Happy New Year, all!
We’re excited to kick off our 2023 world travel championship event—The Global Scavenger Hunt.
This will be our 16th such event since 2002, following our three-year Covid-19-related hiatus. We’re chomping at the bit. Just so excited to start the planning, meet all our great travelers and get the show on the road.
Over the holidays, I was asked what business I was in—or maybe it was a US Customs and Border Protection officer? Anyway, I knee-jerked “the travel business.” But I felt uneasy and unsatisfied with my answer. Is that who we are? And over this weekend, I thought more about it. Contemplating what exactly we do, aside from the obvious—take people on an around-the-world travel adventure.
Now, if asked, “What business are you in?” I might respond with the following:
We are in a lot of business:
Yes, we are in the travel business? Yes, we take people from here to there, from point A to point B, around-the-world, really.
But we are also in the hospitality business? Yes, we organize the annual world travel championship and conduct fun hospitality events as we travel the globe. In addition, we take care of our travelers, intending to make them happy enough to maybe return.
And we are also in the adventure business? Yes, we take people on micro-adventures every day everywhere we go, which turns into an incredible global adventure of a lifetime.
But we are also in the social networking business? Yes, we connect like-minded people who become friends for life while attracting companies who want to reach those travelers. They create friends, literally, worldwide, while serving as curious and sincere global ambassadors. They quickly learn the generosity of strangers.
And we are also in the experience business? Absolutely, we offer exciting priceless experiences that are at once immersive, enriching, authentic, participatory, and challenging throughout our customer’s entire journey.
Yet, we are also in the education business? Yes, we teach our clients travel skills in an extraordinary hands-on way and teach them about the world and their place in it. Their learning never ends during their 23-day crash course on travel by experts and with experts earning a real-world PhD in cultural anthropology. As a result, they become more thoughtful travelers. Their Travel IQs rise. We teach our travelers to have more experiences than they imagined and travel more economically, openly, and efficiently.
But mostly we are in the memory business? Yes, because by taking on our travel adventure participants on a meaningful,priceless, intense, and challenging adventure around-the-world, we facilitate them creating a fresh narrative for themselves. It is simply transformational. Our annual event becomes a narrative platform for them to redefine themselves. Their cocktail party conversations never sounded so fascinating.
Finally, we are in the wellness business? Yes, because travelers are happier when they engage with strangers and when they are tested and overcome adversity. People are happier when what they do is meaningful, and their activities achievement based. When compelled to stretch their resourcefulness. Expand their being. People are happier when they are curious, excited and awed. Enjoying nonstop novel experiences and creatively traveling as we do, promotes wellness.
We think we’re in all those businesses and more. And we look forward to sharing them with you all soon.
In 100 days from now—you will be somewhere exciting doing something you never dreamed of!
Stay tuned.