How I Did It
by Robin Paschall

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Q. Why did you decide to become a home-based travel agent?

A. I “fell into” this business, as I am actually a Web developer/programmer by trade. I was traveling around the world on my honeymoon, and part of our adventure was climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The outfitter we used was rated highly in many guide books, but they had no Web site, and it was very difficult to book with them. (How many people want to call Tanzania to book a trip?) The outfitter asked me to build the Web site and agreed to pay me commission for any bookings I made. I am now her top booking agent, and we sent more than 1,000 clients to Tanzania last year.

Q. Why did you decide to specialize in adventure/cultural travel?

A. For a while, I was only selling Tanzania with this one outfitter. But, I had so many clients who came back from their trip and said, “That was so wonderful -- where should we go next?” I had to find other destinations that would appeal to my clientele.

I did a booth at the N.Y. Adventure Travel Expo, and after talking with people, I found a common interest in Kilimanjaro, the Inca Trail/Machu Picchu, and the Himalayas.

Q. What’s been the biggest challenge for you in focusing on this niche?

A. The biggest challenge is probably increased competition. My Web site was one of the first and most complete ones out there on my destinations. Now, there are so many that I can’t count.

Also, expanding to new destinations is a slow process that doesn’t make much money at first -- patience and optimism!

Q. Can you describe your business (e.g., do you operate solely from home, how many outside agents or inside employees do you have, etc.)?

A. I actually had to move out of my home office. I hired a few employees, and it was strange having them work in my house as well as meeting with clients. I also like having a separation of work and home.

I have four inside employees, and one outside. We work out of an office, but I wouldn’t really call it a storefront, as we don’t get many people coming in off the street, and it’s not a retail space. However, we do sometimes meet with clients.

Q. What two or three pieces of advice would you share with other OSSN agents about how you’ve built your business?

A. My success is from:

• Having a close relationship with my outfitters/suppliers: We offer “typical’ itineraries, but we also handle custom itineraries. They are great at answering my questions fast. We work together on marketing, pricing, and creating itineraries.
• Selling what I know (places I’ve been): Customers are so happy to talk to someone who has been there and has intimate knowledge of the experience.
• Offering the most complete information on my destinations: I try to answer every possible question on my Web site accurately. It gives my business credibility, and hopefully it saves time with fewer questions.
• Providing quality customer service: This finally meant hiring people, because I could not keep up with all of the emails and phone calls. Some people I hired weren’t the best at customer service, so I learned that we have to answer promptly, answer all of the questions asked, and give clients what they are asking for.

Q. What’s your favorite adventure travel destination, and why?

A. Tanzania is still my bread and butter. I have been over there three times and summited Kilimanjaro twice. The mountains, the culture, the animals -- every time I go, it’s just a fantastic experience, and there’s something new to see.

We started a nonprofit organization to help the local people in each of the destinations we offer. In Tanzania, we help the local porters’ association and an orphanage. I like to see what improvements have been made there since my last visit.

Next year, we are going back as a family trip, including my six-year-old son, my mother, and another family. I can’t wait to share this destination with friends and family, and to see it through the eyes of children!

NOTE: Robin also sells her adventure trips to other travel agents and pays commissions. For more information, check her site at www.adventureswithinreach.com.