Things are slow in the society today as this is a one woman’s show. I would like to live the dream someday, but life just gets in the way.
Losing my freelancing job last month and not being able to find another one until now just made things incredibly slow, thanks to this painfully bad internet in paradise. But really, thanks to steemit and all those who upvote me, I will finally make this happen. I will persist!
This is the first time I’m going to reveal what I have been working on since I came back from travels. I just figured out that it would be best for me to share my goals to track my progress. Definite desire must be backed with definite plans. And perhaps, the community would help push me a little bit.
No time to slack off, high season is here!
What is this all about? It has something to do with all the things I love - travel, beach bumming, scuba diving, island life and all-time summer high. It is based on the Galapagos Alternative concept. It is about personalized tours and eco-based tourism. I was just fortunate enough to learn more about the business when I was volunteering last year in the Galapagos. This travel company is owned by a couple, the lady is from the US, and a guy from the Galapagos islands. So they are a team, one works on getting clients from the US and one is familiar with all the things about the island. When I was staying in their house, I got to see what they were doing every day and how they just worked at the comfort of their home. Like most of the successful entrepreneurs, they all started with nothing and now have been earning some fair amount from the influx of tourism. With their permission, I am adopting a similar concept.
And of course, it is not easy, I can’t afford to hire a staff so I don't have a team yet. I have to do everything on my own at the moment (web development, marketing, customer service, networking with local tour operators, itinerary design). And hopefully, I would be able to apply all the things I have learned from my trip. But I'm not going to reveal too much information yet so as not to break all eggs in one basket.
Below says we, but it is actually just me, well, at the moment. So far I have written the website content as follows:
About
We are a 100% locally-owned small business, all grew up surrounded with the magnificence of our nature. We know what personal experiences are all about. Our personalized travel tours will let you experience nature at its best, unparalleled geography and cultural immersion.
Introduction
We offer a unique travel experience, giving you a fresh perspective of the islands, the way we see them - as locals. Visit villages, stay at local hotels, eat at local restaurants, make friends with the locals and explore the best sights at your own pace. We offer personalized tours, various adventure and nature activities, making your travel a once in a lifetime experience. Choose from our land-based tour packages or design your own itinerary - by selecting your own activities and places which suit your interests. Our custom tours include island-hopping activities, diving or snorkeling, guided day tours and a visit to villages, with English-speaking professional guides, quality accommodation, best options for transportation and reliable local tour operators. See our suggested itineraries or go design your own adventure. No worries as our itinerary specialist will assist you every step of the way. (That is also me)
I was fortunate enough to have worked in one of the travel agencies for the world famous Inca Trail and Machu Picchu in Cusco, Peru, which taught me how to design detailed itineraries. So yes, custom tour itinerary is a royal pain in the back, especially if you do it for our well-pampered tourists here. But my work there for several months trained me to be patient, detailed and knowledgeable about the tourism industry.
I am going to do all of these familiarization trips. I already knew some of the sights years ago, but I have to revisit and check out some of the off-the-beaten track and desolated islands I could offer. It is definitely a fun job but it also costs money! I look forward to seeing some return in the next couple of years, and hopefully, I could continue traveling to introduce my travel company to the world.
I hope that the eco-based tourism concept of my startup/future travel company will help raise awareness about the preservation of our diverse marine life. Someday, I will start some environmental projects and probably look for volunteers too.
I am going to share more about my entrepreneurial goals, vision, and plans here on steemit. I would like to look back someday and see what I have accomplished.
Set your mind on a definite goal and observe how quickly the world stands aside to let you pass.
― Napoleon Hill