Former student at Richmond brings ‘Unity in Diversity’ to life with unique travel company

Joan Riera, who graduated from Richmond in 1999 with a BA (Hons) in Anthropology and Sociology, really does live and breathe the Richmond motto, ‘Unity in Diversity’.

Soon after leaving Richmond, Joan opened a travel agency, Last Places, which offers anthropological trips to Africa, Asia and Oceania. The organisation describes Joan and his team as, ‘Experts in the world’s last tribes and the best way to approach them. We see responsible tourism as a practical tool to protect and empower these last tribes.’

A Catalan who grew up in Africa, Joan has spent much of his life studying various African cultures. His travels have taken him across the continent, from Benin and Cameroon to Angola and South Sudan. Joan is fluent in several languages, having written several travel guides in Spanish.

Joan said, “At Last Places, we spend time with the tribal communities to learn about their reality and we collaborate in local projects to improve the living standards of these tribal societies. We also support projects related to cultural revival initiatives. The essence of what I learned at Richmond, ‘Unity in Diversity’, can be felt in all our trips.”

An anthropologist specialising in African cultures, Joan now splits his time between West Africa and Europe. His main office is in Barcelona, Spain but Last Places also has offices in Islamabad, Pakistan; Douala, Cameroon; Luanda, Angola; Juba, South Sudan and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, just to name a few.

If you are interested in receiving more information about these unique trips please feel free to contact: joan.riera@lastplaces.com