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