Andrew Bender

Andrew Bender is an experienced tour planner and leader with over two decades at Esprit Travel & Tours, specializing in arts and culture-based tours in Japan. In conjunction with this role, Bender serves as a senior consultant at Japan Intercultural Consulting, providing cross-cultural training for American and Japanese businesspeople. Bender is also a prolific travel and food writer, authoring numerous guidebooks for Lonely Planet Publications and contributing articles to high-profile outlets such as Forbes, the Los Angeles Times, and Travel + Leisure. With a strong educational background that includes an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and the Lauder Institute, Andrew Bender possesses extensive expertise in tourism, writing, and cross-cultural communication.