HISTORY

Prior to 1995 company founder, J.P. Obbagy, worked for a local tour company providing trip services for large groups of people on Canadian Rockies vacations. His clients were companies that rewarded their employees with all-inclusive luxury vacations in groups ranging in size from 50 - 500 people. Exceptional service standards were critical and no detail was overlooked in providing these groups with the finest possible experience. But the focus was on the group and not the individual.

“I felt that something was missing in the range of services being offered for the travelers who did not want to take a group trip” says J.P. “There were all kinds of companies providing group tours with comprehensive trip management services, but people had to conform to the trip and few options existed for independent exploring. Most people that I know, myself included, prefer independent travel because of the flexibility it offers. However, as you probably know, a high quality independent trip can be very difficult to arrange when you don’t know the destination!”

J.P. began to envision a tour company that was able to individually tailor luxury trips for active couples, families and small travel parties. He became committed to creating all-inclusive driving packages that featured a Canadian Rockies vacation with much more personalization than allowed by other companies. Trips designed with built-in flexibility instead of the typical offering in which people have to conform to the package offered. All of this was to be developed within a company that maintained a strong environmental and social conscience.

His passion for travel and the outdoors finally became a long-term commitment. J.P. quit his job and began to develop Good Earth Travel Adventures into the number one personal travel company of the Canadian Rockies. Since the spring of 1996 the Good Earth team has been providing independent couples, families and friends from around the world with premium Canadian Rockies vacations.

Flexible packages were created with that allowed travelers to match their interests with activities and adventures that best represent the region. Itineraries featured popular destinations and off-the-beaten-path gems, all with the finest lodging. Comprehensive trip management services were developed using a combination of state-of-the-art technology and old-fashioned personal service. New standards for travel services were set with the introduction of Good Earth’s exclusive TripConcierge™ and TravelJournal™.

All the hard work and commitment paid off. The evidence is in the typical response that Good Earth receives when asking clients how their trip was: “Thank you…this holiday was the best yet!”

But the Good Earth team constantly strives to deliver beyond their customers’ expectations, and while keeping a clear focus on the present the future is always in their vision. 2003 sees the launching of EarthTraveler™ newsletter to help provide better information to customers. A very exciting new development is the introduction of the Good for the Earth Program™ that provides Good Earth with a vehicle to fulfill its social and environmental mandate.

And the future? New experiences are continually being introduced to better meet the varied interests of Good Earth travelers. The big new step will be in direct response to customers asking “where can we go next?” The future will see the development of new trip centers throughout Canada and around the world. “It’s all about commitment” comments J.P. “We’ve achieved our pledge to deliver an exceptional Canadian Rockies vacation and now its time to give our customers new and exciting destinations to explore.”