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GOWAY AT A GLANCE

• Top 10 reasons to go Goway
• Goway Awards
• President's Message
• The Goway Group Branding
• Goway - a brief history
• Special Services & Expertise
• Office Contacts

CLICK HERE for

• Profile of Bruce Hodge & Goway in 2010
  by Travel Hot News
• Celebrating 40 years in style with Bruce Hodge
  by Open Jaw
• The Goway Guy
  by Travel Industry Today
• For the Love of Travel
  The Toronto Star
• Goway's Hodge honoured

Early Goway Logos

Wherever you wanted to go, we reckon we had it!

One of the first programs we offered for Australia was the "Outback Safari". Today we offer a similar routing with our "Super Safari"

An Early Goway Brochure

La Gran Aventura took 80 days.

For 8 years Goway operated its own vehicle on overland journeys through South America.

At one time Goway operated mini-buses (and some coaches) from Alaska to Panama.

The Goway building - 3284 Yonge St. Toronto

The first Globetrotting magazine

The "Goway" bird

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Goway at Glance

A Brief History of Goway

Scroll down for "Events that Influenced Goway" timeline.

Goway Travel was created in Toronto in 1970 by Bruce Hodge. Prior to arriving in Canada, Bruce was a research economist with the Reserve Bank of Australia; he then worked in England as a tour guide and subsequently became operations and sales manager for a London based European tour operation.

In the early years Goway specialized in fun holidays for the "under 30's" as well as overland adventure tours through Africa and Asia. This was augmented by the introduction of mini-bus tours of North America and an eight year period of operating coach tours through South America (including during the Falkland war). Goway divested its interests in AmeriCan Adventures (the mini-bus venture) in the early 90's!

Along the way, as a result of connections "Downunder", Goway evolved into one of North America's largest travel companies for the South Pacific. From modest beginnings, Goway now represents all the leading tour operators in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti and the Cook Islands.

We are the only North American travel company that fully owns its own office in Australia. Goway Sydney was set up to maintain price controls and to offer additional service to travellers Downunder - a terrific help to Goway passengers during an airline strike several years ago, an airline failure and problems caused by September 11th.

Today Goway has sales and reservations offices in Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles.

With the South Pacific covered, in the mid 1980's Goway developed a similar product line in Asia. Today Goway has programs to China, India and over 20 other countries throughout the region.

In the mid 90's, Goway introduced a full line of products for Southern, Eastern and Northern Africa to cater to the ongoing interests of our past travellers. (Bruce's wife also comes from South Africa!) Now branded AFRICAExperts this division proudly lives up to its name. They are also experts for travel to the Middle East.

Also in the mid 90's Goway introduced the IslandsEscapes brand of exotic travel ideas to the world's most idyllic Islands... Tahiti, Fiji, Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa, Samui, Phuket, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius.

In 2005 Goway purchased the specialist Adventure company AdventuresIncorporated to have a focus on the world of adventure once more. Following the same mandate as other Goway specialist divisions the adventure team offers past, present and future Goway Globetrotters an exciting range of travel ideas.

To enhance our ability to improve past clients we continue to develop new destinations as we have in 2010 for Latin America.

Over the years we honed our skills at being very proficient in designing personalized customized itineraries for independent Globetrotters. At the same time we developed exclusive fully escorted touring experiences to our main destinations called HOLIDAYS OF A LIFETIME. They carry Goway's promise "of something special".

The strength of Goway has always been our staff and our commitment to customer satisfaction. Many of our staff are longtime employees and Bruce Hodge continues to be president.

Goway has always been a leader in the travel industry and, as we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we are very optimistic about the future of "long haul" travel.

Expect more innovative ideas from us!

Events That Influenced Goway Timeline Since 1970

• 1970
  • Bruce Hodge immigrates to Canada and starts Goway Travel in an apartment (shared by three others) in Toronto. 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
  • Sells AmeriCanAdventures shares to partner to concentrate on developing Downunder destinations
  • 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
• 2008
  • Launch of new company reservation system
  • Company makes major investment in upgrading telephone system to VOIP

Awards Won by Goway Travel

• 2011
  • Readers Choice Award Winner – Best Tour Operator, South Pacific
    Recommend Magazine

• 2010
  • Readers Choice Award Winner – Best Tour Operator, South Pacific
    Recommend Magazine

  • Gold Magellan Award Winner
    for Globetrotting Magazine (Consumer Direct Mail category)
  • Silver Magellan Award Winner
    Goway's 40th Anniversary Campaign (Advertising/Marketing Campaign category)
• 2009
  • Readers Choice Award Winner – Best Tour Operator, South Pacific
    Recommend Magazine
  • Magellan Award Winner
    for Globetrotting Magazine
  • "Ozzie” Award Winner - "Best Wholesaler”
    Voted by Australian Suppliers.
  • "Best Tour Operators” – Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific
    Travel Age West Editor's Pick
• 2007
  • "Ozzie” Award Winner - "Best Wholesaler”
    Voted by Australian Suppliers.
  • "Best Tour Operators” – Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific
    Travel Age West Editor's Pick
• 2006
  • Opal Award Winner - "Best Wholesale Partner”
    Voted by over 4500 North American Aussie Specialist Agents.
  • New Zealand Tourism Award Winner - "Best Marketing Campaign”
• 2004
  • International Brochure of the Year Award
• 2003
  • International Brochure of the Year Award