Rob Rankin

CEO, Vagabond Tours / Managing Director, Sustainable Travel Ireland

Ireland

Rob is the founder and owner Vagabond tours - Ireland’s leading small group tour operator and one of most respected brands in Irish tourism. The company has achieved many firsts in Irish tourism, in terms of innovation, product development and marketing. Vagabond has also won many awards and is the only irish company to be chosen as one of National Geographic Traveller’s ‘50 Tours of a Lifetime’.

Rob is also recognised as a practical and dedicated voice for sustainable tourism in Ireland, not only through the actions of Vagabond, but as the owner of Sustainable Travel Ireland (STI), which trains and certifies Irish tourism businesses according to their GSTC recognised criteria. Although he certainly wouldn’t claim to be an expert...

Outside of his day jobs, Rob also wears a few other hats. He is currently President of the ITOA (Incoming Tour Operators Association), was the co-founder and founding chairman of the IAAT (Ireland’s Association of Adventure Tourism) and sits on many leading industry working groups and committees.