Adventure Lives On: Meet the New Platform Repairing the Adventure Travel Ecosystem After REI’s Exit
REI built, then busted an entire adventure travel empire. Now, a new company is stepping in to fill the gap that was left behind. Here's how guides and thrill-seekers alike can participate:
REI’s decision to end its “Experiences” division had a devastating impact on the outdoor industry. If you didn’t know: for decades, you used to be able to walk into an REI, or “Recreation Equipment Incorporated,” and book skill classes or guided excursions. Earlier this year, REI decided to scrap this program, laying off more than 400 employees.
But what the company glossed over — and what most drive-by reporting missed — was that a huge volume of these trips were actually run by a huge network of independent contractors. Those third party companies lost a massive amount of business with virtually no notice. Some saw more than half of their trips and excursions for the year cancelled, and were left with no way to contact prospective clients.
Quandary Magazine was the first, and possibly only news outlet to report on the scale of this industry-breaking decision.
Through discussion with guiding companies, outfitters, and company insiders, we also connected with several people who were trying to find a way to reunite customers with their guides. Among them were the designers of a new adventure platform called Xploreum.
“Like AirBNB for Expeditions.”
On the customer end: the platform helps adventurers find and book qualified local guides for their trips. According to Xploreum: all providers on the platform have been verified and vetted, to ensure they have the proper training, certifications, and insurance for whatever experiences they offer.
On the provider end: the platform is designed to lower the barrier for a guide to build their business, and start connecting with customers. The platform makes its money one of two ways:
Percentage cut — businesses pay a percentage of their revenue back to Xploreum. This is method is designed for smaller businesses, so they don’t need to pay larger up-front sums to be listed and get in front of clients
Flat fee — when a guide service reaches a certain size, they can pay an annual subscription fee to be listed on Xploreum. This fee is meant to be less than the yearly sum of the percentage cut model, to let more established guides pay less to be listed
The team has been working on this concept long before the REI adventure bubble burst, which means the platform’s launch comes at a lucky time to fill a vacuum left behind by REI’s departure from the space.
“Shifting the Practices from Extraction to Preservation"
A huge gripe about consolidation in the outdoor industry is the creation of a new extraction economy, where profit is siphoned away from small businesses to feed an ever-expanding global mega-corporation. Here, the Xploreum team explains that the goal is to help guides grow and scale their own business, while building a community network.
One such guide in the new network is Peter Kelly, founder of Mississippi-based Kelly Expedition Co.. A lifelong Boy Scout, Kelly rekindled his love for the outdoors while living the nomad life.
“I got really into climbing and hiking; and an adult, camping and paddling. My wife and I spent from July of 2017 to around May of 2018 living in our car and traveling around the country, going to parks and hiking all over the place,” Kelly recalled. “Ever since, I've been running trips.”
Kelly discovered Xploreum through a post on LinkedIn, looking to onboard Thrill Masters — the platform’s term for guide service providers. Kelly has a full time career in marketing, and guides trips on weekends. He takes time off as needed to lead longer excursions.
“It [Xploreum] gave me an opportunity to focus more on building positive experience for my customers and my clients and adventurers, and not having to focus as much on balancing out what my back end software is, or what my website software is or how I'm gonna partner with this pay company or that pay company. It kind of provided an all-in-one solution for being able to book trips and manage trips.”
Before connecting with Xploreum, Kelly says his current method of drumming up clients was “just hustling:” calling groups, companies, and Scout Troops to offer his services.
The Xploreum team hopes their network can be an advertising force multiplier for these smaller guide businesses, providing them with tools that otherwise would have been out of reach.
“At the End of the Day, Adventures are why Life is Worth Living. That's what You’ve got to Focus on as an Adventure and Outdoor Guide.”
Kelly is one of many guides setting up shop on the platform. If you are a guide or outfitter, you can sign up to join the site here. There are a few requirements you’ll need to meet:
Must offer a specialized type of expedition that they are certified for
Insured
Passed background check
Verified ID
Travelers looking to book their adventure through Xploreum can do so here:
Thank you for reading this update. The adventure travel industry is rebuilding and reconnecting in the wake of REI’s decision to end adventure travel. If you enjoyed this reporting, please consider sharing in order to help spread the word throughout the guide community.