| I recently had a chance to talk to Chris | | | | |
| Ronneseth of Trek Holidays (see interview | | | | 7. What type of accommodation is offered? |
| preview) who gave me a good overview of | | | | |
| adventure travel, an area of travel I | | | | We offer generally speaking anything from 2 |
| definitely would like to explore sooner than | | | | star budget accommodation to 6 star lodge |
| later... | | | | experiences in Africa and everything in |
| | | | between. However what is common to all places |
| 1. Tell us how you got into the adventure | | | | we stay is that they must be clean, |
| travel business. | | | | comfortable, centrally-located and most |
| | | | important have character that is reflective |
| I grew up around travel. My father, Allan | | | | of the destination. |
| Ronneseth founded the company in 1972 and | | | | |
| with a passion to see the world in a | | | | 8. How do these tours work for single |
| different way than the norm, we had the | | | | travellers? Do you provide a travel-mate |
| opportunity to travel to countries that were | | | | matching service? What happens if I prefer |
| considered exotic at that time and to some | | | | single accommodation? |
| extent still are today. Venturing out on my | | | | |
| own traveling while attending University I | | | | Our tours are designed with single travellers |
| became more and more passionate about the | | | | in mind. In fact 50% of all our travellers |
| world beyond North America. With a degree in | | | | come by themselves. We match people up of the |
| marketing, I ventured off first to New York | | | | same gender and like age to share and avoid |
| and later to Toronto working in sales and | | | | charging them a supplement. If clients prefer |
| marketing for technology companies during the | | | | their own room, we can do this on |
| tech boom. Having learned the skill of sales | | | | approximately 60% of the tours, usually the |
| in an industry outside of travel but backed | | | | more upmarket ones, but at a rate that is |
| with an upbringing rooted in adventure | | | | fair and affordable. |
| travel, I made the progression to heading up | | | | |
| sales in Eastern Canada for the family | | | | 9. What about meals? |
| business where I now provide support to our | | | | |
| network of travel agents across Eastern | | | | Depending on the trip we generally include |
| Canada as well as compiling our monthly | | | | breakfasts and some dinners but almost never |
| newsletter on adventure travel trends. | | | | lunch as many people like to be out at midday |
| | | | making their own discoveries. However when |
| 2. What countries have you traveled to? | | | | trekking or in the countryside or where |
| | | | alternatives do not exist we will always |
| Africa: Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, | | | | include meals. |
| Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Egypt, | | | | |
| Morocco | | | | 10. What are the unique benefits of adventure |
| | | | tours as compared to other types of travel? |
| Europe: UK, Greenland, Netherlands, Belgium, | | | | |
| Germany, Austria | | | | A sense of achievement, quality of |
| | | | experience, traveling with a small group of |
| Asia: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, | | | | just ten people on average, generally better |
| Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Hong Kong | | | | value than comparable bus tours, camaraderie |
| | | | with individuals that share a passion for |
| South Pacific: Australia, Cook Islands, | | | | this type of travel. |
| Tonga, Fiji | | | | |
| | | | 11. What type of activities are offered in |
| Americas: Canadian High Arctic, USA, Mexico, | | | | your tours? |
| Jamaica, Cayman Islands, | | | | |
| | | | Sightseeing is a major part of every tour but |
| Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa | | | | beyond that we want to include as many |
| Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia | | | | cultural experiences as possible such as |
| | | | homestays with local families, village |
| 3. Please share with us your top three travel | | | | visits, etc. We also have many optional |
| memories of all times. | | | | activities available such rafting, sailing, |
| | | | jeep safaris, day treks, etc. |
| A. Peru -The last descent into Machu Picchu | | | | |
| on the famed Inca Trail from the Sun Gate | | | | 12. Is there such a thing as adventure tours |
| after seeing sunrise over the site, being the | | | | for families? |
| first to enter the site at daybreak and | | | | |
| having a feeling of peace, harmony and strong | | | | We now have tours built especially for |
| magic in the air. | | | | families to travel with other families where |
| | | | children are age six and up. There is a large |
| B. Vietnam - Travelling the countryside of | | | | demographic of 'late-starter' families who |
| Vietnam by motorbike and stumbling upon a | | | | never had children until in their 30s. Many |
| hidden and seldom visited Buddhist Monastery | | | | of these people traveled with us in their 20s |
| resulting in a three-hour visit with a young | | | | or backpacked independently and now want to |
| Buddhist monk learning and understanding each | | | | give that experience to their children. They |
| other's ways. | | | | are not interested in introducing them to the |
| | | | 'coca-cola' culture pervasive in today's |
| C. Namibia - Skydiving at sunset at | | | | society. These have been met with great |
| Swakopmund on the coast where the Atlantic | | | | success. |
| Ocean meets the blood-red sand dunes for as | | | | |
| far as the eye can see. One of the most | | | | 13. Please share with us practical advice for |
| tranquil moments of my life. | | | | someone who's never tried adventure travel. |
| | | | |
| 4. What is adventure travel and how has it | | | | Safety is a state of mind. Most people who |
| evolved over the last few decades? | | | | elect not to travel to exotic destinations do |
| | | | so because of a fear for their safety while |
| Adventure travel used to mean high adventure | | | | in the destination. If you heed the advice of |
| back when the company was founded in the | | | | your tour leader and be practical almost any |
| seventies, it was time when the | | | | destination in the world can provide a safe, |
| 'hippie-trail' was hot and buses used to | | | | secure and memorable experience. Where we |
| travel across Asia from London to Kathmandu | | | | have had problems with safety it has almost |
| with itineraries that were largely invented | | | | always been a disregard for common sense and |
| along the way. Today it is about the small | | | | advice. Don't be afraid of experiencing other |
| group experience and about experiencing a | | | | cultures, you will almost always find that |
| destination rather than simply seeing it. It | | | | your curiosity will be the best guide though |
| is about participation and understanding of | | | | it all and that same curiosity will be |
| cultures, history and customs and being able | | | | reciprocated by the people we meet along the |
| to take that experience away as enrichment to | | | | way. It is about learning and understanding |
| your daily life. | | | | other people as much as they need to |
| | | | understand us. It really does shrink the |
| 5. Who goes on your adventure travel tours | | | | world. Our second biggest problem would be |
| and why? What is the age, gender, nationality | | | | dehydration, when traveling to hot, dry |
| and income level of the people that go on | | | | countries or where activity is involved such |
| your tours? | | | | as trekking ensure you drink lots of water! |
| | | | |
| Adventure travel is largely about the passion | | | | 14. How much time do you travel yourself |
| to do it. For this reason it crosses | | | | these days? |
| boundaries of age, gender and income since | | | | |
| the common goal of the travelers is the | | | | Generally 5 or 6 weeks a year. It is |
| experience regardless of their life at home. | | | | imperative to my sales knowledge and |
| However the largest demographic for us and | | | | experience and I owe it to my customers to be |
| the most important growth demographic is the | | | | the expert in what we do! All of our |
| baby-boomers who have experienced the | | | | employees are given wonderful travel |
| traditional beach vacation several times over | | | | opportunities which goes straight to our |
| and now have the time and disposable income | | | | company motto: Expert advice from those who |
| to travel to more exotic destinations. | | | | have been there! |
| Nationality is generally made up of largely | | | | |
| English-speaking nations with the makeup in | | | | 15. Where are you going next? |
| order of numbers being Brits, Australians, | | | | |
| Canadians, New Zealanders, Americans, some | | | | I plan this year on escorting a trip back to |
| mainland Europe, some Latin American | | | | Egypt in April, to South Africa in May to |
| countries and the odd Asian traveler. | | | | experience some of our new properties we work |
| | | | with and to hopefully take a side trip to |
| We offer more than 120 countries worldwide | | | | Mozambique. Later in the year I plan to make |
| generally just about everywhere. However | | | | my way to Turkey and the Patagonian outdoors |
| countries currently deemed to be unsafe for | | | | In Chile & Argentina. |
| travel (eg. Iraq, Afghanistan) are not | | | | |
| included but we expect they will be in the | | | | Thanks, Chris, for all your information, and |
| years to come as the situation stabilizes. | | | | have fun on your trips! |