures was recognized as one of Canada's 50 best managed companies. From thousands of entries, G.A.P Adventures rose to the top for being a dynamic, aggressive company that has been successful not only in business but in its best business practices. G.A.P Adventures proved that they could maintain and grow their business and keep the personal integrity in which it was started. Their international market expansion and employee practices were also recognized.
Global Traders Leadership Award
The Global Traders Leadership award was given to Bruce Poon Tip for his dedication to the business community and exporting. With 80% of G.A.P Adventures business coming from overseas, G.A.P Adventures has shown leadership in developing new roads in exporting services. Bruce was also recognized for his development of a post graduate college program, his work with the World Bank and over 50 speaking engagements he has given to Young Entrepreneurs and other business leaders. The Global Traders Award is given out to companies who show excellence in exporting and international business.
Global Traders Market Expansion Award
In 2006, G.A.P Adventures was honoured with the Global Traders Market Expansion Services Award for growing our business from exporting. G.A.P Adventures was honoured with the gold level for this award which recognizes the most innovative and successful small and medium-sized exporters and business leaders throughout Ontario.
Ethics in Action Millennium Award Recipient
G.A.P Adventures was the proud recipient of the Millennium Ethics In Action Award in recognition of our high standards. By using small scale accommodation, local transportation and through the support of locally owned and operated low impact businesses, we have demonstrated commitment to tour operations that are socially responsible.
Clean Air Commute Award Recipient 2001 - 2007
Annually, G.A.P Adventures staff participates in an anti-smog campaign run by Pollution Probe, a local NGO. The organization asks companies in Toronto to use more environmentally friendly methods of transportation to commute to work. G.A.P Adventures has won the Clean Air Commute Award for seven consecutive years, for having 100% participation in the event and this year kept 1,961 kilograms of pollutants from the air. G.A.P Adventures also promotes the use of public transportation through paying for a portion of monthly public transportation costs for staff.
United Nations International Year of Ecotourism/World Ecotourism Summit
The United Nations designated 2002 the International Year of Ecotourism (IYE) in recognition of its growing importance to sustainable development and the protection of the environment. The purpose of the IYE was to encourage cooperation among NGO's, governments and industry in developing ecotourism practices that are environmentally, economically and socially beneficial, while minimizing their negative impacts. G.A.P Adventures founder and CEO Bruce Poon Tip, was among those involved and was the only tour operator invited to speak at both of these events.
Traveller's Philanthropy Conference
In April of 2004, Danielle Weiss, G.A.P's Sustainable Travel Coordinator was invited to speak at the Traveller's Philanthropy Conference held at Stanford University, California. In attendance were leaders of socially responsible travel businesses involved in, or contemplating involvement in, corporate giving programs to support community projects in tourism destinations. The conference was designed to facilitate exchanges among tourism sector philanthropists and to provide advice and insights from a broad range of experts about how to identify needs, solicit contributions, and administer, strengthen, and promote social service and environmental stewardship projects.
Profit 100 Award recipient
G.A.P Adventures set a record by being listed on the Profit 100 for 5 years in a row. Originally appearing at #4 on Canada's Top 100 list of companies, G.A.P Adventures proved to be leaders when compared in any industry. As the only travel company to appear in the top 100 G.A.P Adventures shocked the world by appearing on the list over the last 5 years. Because of this they earned special recognition when we were given the Premium Growth Award from industry leaders and the Profit 100 committee.
