Posted 28 June, 2020

At Moose Travel Network, we believe that travel helps to promote greater understanding and respect between all people, regardless of cultural or ancestral background, identity, or ability. One of our goals is to bring together individuals for a shared adventure that will not only show them the beauty of Western Canada and our many peoples, but will also broaden their experience by connecting them with a diverse group of other travellers from across the globe.

However, we recognize that for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), members of the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, solo women, and others from marginalized groups, there are still barriers to travel, and to employment in the travel industry. As a Person of Colour, I have faced these barriers myself, both while travelling abroad, and here in Canada. And while I have been able to fight through these barriers, I know that not everyone has the means to do so, for various reasons. As a travel company, we can certainly do more to help remove those barriers, be more inclusive, and increase diversity within the travel industry.

To that effect, we have developed a working action plan to support that objective. That plan is posted below, and we will continue to update it as we make progress. But we certainly don’t have all the solutions, and we’re not going to get everything right. We therefore welcome your suggestions and feedback, as well as stories from your own related experiences in travel, both positive and negative. Please email us at: nobarriers@moosebus.travel

We’re committed to doing our part in helping all feel welcome and safe, not only on our tours, but also while working for our company, and in the greater world. We hope you join us in doing so wherever you live, work, and travel.

We will undertake the following actions, in support of our goal of helping the travel industry be more inclusive and diverse, and to help remove barriers to travel for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), members of the LGBTQ community, people with disabilities, solo women, and others from marginalized groups:

• proactively searching out, and contracting or frequenting businesses owned or managed by people from marginalized groups on our tours
• proactively recruiting for staff from within marginalized communities
• training for all staff on being anti-racist, welcoming, inclusive, and respectful/mindful of the potentially special sensitivities of travellers that often face discrimination
• offering mentorship and info sessions about travel and careers in the travel industry within communities that are under represented in the travel industry
• partnering with organizations and brands that represent marginalized communities to offer partner discounts
• telling more stories and featuring more marginalized voices on our tours, and in our marketing
• displaying more diversity in our images