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Adventure
Travel Specialist
Ken Lee doesn't live life on the edge, but many of his clients are
looking to do just that. As an adventure travel entrepreneur, Lee leads
expeditions to some of the world's loftiest peaks. But his success is
the result of having his business rooted on firm ground.
Do What You Love . . .
Ken Lee has no ordinary 9-to-5 job. His
days include 9,000-foot
mountain climbs and 50-mile snowshoeing expeditions. As the owner of
Mountain Adventures, Lee has to look at things a bit differently from
his contemporary, self-employed counterparts.
Lee is more apt to use his PC to check wind conditions on Mount
Kilimanjaro than to review how the Dow Jones closed. Typical business
decisions are made while negotiating the intricacies of Third World
airports, unexpected blizzards in the Arctic or slack winds in
Patagonia.
For Ken Lee, business is truly an adventure and he'd have it no other
way. "I love to travel and couldn't afford to go as many places as I
wanted. So why not have paying customers help with the costs?" says Lee.
. . . And
Adventure Will Follow
Lee started Mountain Adventures in textbook fashion -- by doing what he
loves. He has a passion for adventure travel and mountaineering
expeditions and found that he needed money to fully realize what the
world had to offer.
"The ski bum image that has spread to mountain guides in the U.S. isn't
realistic," he says. Lee realized that he'd have to be more than an
able mountaineer to make it in the highly competitive world of
adventure travel.
He studied wildlife research at the University of California-Davis and
is sold on the value of a strong education. His experience, though, is
what separates him from his rivals.
Lee's been climbing for over 25 years and is a member of the American
Mountain Guide Association and the American Association of Avalanche
Professionals.
In the Beginning
Mountain Adventures got its formal start over five years ago. Lee was
leading rock and ice climbing instructional programs and guiding local
trips. He met a person who was leading expeditions, but not instructing.
They merged resources, arranging trips to South America, Nepal and the
Alps. But Lee didn't abandon his instructional programs in California
and the Pacific Northwest. So even if the international trips were
canceled, Lee had a fallback position.
There are over 22,000 adventure travel companies operating worldwide.
To make Mountain Adventures fly, Lee had to find a niche. "I felt the
adventure travel industry had gone soft and I wanted to offer true
adventure travel to exotic and less traveled areas."
With the market identified, Lee set his sights on doing things better
than his competition. Mountain Adventures is small, so Lee can guide or
act as liaison on most trips.
This personal attention allows every client to have the best and safest
experience possible. Lee caters to all experience levels and tastes,
offering unusual locations and activities.
"What we're seeing is the emergence of a younger, cost-conscious
traveler who really loves nature and outdoor activities," said William
Norman, president of the Travel Industry Association, in a recent
article in the San Francisco Examiner.
Lee doesn't need a large outlay of cash to maintain his business. "Most
of my overhead is office rent, Internet access, phone, utilities,
postage and office supplies."
Since most of his trips are out of the country, Lee's insurance costs
are minimal. Most liability insurance won't cover him for Mountain
Adventures' activities or locations.
"I try to cover all the bases and preach to people that they have to
take responsibility for themselves when they travel," says Lee. "No
problems yet."
Each expedition carries additional costs: mules, helicopters, food,
fuel, porters, guides, peak permits and park fees can be expected. But
those costs aren't incurred until clients are confirmed and a trip is
booked.
Some Numbers
"The over-50 crowd is a huge group and many of our trips are just right
for them," says Lee. "Younger people are also taking a different look
at life than the traditional ideas of the previous generation. They
want to be as active as they can."
Conclusion
With all these people embarking on adventures, the timing is perfect
for those with the skills and ambition to claim a small slice of the
action.
"Mountain Adventures has a fairly small market right now due to the
type of trips we offer, but I feel that our market will be growing in
the next few years," says Lee.
"I don't think it will ever be large. That's why, no matter what you
do, you should be doing it because you like it and not because you want
to make a lot of money."
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Net
Sites
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Rainbow Mountain Adventures
Adventures in Alaska
http://alaska-travel.net/
The International Ecotourism Society
Information on ecotourism
http://www.ecotourism.org/
Travel 2 Canada
Adventures and experiences in Canada
http://www.travel2canada.com/
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