Tapping into the stream of the collective traveler consciousness and understanding where the said consciousness is headed in the world of adventure travel seems to be second nature to the American Museum of Natural History’s Discovery Tours.

Fifty-two years of experience and more than 20,000 travelers later will do that to a tour company. The travel arm of AMNH, Discovery Tours conducts global expeditions inspired by the Museum’s rich history and cutting edge research, deftly blending science with adventure, culture and education with the exotic.

Discovery Tours’ offerings are creative, compelling and diverse. From its groundbreaking Earth Orbit Expedition which traverses the globe to trace the history of space exploration and to witness it unfolding first-hand, to its family adventures focused on terra firma, including a 10-day itinerary in Costa Rica complete with specially trained local youth coordinators, its products provide impressive depth. Trade and consumer research conducted by Michigan State University and the ATTA in Q1 2005 indicates such uniqueness and an emphasis on learning is on the rise.

So, is Discovery Tours (and others in the industry) leading a trend or reflecting travelers’ appetite? In the case of Discovery Tours, the answer is, maybe both.

“Our customers are already interested in the exotic and are often drawn to exotic regions,” explains Discovery Tours Director Alicia Stevens. “While we offer more exotic destinations than our competition, our emphasis on the educational component is paramount. And, consumers’ appetites for more learning adventures are only increasing.”

According to Stevens, many of Discovery Tours travelers are a self-selecting group of people predisposed to the sciences, including archaeology, space, indigenous peoples, anthropology, cultural history, conservation, biodiversity, and other topics close to the museum’s heart. She notes that their groups run the gamut, from total neophytes to people who are engaged in science for an avocation and carry PhD’s.

Stevens acknowledges that few adventure travel companies can boast the resources, relationships, marketing and scientific and educational expertise – most of its expert leaders carry advanced degrees and remain active academically – that the AMNH commands. And, it’s offering shows with truly in-depth expertise in many realms of science including anthropology, geology, evolution, conservation, paleontology, cultural history, archaeology and astronomy.
 

Woes & Blows, Walking a Tightrope

As most operators know, success seldom comes easily. The ramifications of 9/11 dealt a serious blow the Discovery Tours’ bottom line. The operator shifted gears, intensified efforts in Russia and China, which filled the vacancy left by their then successful and still-growing Middle East business. Soon thereafter, SARS dealt another major hit temporarily. It took “China off the map for more than a year” said Stevens.

How did Discovery Tours manage? In addition to acknowledging that travelers have helped due to their resilient and adaptive nature, Stevens added, “We’ve been especially careful to maintain good geographic scope, our product diversity is really strong, prudent course in this challenging security, economic climate. It’s very good to a hone a niche, but we do our best to play out that niche across the globe.”

For Discovery Tours, the educational travel arena is its strength. Stevens calls out that the educational travel niche is a closely knit niche. And, to be successful in this arena, resource sharing is key. There is, apparently, a great deal of partnerships among institution travel programs worldwide. At Discovery Tours, study leaders, ship charters, and a host of other resources are shared. Stevens offers specific examples linked to the company’s adventure travel series where partnership among institutions, operators, and other entities was the only reason its Kilimanjaro climb, its Bhutan trek, North Pole expedition and groundbreaking Earth Orbit programs were successful.

“If we’ve learned anything at Discovery Tours, it’s that there’s a tight rope to walk,” added Stevens. “It’s important to hone a niche, but being diverse can make a big difference during difficult times. Geographic niches can turn out to be problematic for some companies, but if companies are able to focus another kind of niche, such as family, women, educational, and others like it, they’ll be in a more nimble position to make adjustments. Finally, partner or you’ll be left behind.”