Southeast Asia: Strong Mobilization of Worldwide Assistance and the Europ Assistance Group

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2004 -- Immediately after the tragic disaster in Southeast Asia, Worldwide Assistance Services (WA) and the Europ Assistance (EA) Group began mobilizing its medical resources to help customers in the region. On December 26th, the Europ Assistance Group set up a special crisis team to face the devastating aftermath of the tsunami in Southeast Asia. The crisis team is coordinating overall operations for all of the group subsidiaries. When and wherever necessary, the crisis team is working with local authorities to help the victims.

In order to cope with this terrible catastrophe, the Europ Assistance Group is mobilizing its worldwide network. EA subsidiaries in Bangkok and Singapore are coordinating staff and resources for the whole area, including transportation between disaster zones and main hospitals in the area, coordination with local and consular authorities to solve problems due to loss of passports, and follow-up of hospitalized clients.

Meanwhile, the Group has sent additional resources to Bangkok. The large majority of the Group's medical assistance cases are located in Thailand. A medical and logistical team is on location, coming from Paris. Moreover, Worldwide Assistance's Medical Director is traveling to work with the team in Bangkok. Worldwide Assistance is also sending nurses to Bangkok and Singapore to assist with medical evacuations.

Right now, most of the Europ Assistance clients that were based in Phuket have been evacuated to Bangkok. The medical team on location is assessing the condition of patients before organizing their transportation back home.

Transportation coordination is going forward. The EA Group is chartering an Airbus 321 aircraft to accommodate 15 stretchers and 50 seated passengers and evacuate victims from Bangkok to Europe.

In addition to medical assistance, beginning on Monday, December 27th, Europ Assistance brought logistical support to its clients, chartering planes to repatriate people to their home countries. Several hundreds of people have already been transported home thanks to Europ Assistance.

Families all over the world have been struck by the catastrophe. In addition to Worldwide Assistance, the US subsidiary, at least nine other Europ Assistance companies have clients in the affected areas: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

For the moment, around one hundred medical cases have been reported, with varying degrees of severity. This is only a provisional figure, however, as new information continues to come into the Europ Assistance headquarters.

Worldwide Assistance and the entire Europ Assistance Group will continue to assist its customers in every way possible.

Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc., located in Washington, DC, is a part of the multinational Europ Assistance Group. Services include emergency medical evacuation and repatriation, medical referrals, case monitoring and claims management. Twenty-four hours a day at 38 assistance centers worldwide, multilingual assistance coordinators answer more than one call per second and handle one assistance case every five seconds. Worldwide Assistance's website is located at http://www.worldwideassistance.com.

Contact:

Jessica Ashley
1-202-331-1609 ext410

Jean Timmons
1-202-331-1609 ext403

G.A.P. Adventures Top Brass Go Back in the Field for Charity

G.A.P Adventures top brass go back in the field for charity

Dec 29, 2004.  Toronto – The Planeterra Foundation, developed by G.A.P Adventures as a way to give back to the communities our trips visit, is the focus of 5 special G.A.P Adventures trips in 2005. Charity calls, and our CEO, VP's and Sustainable Travel Coordinator are answering that call. A portion of proceeds from each of these trips will be donated to the Planeterra Foundation. Throw in some local culture and cuisine, and these trips will make for some unforgettable adventure experiences.

Come join our seasoned, or maybe rusty, G.A.P Adventures top brass leaders, as they lead trips to great destinations like Venzeula, Peru, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. These special trips include:

Planeterra Peru

Come along with Danielle Weiss, G.A.P's Sustainable Travel Coordinator, and travel to a remote village in the northern highlands and help to improve basic living conditions for local families by participating in a hands-on volunteer project. Visit two Planeterra projects before hiking the spectacular Inca Trail to the lost city of Machu Picchu.

13 days Lima to Cuzco in May 2005

Inti Raymi & The New Inca Trail

Join G.A.P Adventures' CEO, Bruce Poon Tip, on this 12-day exploratory tour that includes a guided visit of Machu Picchu and a strenuous, 3-day trek on "the other Inca Trail" to the lost Inca fortress Choquequirao.

12 days starting in Lima and ending in Cuzco in July 2005

A Taste of Chile & Argentina

Come along with our VP Sales and Marketing, and ex-chef, Dave Bowen as he researches the wine regions of Central Chile and Argentina, sampling the locals' favourites and maybe even squeezing in a Gaucho cooking class too!

10 days starting in Santiago de Chile and ending in Buenos Aires in September 2005

Shipwrecks and Sand Dunes

Join our VP Operations, and ex G.A.P Adventures tour leader, Mandy Holliday on her quest to indulge in the incredible variety of experiences that this part of Brazil has to offer. From sand dunes, to shipwrecks, to Forró music, the beauty and the culture of Brazil are sure to impress.

12 days starting in Recife and ending in Fortaleza in October 2005

Venezeula Learn to Dive

Join our VP Finance, Bill Evans, as he gets his feet wet in search for the elusive Christmas Tree Worms and hidden pirate treasure! After your exploratory dives, head to the mainland to check out the majestic Angelís Falls and scenery of the Gran Sabana.

13 days starting and ending in Caracas in November 2005

Sustainable Tourism. Responsible travel. Eco-tourism. To G.A.P Adventures these are more than just words or trends, it is part of our travel philosophy and has been for many, many years – we have the awards to prove it. Our committment to be environmentally, culturally and socially responsible has always been at the heart of our agenda and was a driving force behind the development of the Planeterra Foundation.

For more information about our sustainable tourism initiatives or any of these special trips head to www.gapadventures.com or call 1 800 465 5600 to speak
to an Adventure Specialist.

G.A.P Adventures

Media Contact: Red Hunt

Phone: 416 260 0999 ext 161

Email: red@gap.ca

www.gapadventures.com
1000 Adventures - 100 Countries - 1 World for the New Traveller

Excellent UK Site for Hands On Volunteers

Chairty Jobs UK including Not for Profit Jobs in Finance HR - Charity jobs UK include fundraising jobs, marketing jobs, finance jobs, medical secretarial jobs, medical support jobs, charities support vacancies, Charity HR jobs, charity IT positions and executive charity jobs.