Meet our Easia Active Manager: Matteo Galeazzi

Easia Active is a dynamic and creative team of individuals, continuously bringing their passion for outdoor sports and adventure to a world of travelers. We want you to get to know each member a little better, and we’re excited to introduce our Easia Active Manager, Matteo Galeazzi, based in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Matteo’s journey to Easia Active

Matteo has always been an avid traveler, moving from his hometown Elba Island, Italy, to entirely contrasting destinations like London, Istanbul, Namibia and Barcelona. He garnered extensive knowledge in the industry at university, graduating with a Bachelor in Economy of Tourism and an International Master in Tourism and Hospitality Management. However, it was during his travels, especially whilst working in Africa for a Namibian DMC, that he developed a deep passion for wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism.

When Easia Travel contacted him in 2016 and offered him a position as Marketing, Production and Quality Assistant in Cambodia, he grabbed at the chance to discover new horizons and explore an exotic destination, one he saw had incredible potential for sustainable travel. It was here that he coordinated the adoption of the Refill Not Landfill project for Easia Travel in Cambodia, which aims to reduce single-use plastic waste.

While he remains our Sustainability Coordinator, he’s gone from being Production Manager for Easia Active Cambodia to Active Business Development Manager for all of our five destinations. Matteo is always on the go, and being part of the Easia Active team allows him to regularly engage in his favorite pastimes, trail running and mountain biking. Running especially has become a priority for him outside of office hours, but he’s also an ardent reader and likes to keep up to date with latest travel industry news and goings-on around the world.

Easia Active-ly involved

He reiterates what everyone finds so endearing about Southeast Asia: its people. And what has motivated him right from the start is Easia’s commitment to respectful encounters and community involvement. We encourage travel away from mass tourism routes and in less-known destinations, which means that contact is often made with ethnic minority groups and communities who are unaccustomed to visitors.

“Whether we invest in local homestays, collaborate with locals on sustainable projects or create signature experiences through our personally-owned and managed products, there are always double benefits”, he notes. “Local people can earn an extra income and get actively involved in protecting their environment and culture, and at the same time travelers can enjoy unique experiences, getting in contact and closer to these communities, learning from them, and getting to know their culture and traditions”.

Why active travel

Matteo finds that creating opportunities for travel to more remote destinations lends itself particularly well to active travel. “Some places just can’t be reached by cars or buses. So if travelers really want to get to know a destination in depth, cycling or hiking is the best way to do that”. It’s also a great way to encourage what we feel is so important for travel around Southeast Asia, which is slow, minimally-impacting travel. While any sport-related travel should ultimately challenge visitors, it should also bring them closer to the nature and people of a country, and our immersive adventure-travel programs make it a lot easier to do so, Matteo believes.

The Active edge

As for how Easia Active retains a competitive edge in the adventure travel industry? “With our creativity”, he says right off the bat. “It’s what distinguishes us and allows us to be different. We’re always developing new products, and an increasing number are entirely linked to us”. He adds that flexibility is another one of our advantages. “Thanks to our lean structure and agile dynamics, we can be incredibly flexible and are able to adapt our strategy to the latest trends and demands in the market. Our family company culture also means that our dedicated team offers incredible detailed and personalized services to our clients and their travelers, and we continue to hold international standards that provide high reliability”.

Active adventures in Cambodia

Having lived in Cambodia for three years, he has a special connection here and hopes that the country will continue to gain in popularity, especially for active travel. “At Easia Active we have developed trekking and hiking modules and experiences in the remote Cardamom mountains, Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri, which are areas less frequented by mass tourism. These experiences allow travelers to explore the country in a much slower way and enjoy its breathtaking nature and tranquility. Active adventures here are connected with local communities and specific conservation projects, giving direct and positive impacts in the country and leave travelers with profound memories”. It’s this immersive, steady way of active travel that truly inspires and creates lasting impressions, no matter in what destination.

With our multi-day cycling tours in Cambodia we also give travelers the opportunity to explore a variety of landscapes in the country that stretch over longer distances, while giving them the opportunity to engage with incredibly friendly locals along the way. “There are many beautiful rural villages that are difficult to reach by normal vehicle, so cycling really is one of the best ways to gain true interaction with and inspiration from the communities living here. We believe that meeting new people and learning about their cultures is an adventure in itself, and one of our biggest priorities is to foster that interaction in a respectful and harmonious and balanced way”, Matteo emphasizes.

Get in Touch!

Connect with Matteo on LinkedIn and stay up-to-date with our Adventure offer in Southeast Asia!