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Adventure Travel Podcast - Big World Made Small
Welcome to the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, where we go far beyond the beaches, resort hotels, and cruises to explore the really cool places, people, and activities that adventurous travelers crave. If your idea of a great vacation is sitting on a beach at an all-inclusive resort, you’re in the wrong place. However, if you’re like me, and a beach resort vacation sounds like torture, stick around. You’ve found your tribe.
My name is Jason Elkins, and as an adventure travel marketing consultant and tour operator myself, I am on a mission to impact the lives of adventure travelers, the tour operators they hire, and the communities that host them, creating deeply meaningful experiences that make this big world feel just a bit smaller.
Are you ready to discover your next great adventure, whether that looks something like climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, SCUBA diving in the South Pacific, or hot air ballooning in Turkey? Then you’ll be happy to know that each episode of the Big World Made Small Podcast features a fascinating interview with an adventure travel expert that has agreed to share, with us, their own personal stories, favorite adventure destinations, and even some incredibly helpful tips and tricks they’ve learned while in the field. I trust that by the end of each episode you’ll feel like booking a ticket to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of these amazing places, and getting to know the incredible people that live there.
I’ll be your guide as we explore this amazing planet and its people on the Big World Made Small podcast. I am a former US Army paratrooper, third generation commercial hot air balloon pilot, paramotor pilot, advanced open water SCUBA diver, and ex-Montana fly fishing guide and lodge manager. I have managed boutique adventure tour operation businesses in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, off-shore in Belize, the Adirondacks in New York, and the desert of Arizona. I also spent nearly a decade with Orvis International Travel, leading a talented team of tour operation experts, putting together and hosting amazing fly fishing and adventure travel excursions around the world. I have tapped into my experience and network of travel pros to put together a weekly series of exclusive expert interviews that I am excited to share with you.
For the last couple of years I have lived a fully nomadic lifestyle, feeding my passion for exploration, creating amazing adventures, and meeting some of the most fascinating people along the way. I record every episode while traveling, so in a sense you’ll be joining me on my journey. Let’s discover some great adventures together and make this big world feel just a bit smaller.
And, don’t forget to take a quick trip over to our website at bigworldmadesmall.com and join our adventure travel community, where you’ll benefit from new episode announcements, exclusive adventure travel opportunities, and special access to the experts you’ve met on the show. You can also follow us on social media, using the links in the show notes below. And, if you’re getting value out of the show please help us grow by sharing it with your friends, family, and anyone else you know that wants to get far beyond the beaches, resort hotels, and cruise ships, the next time they travel.
I’ll publish another episode soon. Until then, keep exploring. It’s the best way to make a big world feel just a bit smaller.
https://adventuretravelmarketing.com/podcast
Adventure Travel Podcast - Big World Made Small
Adventure Travel with Emma Valahu - Inbox Journeys
Emma Valahu
Founder
Inbox Journeys
https://adventuretravelmarketing.com/guest/emma-valahu/
Emma is the founder of Inbox Journeys and helps experiential travel founders build an automated system that turns website visitors and social media followers into warm, qualified leads—without them having to manually nurture every prospect.
summary
In this episode of the Big World Made Small podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Emma Valahu, founder of Inbox Journeys, about her journey in transformational travel and education. Emma shares her experiences living in various countries, including Ecuador and Romania, and discusses the importance of capturing potential customers early in their travel journey. The conversation delves into Emma's decision to homeschool her children, the challenges of balancing family life with travel, and her philosophy on education and curiosity. Emma's story is a testament to the transformative power of travel and the importance of following one's passions. In this conversation, Emma Valahu shares her journey from teaching English online to becoming a business consultant for tour operators. She discusses the importance of effective communication in the tourism industry, the challenges of relying on word-of-mouth marketing, and the critical role of email marketing in building trust and relationships with customers. Emma emphasizes the need for businesses to create valuable lead magnets to attract the right audience and overcome the emotional hurdles associated with unsubscribes. The discussion highlights the significance of nurturing customer relationships through consistent and meaningful communication.
takeaways
- Transformational travel begins before booking.
- Capturing potential customers early is crucial.
- Emma's journey reflects a passion for travel and education.
- Teaching English abroad opened new opportunities.
- Homeschooling was a response to traditional education pressures.
- Family dynamics influenced Emma's career choices.
- Living in Ecuador felt like home for Emma.
- Nature plays a significant role in Emma's life.
- Balancing travel desires with family responsibilities is challenging.
- Education should foster curiosity and a love for learning. Emma transitioned from teaching English online to consulting for tour operators.
- Effective communication is crucial for tour operators to connect with international clients.
- Relying solely on word-of-mouth marketing is not sustainable for businesses.
- Email marketing offers the highest return on investment compared to other marketing strategies.
- Building trust with customers requires multiple touchpoints and valuable content.
- Unsubscribes can be emotionally challenging for business owners, but they are a natural part of email marketing.
- Lead magnets should provide real value to attract the right audience.
- Understanding your target audience is essential for creating effective marketing strategies.
- Businesses should focus on nurturing relationships rather than just making sales.
- Transforming potential customers through valuable content is key to successful marketing.
Learn more about Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Marketing and join our private community to get episode updates, special access to our guests, and exclusive adventure travel offers on our website.
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