Monday Minute: William Gu of On the Go Groups DBA The Bear Travel

The Monday Minute is a weekly feature in PAX that highlights the movers, shakers, leaders and rule breakers of Canada's travel advisor community. Wanna be profiled? Wanna nominate someone? Email newsroom@paxglobalmedia.com! 

Name of business: On the Go Groups DBA The Bear Travel

Where do you live? Langley, B.C.

How long have you been a travel advisor?

Just over 10 years now.

What is your specialty?

I specialize in cruises, sun destinations and small luxury groups.

What inspired you to become a travel advisor?

My passion for travel and my passion for bringing people to the places they want to visit and see.

What’s the first trip you ever took?

When I was in elementary school, my parents brought me to Guangzhou and Hainan in China. It was my first time taking a flight. I was eight years old and we stayed in a very fancy hotel. I was very excited to fly to a brand-new city I had never been to before with my parents and explore all the new food and fun things.

What travel trends are you seeing these days?

After COVID, the way people want to travel changed a lot. I have seen more and more small groups travelling to top bucket-list destinations, such as Kenya safari tours, Antarctica tours and Arctic tours. I have also seen younger generations, ages 30 to 40, willing to spend more money and travel farther.

Cruises and all-inclusives are still the most popular products for families with small kids. Families with older kids now want to explore destinations like Europe, Egypt, Turkey and East Africa. Instead of going with big group tours, they also like customized itineraries that fit their needs.

Of all the bookings you’ve made, which itinerary and/or travel package are you most proud of?

In 2025, the travel package I was most proud of was an East Africa safari tour in Kenya and Tanzania. It was my first booking with a private jet and top luxury safari lodges, such as Singita and &Beyond. It was also a trip for a family of four that we had been planning since before COVID. Everyone was very excited.

What’s the most memorable trip you ever took?

I would say an East Africa safari is the most memorable trip I have ever taken. I've been there five times now. The nature is amazing, with so many different animals and plants.

Where do you see your career one year from now? What are your future goals?

I'm continuing to build more and more customized itineraries in 2026. I now have travel packages in more than 20 destinations. Our business reached more than $12 million in overall sales in 2025 and I'm aiming for 10 to 15 per cent growth in 2026.

What’s one new skill you’ve acquired recently?

Riding a horse. I weigh about 130 kilograms, so it was very hard to find a horse for me to train on until recently. I've ridden camels a couple of times, but I always wanted to try horseback riding. 

What’s one thing you would change about the travel industry?

AI will probably change the whole industry. I believe it will be a great tool to help travel advisors work more efficiently. AI brings tools and software that can help travel advisors reduce their workload so we can focus on the part that AI cannot replace: the human touch. This is something I don't think AI will ever be able to replace in a real human travel advisor.

What’s the secret to being successful in this business?

Go out and see the world with your own eyes, not on a YouTube channel. Your real destination experience is the key to clients trusting your professionalism.

What is your motto?

There is a Chinese motto I really like that translates to English as: “It is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books.”

What is your number one piece of advice to other travel advisors?

Do not enter into a price war. Use your professionalism to gain trust from your clients.

Where are you travelling next?

Taiwan.

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