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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 at the very least, past. Right here at Rick Steves’ Europe, we hope {that a} diplomatic answer could be discovered and peace will return to that fragile and long-suffering a part of our world.
Our mission at RSE is to assist Individuals higher know and perceive our neighbors by way of journey. However once we carry vacationers to a different nation, we additionally carry their {dollars} — {dollars} that may help Putin’s aggression. Subsequently, as of in the present day, we now have canceled all 2022 excursions that embody a cease in Russia.
After all, we’ll preserve an in depth 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 keep in mind that a warfare in Ukraine is as removed from our European trip desires as a warfare in Guatemala can be from Texas or Florida. For 40 years now, we now have 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 vary the remainder of our journey and touring plans.
The tragic actuality unfolding in Ukraine solely jogs my memory how vital it’s for Individuals 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 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 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 greatest to navigate this disaster, and preserve the troubled corners of our world (Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and extra) in our ideas and prayers.
—Rick
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