Dear Agency Partners,

When we launched Precious Journeys®, our goal was to present family focused travel opportunities instead of merely family tolerant trips. Everything continually evolved as families made up one in ten of Big Five’s travelers a decade ago to one in three today. The only thing that had to shine through always was that our family travel was focused on children leading the way as if to complete a mission.

“You want me to wake up at what time,” said Aziz, our Tanzania Managing Director, at 2:00 am in his time zone. Aziz divides his time between Amsterdam, when his kids are in school, and the rest of the year in Tanzania. He has known me since I was one week old, so I suppose he gets a pass.

“You want me to talk futbol with someone from Argentina? Do you know what a rivalry even is,” exclaimed Leon, guide extraordinaire and a friend in Bogota, Colombia, when we talked about his latest Zoom event when he was Zoom bombed while on the call as you watched.

“You want to do a ride along? I like where your headed,” said Abraham Dau in Colombia, talking about taking viewers like you on a virtual ride along to see humanitarian work in a

These were some of the comments that our Faces of Five personalities told us as we began planning Live with Five client events such as this one.

Since the middle of March, we have been reinventing almost every process and approach throughout Big Five in order to become stronger and more effective. One of those reinventions led us to a different, more personal client event. In one week, I can be with Aziz in Tanzania, Cris in Peru and Leon in Colombia. The following week, I am with Abraham on a ride along, or with Claudia in Argentina. Technology today allows us to cover more territory and encounter more people than ever before.

With new personalities always being added to our team, the conversations always take a new turn. Watch the video in this email to see what we mean! Trash talking on futbol, pairing wine with local delicacies, linking culture to street art in Bogota and Buenos Aires, and, of course, the inevitable coffee snob moment.

In an era where on-screen is currently our predominant avenue to keep in touch, you can get zoomed out.  But we believe we have something pretty unconventional and special that will make you laugh, cry and think all at once. And, it’s fun! Apparently, you agree.  Our virtual client events are completely booked out through August!

Our advisor partners will reserve your space at their next client event when you register here. And, we will take it from there. we are happy to connect our inquiring advisor partners with those who have had successful events such as Michele Travels, Prince Adventures, EVI Active, and so many more!

Click to enjoy the video

Dear Agency Partners,

Over the last months, we have tried to give voice to the voiceless in Peru and Colombia. We hosted two virtual ride-along experiences for participants to gain a first-hand look at the humanitarian work taking place around Cartagena. Across the planet, we are being challenged to do better. How do we keep the new connections we have made as alive and viable three months from now as they are today?

The Big Five team has access to bright and talented people, personalities who are eager to share stories of their country’s own struggles with movements, either through first-hand encounters or from the point of view of respected historians. Showing yet another side to the power of tourism, we share these amazing people, who clients can meet while in country. They are the Faces of Five.

Seeing Gandhi-Ji’s statue disrespected in Washington DC was eye opening. His movement influenced the actions of both Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. Do not miss these timely webinars beginning with the first of a three-part series on June 25 at 11:00 EST.

Meet Enrique Polo, Master of Agriculture Engineering in Peru and Master on Planning Regional Agriculture in Israel. Mr. Polo is also our Destination Specialist Gisela Polo’s father. He spent much of his career working with Peru and Colombia, with more than three decades in the agriculture area in Peru, serving as regional director of Agriculture Planning for Lambayeque and La Libertad States, and as secretary general of the National Institute for Agrarian Research. He worked with the United Nations International Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Colombia. His duties included organizing and training farmers for their improvement of farming equipment, land distribution and training in better application of technology.

Register here to join this informative conversation.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Dear Agency Partner,

“The most potent weapon of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” – Steve Bikko

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Gandhi-Ji

“World peace through nonviolent means is neither absurd nor unattainable. All other methods have failed. Thus we must begin anew. Nonviolence is a good starting point.” Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

All three of these remarkable individuals were assassinated, one while in state security custody in Johannesburg, South Africa. Do you know what they had in common? A vision! A vision to help those without a voice, to help through intellectual strength not violence.

All of us, regardless of where we live in the world, are connected, whether that be through race, sports, lifestyle, or just our common humanity.  And, traveling connects us like no other single act. I used to believe that we have a choice to help change the world for the better. That has changed. Today, I firmly believe it is now our obligation. And it starts with a movement such as the one our foundation, Spirit of Big Five, has been involved with that has helped feed more than 20,000 people in the impoverished communities around Cartagena. There, police, military and local business owners truly came together in peace volunteering to ensure the vital supplies get to those in the direst need. If this once-conflicted nation can do it, then so can we.  Law and Order was achieved not decreed.

So this week, I want to offer all of you a front row seat of what that collaboration looks like. I am inspired by all of your posts about standing together. Come see what the foundation is doing in conjunction with Cartagena Unida. This is live and unscripted and gives you the ultimate virtual experience of a united effort to give a voice to the voiceless.

If you would like to support our movement, that would be great, but not necessary. More than anything else, we hopefully will inspire you and others to begin a movement that speaks to each of you. This is not about politics, it’s about seeking the best in us. Many of your posts ended with the thought that we have to be better.

Take a look back to a time about three decades ago and remember when Colombia was considered almost unsavable. Today, Colombia and humanity are joined together in an ongoing dialog so much so, they seem to finish each other’s sentences. This is how we begin to be better… because we are better.

Enclosed with this note is the video you see, a recording of our last ride along. Join us on our next ride along June 5 at 12:00pm EST.

Humanizing the soul yesterday, today and tomorrow.