Inaugural Great Vietnam Bike Ride
Cause related tourism takes off!
Melbourne Victoria: Local Diamond Creek resident Hung Nguyen had a dream – to make a difference back in his homeland. Through a chance meeting in a local shopping centre, Hung has been able to make the dream a reality, leveraging his experience in arranging travel experiences in Vietnam for over 20 years provides the foundation for this project.
Australian cyclists now have an opportunity to do what they love, riding their bikes through a stunning country and support children who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to be educated.
Sapphire Elite Escapes first ‘cause related tourism’ project is a push bike ride from North to South Vietnam winding through some of the most picturesque places in the world. The inspiration for the ‘Ride’ was the ‘Great Victorian Bike Ride” with thousands of participants capturing the sights of Victoria. “We wanted to do more and assist a charity in Vietnam that focuses on providing education opportunities for disadvantaged children”, said Richard Siegersma CEO of Sapphire Elite Escapes.
‘Embarking on this project was like joining the dots. All the pieces were there it was just a matter of putting it together.’ Continued Richard ‘We have the best guides and support infrastructure available in Vietnam. Those fortunate enough to be on the first ‘Ride’ will be guaranteed an experience they will never forget along with touching the lives of children at the Saigon Children’s Charity who will be forever grateful.’
The first ‘Ride’ will be limited to 40 people but our goal is to have 1000 riders within 5 years and raise over $1 million for the charity. Each participate in the ‘Ride’ must raise $500 to be eligible. Some riders have already raised more.
Over 500 kilometres will be travelled over 12 days with an option to extend the trip to 16 days. Hotels and restaurants have been hand picked to make sure all the local treats are enjoyed and a comfortable bed each night.
For sign up for the ride and more information go to www.greatvietnambikeride.com
Sapphire Elite Escapes is a startup travel company focusing on niche Cause Related Tourism projects. The company is developing projects in Education, Golf and other verticals to make a positive impact on the lives of those who need support whilst providing a quality tourism experience to participants
The Saigon Children’s Charity was founded in 1992 for a specific purpose: to help disadvantaged Vietnamese children to get an education and a fairer start in life. Only helping the children in greatest need, fostering independence but ensuring the responsibility of parents and the authorities is maintained.
www.saigonchildren.com
Richard Siegersma
Sapphire Elite Escapes
Phone: +61 413947301
Email: richard@sapphireeliteescapes.com