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.
For 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.
The Spirit of Adventure
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 has 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
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 an 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."
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.
On the Horizon
"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."
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."
Links
Rainbow Mountain Adventures
Adventures in Alaska
The International Ecotourism Society
Learn how to travel green
Adventure Travel News
Stay current on what's new in adventure travel
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