G Adventures has announced the formation of a new holding company to bring its existing companies and new acquisitions under a parent brand dubbed G Travel Community (GTC).

The company says the purpose of the GTC formation is to create a community of travel companies that have ‘community-led growth’ at the core of their strategies, and a shared belief in the power of changing peoples’ lives through travel.

Current brands joining G Adventures in the GTC portfolio are G Touring (Travelsphere and Just You) and TruTravels, both based out of the UK. Planeterra, G Adventures’ non-profit partner, will also be part of this ‘shared services’ model.

The various brands will share administrative services, with each retaining its own sales and marketing function, customer services, product development and unique style of tour operations.

This news is accompanied by a number of senior leadership changes within the business.

Founder Bruce Poon Tip will take on the title of chairman, G Travel Community while Jeff Russill, currently COO for G Adventures, will become the chief executive officer of GTC, overseeing the G Adventures, TruTravels and G Touring brands. Ben Perlo, currently managing director for G Adventures in the United States, will take on the mantle of president and chief executive officer for the G Adventures brand.

Poon Tip explained the reasons for the changes: “G Adventures formed an investment partnership with Certares one year ago, with the goal of implementing an acquisition strategy for the business. The pandemic lasted much longer than we thought it would, which gave us the time to build an even more solid structure and foundation to deliver on our long-term, multi-brand strategy.”

He adds that the new structure will “place a laser focus on the importance of cementing a sense of community throughout our organization.”

“Everything we do is about having a greater impact. For 32 years G Adventures has had a positive impact on both our travellers and the communities we visit, but our goal is always to have a far bigger impact in the wider world of tourism.

“With the formation of GTC we are finally creating that community – a stable of travel brands that can really drive change to a wider demographic of people who love to travel, but at the same time want to change the world.”