As we speak is a profoundly unhappy day. Russia’s aggressive motion is heartbreaking for the loss of life, struggling, and financial turmoil it can trigger in Ukraine and, not directly no less than, past. Right here at Rick Steves’ Europe, we hope {that a} diplomatic resolution will be discovered and peace will return to that fragile and long-suffering a part of our world.
Our mission at RSE is to assist People higher know and perceive our neighbors by journey. However once we convey vacationers to a different nation, we additionally convey their {dollars} — {dollars} that may help Putin’s aggression. Subsequently, as of immediately, we have now canceled all 2022 excursions that embrace a cease in Russia.
In fact, we are going to preserve a detailed eye on unfolding occasions and monitor any journey impacts by the remainder of Europe. However you will need to preserve geographic realities in thoughts and do not forget that a conflict in Ukraine is as removed from our European trip goals as a conflict in Guatemala can be from Texas or Florida. For 40 years now, we have now lived, labored, and traveled by many durations of tragic warfare in lands removed from the place we lead our excursions (and a few nearer). And right now, we see no purpose to alter the remainder of our journey and touring plans.
The tragic actuality unfolding in Ukraine solely jogs my memory how vital it’s for People to maintain on touring and to take action in a manner that makes us higher and extra engaged residents of our world. I’m flying to Europe subsequent month for a 40-day journey by a dozen nice cities from London to Athens — and I’m proud that 1000’s of my fellow vacationers will expertise the European journey of their goals whereas having wealthy studying experiences removed from dwelling on a 2022 Rick Steves tour.
Within the meantime, let’s be pleased about our blessings, help our nation’s leaders as they do their finest to navigate this disaster, and preserve the troubled corners of our world (Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and extra) in our ideas and prayers.
—Rick
