Adventure Travel Podcast - Big World Made Small
Welcome to the Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Podcast, where we go far beyond the beaches, resort hotels, and cruises to explore the really cool places, people, and activities that adventurous travelers crave. If your idea of a great vacation is sitting on a beach at an all-inclusive resort, you’re in the wrong place. However, if you’re like me, and a beach resort vacation sounds like torture, stick around. You’ve found your tribe.
My name is Jason Elkins, and as an adventure travel marketing consultant and tour operator myself, I am on a mission to impact the lives of adventure travelers, the tour operators they hire, and the communities that host them, creating deeply meaningful experiences that make this big world feel just a bit smaller.
Are you ready to discover your next great adventure, whether that looks something like climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, SCUBA diving in the South Pacific, or hot air ballooning in Turkey? Then you’ll be happy to know that each episode of the Big World Made Small Podcast features a fascinating interview with an adventure travel expert that has agreed to share, with us, their own personal stories, favorite adventure destinations, and even some incredibly helpful tips and tricks they’ve learned while in the field. I trust that by the end of each episode you’ll feel like booking a ticket to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of these amazing places, and getting to know the incredible people that live there.
I’ll be your guide as we explore this amazing planet and its people on the Big World Made Small podcast. I am a former US Army paratrooper, third generation commercial hot air balloon pilot, paramotor pilot, advanced open water SCUBA diver, and ex-Montana fly fishing guide and lodge manager. I have managed boutique adventure tour operation businesses in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, off-shore in Belize, the Adirondacks in New York, and the desert of Arizona. I also spent nearly a decade with Orvis International Travel, leading a talented team of tour operation experts, putting together and hosting amazing fly fishing and adventure travel excursions around the world. I have tapped into my experience and network of travel pros to put together a weekly series of exclusive expert interviews that I am excited to share with you.
For the last couple of years I have lived a fully nomadic lifestyle, feeding my passion for exploration, creating amazing adventures, and meeting some of the most fascinating people along the way. I record every episode while traveling, so in a sense you’ll be joining me on my journey. Let’s discover some great adventures together and make this big world feel just a bit smaller.
And, don’t forget to take a quick trip over to our website at bigworldmadesmall.com and join our adventure travel community, where you’ll benefit from new episode announcements, exclusive adventure travel opportunities, and special access to the experts you’ve met on the show. You can also follow us on social media, using the links in the show notes below. And, if you’re getting value out of the show please help us grow by sharing it with your friends, family, and anyone else you know that wants to get far beyond the beaches, resort hotels, and cruise ships, the next time they travel.
I’ll publish another episode soon. Until then, keep exploring. It’s the best way to make a big world feel just a bit smaller.
https://adventuretravelmarketing.com/podcast
Adventure Travel Podcast - Big World Made Small
Adventure Travel with Kieron Wilde - First Nature Tours
Kieron Wilde
Founder and CEO
First Nature Tours
Kieron Wilde is an Ecologist and Entrepreneur with 18 years of tourism industry experience. His company First Nature specializes in curating tours for individuals, corporations, and school groups that blend education, adventure, and sustainability to make a positive impact on the planet. Kieron is also the Vice Chair of the Columbia Gorge Tourism Alliance – a bi-state nonprofit dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism in the Columbia River Gorge region of Oregon and Washington.
summary
In this episode of the Big World Made Small podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Kieron Wilde, founder and CEO of First Nature Tours. Kieron shares his journey from growing up in rural Wisconsin to becoming a leader in sustainable tourism. He discusses his early passion for conservation, his transition into the tourism industry, and the founding of his company, which focuses on bespoke travel experiences in the Pacific Northwest. Kieron emphasizes the importance of sustainability in tourism and the need for meaningful engagement with the environment. He also shares insights on the challenges and rewards of running a destination management company and the future of regenerative travel.
takeaways
- Kieron grew up on a hobby farm in Wisconsin, fostering a love for nature.
- His early experiences in Boy Scouts shaped his survival skills and appreciation for the outdoors.
- Kieron's passion for conservation led him to study restoration ecology in college.
- He transitioned from conservation work to tourism to have a greater impact.
- Kieron emphasizes the importance of service industry experience for guides.
- First Nature Tours focuses on bespoke, sustainable travel experiences.
- The company operates as a destination management company (DMC) for the Pacific Northwest.
- Kieron believes in paying guides well to value their expertise and knowledge.
- He is passionate about regenerative travel and creating positive impacts in destinations.
- Kieron aims to engage travelers in meaningful conservation efforts.
Learn more about Big World Made Small Adventure Travel Marketing and join our private community to get episode updates, special access to our guests, and exclusive adventure travel offers on our website.
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