Urban Adventures was awarded the Rising Brand of the Year award at this week’s Travolution Awards 2014, the UK travel industry’s highest accolade for innovation and excellence online.
The awards were judged by a panel of business leaders, experts, and entrepreneurs, and recognise companies that excel in the fields of online travel distribution and technology.
Part of the Intrepid Group, Urban Adventures offers travellers unique day tours in more than 100 cities around the globe. Since its inception, Urban Adventures has grown quickly, carrying more than 200,000 passengers to date. Its commitment to sustainable travel and local experiences has enabled the company to employ close to 600 passionate locals around the globe, and to inject more than $7 million in local economies. In five years, its management staff has grown from a group of three to a core team of 14 based in four countries.
“We are really so proud at Urban Adventures to be recognised by the Travolution Awards as their Rising Brand of 2014,” says Tony Carne, General Manager, Urban Adventures.
“We’ve had an incredible year with 60% year-over-year growth and we certainly feel the rise from within. We have a great team that are passionate and dedicated to giving every person we encounter the Best. Day. Ever. For some the tag is just a line but for Urban Adventures I can say, hand on heart, that we live that philosophy.”
Urban Adventures aims to grow its range of destinations by 50% in 2015, taking it to 150 cities. Recent additions to its range range include Bali, Miami, Addis Ababa, Tehran, Brisbane, and Singapore.
The company has also moved to a more ‘concierge-style’ approach, with guides providing personalised recommendations and advice for customers.
“Our guides are masters of hospitality, with an innate ability to read their customers and provide exactly the right experience, at exactly the right time,” explains Carne.
“Unlike a traditional concierge, they are not rooted to a destination, but float alongside their customers to curate every moment. They actively seek out their customers’ interests and provide expert, on-point, recommendations for that city based on those customer’s preferences — so the value they provide lives on long after the tour has finished.”
As part of its growth efforts, Urban Adventures is actively calling out to potential partners interested in leading locally focused experiences. Previous guiding experience isn’t required — in fact, many of the brand’s guides are making their first venture into tourism. Successful Urban Adventures guides are selected based on their passion for and knowledge of a destination, rather than traditional travel expertise — cementing Urban Adventures’ role as an innovator in a new kind of day tour.
Those interested in launching an Urban Adventure in their city are encouraged to contact info@urbanadventures.com.
“I absolutely encourage anyone wanting to make a break from their 9 to 5 life, with a passion for their city and a desire to spend their working days making people happy through their local knowledge, to get in touch with us,” says Carne. “If you are passionate about being the best, we can help make that happen for you too.”
