Nowadays is a profoundly sad day. Russia’s intense action is heartbreaking for the demise, struggling, and financial turmoil it will bring about in Ukraine and, indirectly at least, over and above. In this article at Rick Steves’ Europe, we hope that a diplomatic solution can be uncovered and peace will return to that fragile and lengthy-struggling section of our entire world.
Our mission at RSE is to assistance People in america better know and recognize our neighbors by means of vacation. But when we carry travelers to another country, we also bring their dollars — pounds that would assistance Putin’s aggression. For that reason, as of today, we have canceled all 2022 tours that incorporate a end in Russia.
Of study course, we will preserve a near eye on unfolding activities and check any travel impacts as a result of the relaxation of Europe. But it is essential to continue to keep geographic realities in intellect and bear in mind that a war in Ukraine is as considerably from our European family vacation goals as a war in Guatemala would be from Texas or Florida. For 40 years now, we have lived, worked, and traveled via a lot of periods of tragic warfare in lands considerably from where we guide our excursions (and some closer). And at this time, we see no cause to transform the relaxation of our travel and touring ideas.
The tragic reality unfolding in Ukraine only reminds me how vital it is for Individuals to maintain on traveling and to do so in a way that makes us far better and additional engaged citizens of our earth. I’m flying to Europe subsequent month for a 40-day excursion by means of a dozen excellent metropolitan areas from London to Athens — and I’m very pleased that hundreds of my fellow vacationers will practical experience the European vacation of their dreams whilst getting loaded learning experiences significantly from house on a 2022 Rick Steves tour.
In the meantime, let’s be thankful for our blessings, help our nation’s leaders as they do their ideal to navigate this crisis, and continue to keep the troubled corners of our earth (Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and more) in our feelings and prayers.
—Rick
