Goway History Timeline
Also see A Brief History: Goway's Early Days and The World of Travel in 1970
1970
- Bruce Hodge immigrates to Canada and starts Goway Travel in an apartment (shared by three others) in Toronto. The company promotes European Camping Tours for 18-30's; Adventures in Australia & Overland expeditions across Asia and Africa
1971
- Shares downtown office space with another travel company
- Installs a telex machine to replace telegram reservations
- First brochure - one colour on a Tourism Board shell folder
1972
- Pioneer and first operator of overland camping tours in Canada & America. The first "Canada-USA" trip was in a station wagon
- Occupies own office wholly
1975
- Ontario Travel Industry Act requires industry to be licensed & contribute to a compensation fund 1974
- Obtains IATA (International Air Transport Association) accreditation to be able to issue airline tickets
1976
- First two colour brochure (orange & black) - "Young Adult Adventures" worldwide
- Starts South American overland tours with bus imported from Britain
1980
- First full colour brochures- Goway's "AMERICAS" & "Young Adult Adventures"
1981
- Opens office in Vancouver
1983
- Operates first fully escorted tour to Fiji, New Zealand & Australia. This evolved into Goway's exclusive Holidays of a Lifetime
- First DOWNUNDER brochure with the distinctive upside down DOWNUNDER trademark
1984
- Hires first female tour leader for "Young Adult Adventures"
- Purchases first computers and signs on for a GDS system to make computerized air reservations
1985
- Installs fax machine to modernize reservations & communications
1986
- Opens office in Sydney Australia
- Winds down South American operation
- Merges Canada-USA program with competitor. As "AmeriCanAdventures" operates 55 mini buses throughout Alaska, Canada, USA & Mexico
- GowayGroups, (now GROUPSOnly by Goway), established to specialize exclusively in designing and operating group travel arrangements
1988
- Goway benefits as Australia celebrates bi-centenary enhancing it as a travel destination
1989
- First Orient-Asia only brochure created (in middle of Tian An Men Square revolt)
1991
- Air consolidating division GowayAir created to sell "special airfares" for leading airlines
1992
- Purchases "strata" title to half our floor in downtown Sydney office building
1994
- Purchases own office building in Toronto
- Joins U.S.T.O.A. (United States Tour Operators Association) with requirement to post a $1 million bond
1997
- Goway.com created
1998
- First Africa only brochure printed
1999
- Opens USA office in Los Angeles
- IslandsEscapes created to specialize in idyllic escape packages to the world's most exotic islands
2000
- Olympics in Sydney boosts Goway's profile as a specialist Australian tour operator and wholesaler
- Goway celebrates 30th anniversary with a spectacular gala event
2001
- September 11, 2001 shakes world & the travel industry
2002
- AFRICAExperts created to specifically concentrate only on travel to Africa
2003
- Globetrotting by Goway magazine first edition printed for winter 2003-2004
- Purchases "strata" title to remaining half of 8th floor in Sydney office
2005
- Company makes its biggest ever investment in technology
- Goway purchases boutique worldwide adventure specialist AdventuresIncorporated
2007
- The Great Recession begins and lingers for years
2008
- Launch of new company reservation system
- Company makes major investment in upgrading telephone system to VOIP
2009
- Special Events by Goway opens
- Completes another full circle by opening Latin America Experts division
2010
- Goway celebrates 40th anniversary with big parties in Toronto, Vancouver & Sydney
- In celebration Goway gives away 40 trips for two worth over US$250,000 over 40 weeks
- Latin America Experts becomes the newest specialist long-haul division
2011
- Inspite of the effects of the Great Recession, Goway continues to invest heavily in technology
2013
- Unofficially launches "New" www.goway.com
2014
- Ebola causes major decline in Africa business. Some staff and resources are redeployed to develop destination Europe products.
2015
- Africa recovers
- UK-Europe and the Mediterranean fully launched.
- Opens Manila, Philippines support office.
2017
- Goway invests in Globespan Travel Management, a corporate travel agency
2018
- Bruce Hodge receives the 'W.H. Baxter Lifetime Achievement Award' at Baxter Media Travel Agents Choice Awards
2019
- Planning begins for Goway’s Golden 50 year Anniversary in 2020 to be bigger & better than 2010
2020
- Covid 19 Pandemic strikes, making travel Industry one of the hardest hit
- Company retreats with (lay off etc.) into “Fortress Goway”
- Following principle “never waste a crisis” Goway invests in infrastructure & technology
- 50th Anniversary celebrations cancelled
2021
- Covid 19 Pandemic challenge continues
- Destinations USA & Canada program soft launched, meaning Goway now offers the whole world
- Goway Australia partners with Pacific Destinations New Zealand to enhance product line
2022
- Pandemic and it’s hangover impacts return and normality
- Barbara Norton (see 1984) retires
- Bruce Hodge receives “Friends of Australia” Award from Tourism Australia
- He is also inducted into the Canadian Travel Hall of Fame
2023
- Goway Australia forms business relationship with ACROSS Inbound who specialise in French market
- Pandemic hangover lingers
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