I’ve heard the question of “why should I travel internationally through an American company?” batted around a bit, so I wanted to address it for you today.
Traveling can be a very personal thing, and there is no set way to do it. Because we live in a free country and, for the most part, can choose to travel to most places in the world, there are probably a million different ways to conduct travel.
Adventure travel is a slightly different beast than just sightseeing. There are usually a few additional layers of complexity thrown into the logistics of an adventure travel trip, usually because adventure tends to take place away from the centers of civilization and there is a certain amount of physicality involved. This type of trip may also require the services of multiple local people — guides, drivers, interpreters, and so on.
This doesn’t mean you can’t do it yourself. Some people find the process of handling all of the details and minutia of an adventure travel trip exciting and satisfying. These folks, more than likely, are experienced world travelers who may have personal contacts in other parts of the world.
If you fall into this category, you’re probably not going to be one of our clients, and we wish you well.
However, I’ve found that most people aren’t like that. Most people are attracted to the idea of letting someone else deal with the details while they, the traveler, can just go have fun.
This is why Holly and I started Hobnail. We really liked the idea of helping other people go have life-changing experiences, so we decided to focus on that. Our aim was to create a company that was easy to do business with — clear, helpful, responsive, and of high quality. We would do the groundwork of finding the best itineraries, guides, and support staff, package it all up nicely within a pleasant and intuitive website, and present it to the world … so you don’t have to.
And that’s exactly what we have done.
So, back to the person who likes to figure it all out themselves. You can certainly do that, but proceed with caution — just like in any industry, there can be a lot of fly-by-night operators in the world of tourism. Because Hobnail is a member of organizations like the Adventure Travel Trade Association, we are able to vet potential partners and work with in-country operators who have proven track records and are highly certified in areas such as mountain guiding, wilderness first-aid, and so on.
“But wouldn’t it be cheaper for me to just book directly with a tour operator in the destination country?” you might ask.
Probably, yes. But as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for. Hobnail’s goal is not to be a discount company, but rather, a quality company. It’s unlikely that a discount provider will provide you with anywhere near the level of service and convenience that we do. For example, just the process of overseas communication can be a hassle at best and a nightmare at worst. The fact that the majority of our customers are American — and we are, too — means that communication is a snap. You can call us directly, email or WhatsApp us at any time, and heck, even meet us for a cup of coffee if you’re in the area!
I don’t know about you, but I find this kind of thing pretty darn comforting and important when I’m planning an overseas adventure.
“But, I want to support the locals in my destination country, not somebody from Tennessee,” you might argue.
Here’s a little secret: you are. The lions share of every trek fee goes to the guides, porters, drivers, chefs, and hotel staff in those countries. Relatively little stays here in Tennessee. (If you don’t believe me, take a look at 20-year-old Ford F-150 that I’m still driving, when it isn’t broken down…) When you purchase a trek, you are paying for all of those in-country services plus a little bit of American convenience, security, and peace of mind.
Anyway, I could go on and on about the advantages of traveling with an organization like Hobnail Trekking, but I won’t bore you any further. The bottom line is this: We will never be a cheapo, discount company, and we will always be a dependable and quality travel partner. We hope you choose to travel with us!
Recent Comments