A lot has happened since February 2006 when I took the exciting (some might say foolish) step to set up an adventure travel business working with school groups. I would be lying if I said it had been a smooth ride to success - global economic and political events over the last 10 years have certainly made for a rollercoaster ride! Yet, I do feel genuinely proud of what we have achieved, and, most of all, what we stand for. I am excited by the future too.
To date, we have sent over 2,500 students around the world on an incredible range of educational tours and school expeditions - from religious studies tours of the Holy Land and visits to remote tribes in Venezuela, to cultural exchanges in Ghana and the summit of a 6000m mountain in the Indian Himalaya.
Now, more than ever, schools need the innovative educational travel experiences that we offer. The developing world needs our commitment to responsible tourism. And, perhaps most importantly, schools, and society in general, need to embrace the benefits of adventure travel and school expeditions: exposing children to risk, adventure and our ever increasing multi-cultural world. If we don’t, we risk our next generation growing up isolated and scared of the ‘unknown world’ beyond our doors and shores.
So as we enter our next 10 years, I’d like to publicly re-commit ourselves to our original values and vision:
- To push the boundaries of young people through adventure and learning outside the classroom.
- To challenging the status quo: Just because something has always been done one way does not mean that’s the best way to do it.
- Mass market mediocrity never has and never will be a part of our business model.
- Responsible travel is at the core of our business – because it is the right thing to do and students experience more and learn more as a result.
- That the world is a better place when we step outside our comfort zones and dare to learn from the extraordinary people and places that grace this amazing planet. We should embrace difference. Embrace risk. Embrace cultural diversity.
And if we stick to this, I know we won’t go far wrong.
I look forward to the challenges of the next ten years and hope that you will join us as we re-define the boundaries of educational travel.
Adrian Ferraro