At present is a profoundly unhappy day. Russia’s aggressive motion is heartbreaking for the demise, struggling, and financial turmoil it’ll trigger in Ukraine and, not directly at the least, past. Right here at Rick Steves’ Europe, we hope {that a} diplomatic answer 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 journey. However after we carry vacationers to a different nation, we additionally carry their {dollars} — {dollars} that may help Putin’s aggression. Subsequently, as of at the moment, now we have canceled all 2022 excursions that embrace a cease in Russia.
In fact, we’ll maintain an in depth eye on unfolding occasions and monitor any journey impacts by the remainder of Europe. However you will need to maintain geographic realities in thoughts and do not forget that a battle in Ukraine is as removed from our European trip goals as a battle in Guatemala could be from Texas or Florida. For 40 years now, now we have lived, labored, and traveled by many durations 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 method that makes us higher and extra engaged residents of our world. I’m flying to Europe subsequent month for a 40-day journey by 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 goals whereas having wealthy studying experiences removed from residence on a 2022 Rick Steves tour.
Within the meantime, let’s be grateful for our blessings, help our nation’s leaders as they do their greatest to navigate this disaster, and maintain the troubled corners of our world (Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan, and extra) in our ideas and prayers.
—Rick