At present is a profoundly unhappy day. Russia’s aggressive motion is heartbreaking for the demise, struggling, and financial turmoil it should trigger in Ukraine and, not directly no less than, past. Right here at Rick Steves’ Europe, we hope {that a} diplomatic resolution may 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 way of journey. However once we deliver vacationers to a different nation, we additionally deliver their {dollars} — {dollars} that will assist Putin’s aggression. Due to this fact, as of right this moment, we’ve got canceled all 2022 excursions that embody a cease in Russia.
In fact, we’ll preserve a detailed eye on unfolding occasions and monitor any journey impacts by way of the remainder of Europe. However it is very important preserve geographic realities in thoughts and do not forget that a warfare in Ukraine is as removed from our European trip desires as a warfare in Guatemala could be from Texas or Florida. For 40 years now, we’ve got lived, labored, and traveled by way of many intervals of tragic warfare in lands removed from the place we lead our excursions (and a few nearer). And presently, we see no motive to alter the remainder of our journey and touring plans.
The tragic actuality unfolding in Ukraine solely jogs my memory how necessary it’s for People to maintain on touring and to take action in a means that makes us higher and extra engaged residents of our world. I’m flying to Europe subsequent month for a 40-day journey by way of a dozen nice cities from London to Athens — and I’m proud that hundreds of my fellow vacationers will expertise the European journey of their desires whereas having wealthy studying experiences removed from residence on a 2022 Rick Steves tour.
Within the meantime, let’s be glad about our blessings, assist our nation’s leaders as they do their greatest to navigate this disaster, and preserve the troubled corners of our world (Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and extra) in our ideas and prayers.
—Rick
