Special people I’ve met through travel.
Ruy Tone, founder of Mirante do Gavião Lodge and Katerre boat.
Many times when I meet friends and family, they point out my privilege of having a job that allows me to visit so many incredible places. And I truly feel very grateful for all the wonderful trips I've been invited on. But for me, the greatest benefit of my work is the opportunity to meet such amazing people around the world.
Sometimes it's during a tourism trade show, other times it's on a business or leisure trip, but I always return from each place having met someone who inspires me, teaches me more about that destination, or shows me how we can think about a more conscious tourism with positive impacts on both the environment and local communities.
To give you a glimpse of this, I want to share some of these special encounters that I have had the privilege of experiencing during my adventures around the world and here is a little bit of Ruy Tone, one of the most inspirational people I have ever met.
Ruy Tone is one of the partners of Mirante do Gavião and Expedition Katerre, both based in the Amazon region. We met in Buenos Aires during the Emotions trade show for experiential tourism in Latin America, and since then, we've become friends—and I’m his number one fan. Not just because of the Mirante do Gavião lodge, which I’ve long loved and frequently recommend to my clients, but for the deep conversations, the valuable lessons, and the insights that have changed the way I plan itineraries in the Amazon region.
Ruy does impressive work in the Amazon, from helping to build public schools to after-school programs where young people learn marquetry, environmental preservation, and entrepreneurship for future generations—all with the help of the local community through the FAM Foundation (Fundação Almerinda Malaquias), in which both Mirante & Katerre are supporters.
And if all of this already sounded amazing when I first heard Ruy talk about it, it became even more spectacular when, in 2022, Ruy invited me to sail through the Amazon aboard one of the Katerre Expedition’s boats. During those unforgettable days filled with unique experiences, I witnessed firsthand the schools he, together with the local community, built—improving not just the learning space for children but also providing a room and kitchen for teachers who often travel from afar to teach in the region. I also heard from the boat crew about Ruy’s kindness, with tears in their eyes as they shared how Ruy’s daily efforts have helped so many, especially during the pandemic.
It was during one of these intense conversations with Ruy, where I always strive to learn from everything he does, that I found my inspiration to donate a portion of our profits to NGOs and projects in Brazil—specifically in areas where tourism is developed or in areas affected by natural disasters.
Even in this, Ruy was careful to introduce me to several projects so I could choose the one I felt was ideal. With his knowledge and connections, he ensured I would truly make a difference in the project I selected. This is how I began supporting AARJ (Associação de Artesãos do Rio Jauaperi), a foundation founded by a group of artisans who organized to represent and meet the needs of communities along the Jauaperi River. Their efforts include beach protection for the conservation of local turtles (shell animals), lake protection for managing pirarucu fish, and community-based tourism (canoeing and handicrafts). They are now developing a bioeconomy project: an essential oil processing plant that I believe will be incredible.
Amazing, right?
If you haven’t yet experienced the Amazon, reach out to me, and I’ll help you choose the best itinerary—whether it’s staying in a special lodge or aboard a boat—so you can experience this incredible region that I’m so passionate about.