Industry Interview: Ashley Toft, MD of Explore

Posted on: September 18th, 2008 by Gareth Robinson

Continuing our occasional series of interviews, we talk to Ashley Toft of Explore! an adventure holiday company and ask how his company is coping in these tough times.

Ashley Toft, Managing Director of Explore

1) Can you give me some background on Explore as a company, how it was formed and what it does today?
Explore was founded in 1981 by three travellers with a passion for adventurous and pioneering travel. They really wanted to get under the skin of the places they visited and away from the usual tourist façade. Also, they were passionate about giving something back to the communities and cultures they came in contact with.

Both are key aspects of what Explore still does today: travelling in small groups, interacting with local people, utilising local services and giving something back. From the first brochure with just an handful of tours, Explore now leads the adventure travel sector with over 550 different small-group tours on offer, in more than 135 countries. Family Adventures are increasingly popular, as are adventurous short breaks and special interest holidays. The recently introduced Tailormade Explore range gives customers an even greater choice, and follows the same stringent safety and responsible tourism guidelines adhered to on the group tours.

2) How did you arrive at this position within the company?
I started as a tour leader for Explore in the late ‘80s, being paid to travel the world, in a job that I still consider to be the most instantly satisfying imaginable. After a period with an overland travel company, I joined the Explore team in the office as an Operations Manager, and over the last 10 years have been involved in Product Development, and headed up Customer Services before becoming Managing Director in October 2006.

3) Social media is huge in the travel industry now, with many people blogging and commenting. As a travel company, do you think you should pay attention to them?
Absolutely, whatever the format of people’s opinions they are always valid. The challenge is being able to keep up with the plethora of blogs, sites and networks out there. We always prefer direct conversation, whether electronic or otherwise, but social media gives us the opportunity to garner opinion from many sources, so it definitely has its place.

Blogs. Ashley believes it’s difficult to keep up with all
of them in the industry.

4) How can the travel industry adapt to weather the current economic storm?
It’s my view that the best way to be successful during difficult times is to concentrate even more on the customer experience and the quality of the travel product, and to ensure that customers are getting better value than ever before. Loyal customers are even more valuable during difficult economic times.

The industry also has a duty to keep prices at a realistic level and not to discount too heavily, which simply gets the travelling public used to prices which mean companies are running at a loss, which is no good to anyone.

5) What part should a travel company have in combating and highlighting climate change?
All travel companies are naturally going to contribute to emissions from various forms of transport and accommodation – it’s simply a by-product of what we do. Recognising that fact is a first step, but doing something about it is harder. Some simply say the problem is too big, but as with all large challenges, taking small steps to begin with can lead to bigger and better things.

Explore has chosen to take a reasonably forthright stance and last year became the first sizeable operator to offset all emissions from every single flight our passengers and staff take with us. This amounts to several hundred thousand pounds, spent each year on identifiable and measurable carbon reduction projects. There should be no reason why other travel companies wouldn’t follow suit, but the will has to be there, from the top of the organisation down.

Pollution – Explore is the first sizeable operator to
offset all emissions from every single flight

7) Is there an increasing desire for people to travel to more and more isolated and unspoilt regions of the Earth?
Yes there is, although the numbers are still relatively small so many of these places remain unspoilt. I think that today’s lifestyles lead naturally to a need for greater personal challenges, a search for something new and different to counterbalance the sometimes sterile environments in which many people work. Destinations such as Central Asia have become very popular for us – Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan etc – and esoteric trips such as our Voodoo tours to West Africa (Benin & Togo) can offer travellers a real tale to tell when they return, another key ingredient in the desire for the diverse.

8) If this is the case, do you think that more tourists to these locations can damage the communities/environment that it interacts with?
There is always a risk of that, which is why the travel industry has a responsibility to limit the numbers of visitors and styles of transport and accommodation to and in these regions. The increase in cruise ships visiting the Antarctic is a case in point. Whereas companies like Explore visit on small, purpose built ships, carrying only a small number of passengers, the big cruise companies are taking vast, unsuitable liners to the area. The chances for a major accident are increased and if one of these big boats went down, the twin dangers of isolation and pollution could have a devastating effect. Governments too have a responsibility to take action to limit numbers and manage resource, even if those actions are unpopular. Many attractions such as the Inca Trail, the gorillas of Uganda or Kilimanjaro have strict permit allocations that aim to achieve exactly that. I think we have to start thinking of the planet’s attractions as a finite resource, and treat them with respect.

Places as far afield as Antartica are being visited. If not
handled correctly, these tours can have a devestating affect

8) What do you think is the future of the travel industry?
I think the Golden Age of cheap travel is over and that the travelling public (and the industry) will need to readjust over the coming years.

I do believe that people are wanting more active and adventurous holidays, and that the demand, especially for the over 50s will continue to increase. I think there is a real place for travel agents who can add value by selling more adventurous and complex products, and for specialist online portals/agents which can offer a wide range of products allowing people to personalise their own holidays, whilst still booking their trip of a lifetime through reputable operators and in the knowledge that their money is safe and that all the relevant health and safety aspects are covered. The collapse of XL has highlighted the dangers of booking with companies where protection isn’t automatic and I think the travelling public will learn those lessons relatively quickly.

Ashley believes older tourists going on adventure holidays is likely to increase.

9) What are your three favourite holiday destinations to visit?
India – incredible variety of religions, cultures, people and landscapes… fantastic food.

India, an amazing place