Innovators and Risk Takers

We have mad respect for the risk-takers and innovators who saw an opportunity to reinvent themselves and launch new business ventures after the pandemic hit. These are a couple creative examples in the hospitality and tourism space that recently caught our attention:

The owner of Acanela Expeditions, a tour operator, launched Wander Camp, a glamping facilitator serving select national park locations. Since group tours and international travel are on pause, Wander Camp enables the company to serve individual travelers in new ways and meet the high demand for the great outdoors. The concept is luxury mobile tents set up just outside of parks like Moab, Zion, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, with Lake Powell and Grand Tetons coming soon. Safari style tents are customized for traveling parties, from couples and friends to families and solo adventurers. They are outfitted with luxuries like beds, down comforters and solar powered USB outlets. The glampsites have basic restrooms, fire pits and ample space for social distance. The first camp was set up two months ago and they recently welcomed their 1000th visitor, so the concept is clearly a big hit. We can’t wait to try it out for ourselves!

 U Experience was conceived to enhance the remote learning experience for college students lacking the communal experience on campus. The vision of this private company—which has already been applauded by media outlets like CNN, Business Insider and NBC—is to bring currently enrolled university students together on a single campus, providing a community for students whose courses have moved online and would otherwise be taking them at home. With safety in mind, they are creating a bubble where college students can come to live out the college experience with total peace of mind. They call it “unbundling” the college experience and are currently working with hospitality industry experts to bring the concept to life for the first 150 students. We think it’s pretty genius!