Togfrog.com
February 3, 2010
Togfrog is …
Togfrog is a website for visualization of extraordinary travel experiences and information about thrilling activities all over the world. At Togfrog you can watch and share videos of common people experiencing adventures. We use our knowledge and our broad user appeal to promote adventure operators to the costumers early in the decision-making process. Providing a video of the adventure activity enables the costumer to be able to choose the activity he or she would be most likely to try while traveling.
We would provide our users with the opportunity to learn about experiences they might not have stumbled upon otherwise – something new and fun the next time they are out traveling the world.
Togfrog enables travelers and adventure operators around the world to upload videos of their special and unique travel experiences and activities. Thus creating a vast selection of adventure travel activity videos that are shared to other interested travelers looking for inspiration and information. When uploading and sharing, the user or operator will have to pinpoint the activity on a map for the convenience of others who consider travelling the region. The information added to the activities consists of the most relevant information for any potential traveler. Extraordinary experiences for ordinary people created by ordinary people.
We have customers and users from all over the world and are interested in other companies involved in the industry that would like to take part in creating the focal point for adventure travel videos on the Internet.
The people
We are a Danish start-up that has emerged as the end-result of our education as engineers and our personal interest and experience in traveling and trying out fun stuff. We are three guys responsible for the idea, the development and the maintenance of this site. The company is currently located in the central Denmark at a start-up environment in the city, Herning. Our way of working is based on the belief that it has to be fun, relevant and beneficial. We aim to be as creative and “new-thinking” as possible and we are very receptive to any ideas and constructive criticism from our users and other implicated people.
Contact us
Please contact us if you have any questions or inquries regarding Togfrog.com
www.togfrog.com
morten@togfrog.com
+45 40 959 400
Togfrog Aps.
Birk Centerpark 40
7400 Herning
Denmark
MercuryCSC
February 1, 2010
MercuryCSC is the Creative + Strategic + Communications agency for brands with travel in their DNA. We specialize in connecting brands with travelers—specifically Geotravelers. An emerging segment that holds a certain disdain for conspicuous consumption, Geotravelers have a strong willingness to spend more than the average consumer on products that enhance their life experience. Brands that understand how to connect with the Geotraveler will be rewarded with increased sales and the invaluable influence of an emerging segment during changing times.
Geotravelers share three essential needs: their desire for AUTHENTICITY, a SHARED HUMANITY and their own PERSONAL AWAKENING. When they have an experience that causes these three needs to converge, it makes a connection, which is what they crave most. Travel often represents the apex of this need.
Of course, people spend the most on the things they need most. For the Geotraveler, this includes not only travel itself, but also the things that help facilitate travel. When your brand communicates with this segment through the lens of travel-one of their strongest needs-your brand is likely to archive much higher rewards.
How we connect you with Geotravelers:
Story
Who are you, what is your authentic story? The process of connecting you with travelers starts with these most basic of questions. Some of our clients already know these answers, some need us to help them figure it out. Either way, we do a thorough deep dive into your brand as it relates to Geotravelers, to extract relevant insights. Then we apply those to everything we do for you.
Emotion
You know your story, but you’re having trouble articulating it. You have all the pieces, but you need help putting the puzzle together. You’re not alone. Our process of hanging emotion on the brand brings your story to life through creative imagery that connects with Geotravelers. Plus, we’ll create a roadmap for the brand that your entire organization can buy into and deliver.
Engagement
Dream…plan…buy…experience…share. Your brand must resonate with Geotravelers throughout every phase. We can help you with the strategy, creative and media tactics to engage the market in PR, interactive, video, traditional—just about any place the traveler touches your brand.
If you’d like to learn more about what MercuryCSC can do for your brand, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to it.
Jeff Welch, CEO/Director of Business Development
406.922.2282
jeff.welch@mercurycsc.com
Molly Budinsky, Business Development Manager
406.922.2299
molly.budinsky@mercurycsc.com
Adventure Travel Media Source Gains New Clients, Patagonia Expedition Race & iExplore
January 13, 2010
Officials of the Wenger Patagonia Expedition Race have named Colorado-based Adventure Travel Media Source (ATMS) as their PR Agent for the 2010 Race, while iExplore named ATMS as their PR Agent.
About the Patagonia Expedition Race: The Patagonia Expedition Race will celebrate its 6th year on February 9 when they kick off this year’s 9-day event. The Race encompasses trekking, sea kayaking, mountain climbing, mountain biking and orienteering in one of the wildest places left on the planet – Chilean Patagonia. The route is not divulged to participants until the Race begins. Teams from 18 countries are signed up to participate including three from North America.
About iExplore: Founded in 1999, Chicago-based iExplore is the #1 ranked website for adventure and experiential travel, with over 1,000,000 visitors per month. They are Google’s “authority site” in the adventure travel category, and power adventure tours behind many trusted brands like Expedia, Travelocity, Travel Channel, Fodors, Frommers and Lonely Planet, to name a few. Acquired in 2007, iExplore is an independently-operated division of TUI TRAVEL PLC, a multi-billion pound international leisure travel business based in the United Kingdom.
About ATMS: ATMS, representing more than 100 of the top adventure travel outfitters, is a full-service PR agency focused exclusively on the active, experiential and cultural travel markets.
Wanderlust Publications
January 11, 2010
The UK’s leading adventure travel magazine
Once upon a time (well, in 1992 to be precise) two keen travellers were very bored on a longhaul flight to Ecuador with nothing to read or watch. Their conversation turned to how there wasn’t a travel magazine for people like them. They borrowed a pen from a stewardess, and sketched out their perfect magazine on the back of a sickbag. By the time the plane landed at Quito, Lyn Hughes and Paul Morrison had said, “Hey, we could do this!’ A year later, Wanderlust magazine was born in their spare bedroom on one Apple Mac.
The magazine has grown a lot since those humble beginnings, leading the way in the production of intelligent and inspirational travel publishing, and picking up numerous awards and accolades along the way with its blend of quirky features, practical reviews and tips, and insights and ideas.
Wanderlust focuses on adventurous travel, with local culture, wildlife and walking being of most interest to the 100,000-plus readers who devour the magazine eight times a year. The readers are all ages and both sexes, but have a huge passion for travel in common. They travel overseas several times a year, and are constantly planning their next trip. While 80% of the readership is in the UK, we do have subscribers in 112 countries, and see ourselves becoming more global over time. Indeed, we recently launched digital subscriptions for overseas readers who would rather read the magazine online.
After a long fight with cancer, Paul Morrison died in December 2004 and Lyn took on the roles of managing director and publisher, as well as editor-in-chief. The Times of London lauded Lyn as one of the “50 Most Influential People in Travel.”
In 2005, the first annual Paul Morrison World Guide Awards was launched in Paul’s name, to recognise and reward those undersung heroes of the travel world, the tour guide. The results are announced each year in a prestigious ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London, with winners and runners-up over the past four years coming from Zambia, Romania, Mongolia, Scotland, South Africa, India, Ecuador, Egypt and India.
Wanderlust Publications has also expanded into editorial and media services for other travel companies and associations, including producing several customer magazines. Lyn acts as a consultant to several tourist boards, and serves on a variety of tourism-related committees.
Wanderlust also runs the UK’s largest travel photography competition each year, and currently has two busy websites (one of which is a community site), which are about to be redeveloped into one exciting new site, with phase one launching in the spring – watch this space.
We are very excited to be joining ATTA as we have long felt that there should be an organisation that serves the community of organisations that make up the world of adventure travel. We look forward to networking with like-minded individuals and companies from around the world, sharing intelligence and working together to promote adventurous, responsible and life-enhancing travel worldwide.
Widness & Wiggins PR
December 28, 2009
Established in April 2007, Widness & Wiggins PR offers a competitively priced, highly personalized media contact and communications strategy expressly designed for adventure, eco and active travel industry clients – tour operators, nonprofits, resorts and accommodations. Our story-telling approach is pro-active, aggressive, and multidimensional covering both traditional print, social media and new, expanding online outlets. Backed by media savvy, lifelong relationships with the press and a proven record of success, Sara Widness and Dave Wiggins are the ones delivering the results.
The world of print, online and broadcast media is a fast-paced, ever-noisy place. You want your story to be told but it’s a real challenge just being noticed. Going it alone rarely gets you anywhere. You need a loud and clear voice that’s recognized and respected by those influential members of the media most interested in what you have to say.
That’s the power of a successful public relations agency. Widness & Wiggins PR believes that the keys to success come down to sound relationships and clear, consistent messaging. Sara Widness and Dave Wiggins have spent their entire professional careers cultivating meaningful relationships with a full spectrum of travel, business, environmental and lifestyle writers, editors and authors who are anxious to hear your story. Most command positions of major influence on both the national and international stage. To rise above the clamor and noise, this is where you need to be.
Sara Widness has a proven record of extraordinary success in marketing communications and public relations. She began her career as an editor for several Vermont newspapers. She then served time as a reporter on the metro desk of United Press International in New York City. Sara has more than three decades of high-level public relations experience based in the Big Apple where her agency represented prestigious travel industry clients throughout the world. Recently she left the cacophony of life in the city to establish a B&B in the hills of southern Vermont. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature with a minor in journalism from Stanford University.
Dave Wiggins brings over three decades of adventure travel industry experience to Widness & Wiggins PR. Recently he helped found and direct the prestigious travel alliance, Trusted Adventures. Prior to that, Dave served as Marketing Director for Austin-Lehman Adventures and Vice President of Supplier Relations for Away.com and GORPtravel. However, it was his 22 years as owner and President of American Wilderness Experience (AWE!) that first established him as an industry visionary. Under his direction, AWE! pioneered the wholesale and retail brokering of adventure travel in the late 1970’s becoming one of the industry’s most recognized brand names in the promotion and sale of active and exotic vacations. Dave is a graduate of Penn State University and has lived in Boulder, Colorado since 1974.
ViaTour Software
April 15, 2009
Dear Adventure Travel Professional:
We are pleased to support the Adventure Travel Trade Association and see a great deal of overlap between Adventure Tour Operator’s needs and of our educational travel clients. Since 2001, ViaTour Software has provided tour operators a powerful and easy-to-use tool to track tours, reservations, P&L, vendors and much more.
Investing in your infrastructure can help you survive today, put you ahead of the competition tomorrow, and position you for fast growth when the economy recovers. Concentrating on areas of strength is vital in this economic environment. Not all companies will survive these times but those that do will share a commitment to laying a strong foundation and taking advantage of special opportunities. One such opportunity is the ViaTour “stimulus package” for ATTA members. Look for our announcement later in April about our “buy now/pay later” option.
Are you uncertain about how to apply database technology to your business operations? Check us out and you will feel you are on familiar ground. ViaTour is a Microsoft Access-based solution with an interface that feels natural to the way you work.
I have been in educational travel for more than ten years, owned my own tour company, and have been exposed to many sides of the industry, and I know the value of a responsive, creative, and steadfast partner. At ViaTour, we have helped 20 customers make ViaTour an integral part of their daily operations by converting data, training staff, streamlining business processes, and working with them every step of the way to ensure their success. It’s what we do best.
We look forward to helping you!
Read on to learn more about us or view our video at: http://www.viatoursoftware.com/video.php
Sincerely,
Karen Ziegler, President
ViaTour Software
MISSION:
Our mission is to support tour operators and travel professionals with the technology to work faster, and more accurately, and to leverage their collected information to plan more effectively. We support a collaborative development model while letting you customize the application to fit your needs.
ABOUT US:
ViaTour Software is the #1 all-in-one tour management solution for travel providers today and has been the premier solution since 2001 with over 20 client sites in the United States and Canada.
ViaTour manages your hard won business intelligence throughout the entire tour lifecycle, with features for
- proposal, costing, and marketing
- reservation processing and client communications
- tour operations and vendor management
- robust querying and reporting on business activity
ViaTour is designed by travel professionals for travel professionals. The user interface is intuitive, navigation is quick and easy, and you will find a place for every detail large or small – you can even add your own custom fields.
View our informative eight minute demo at: http://www.viatoursoftware.com/video.php
CLIENT BASE:
Our clients are industry professionals upgrading from custom-built databases or our competitors’ products. They all had a need for more robust software system or were unhappy with the limited support from their current providers. We have 100% customer satisfaction and have never lost a client to the competition!
Our clients cater to niche markets, often with a specialization in either an area of the world or an area of expertise, and make customer service a high priority.
Some of our clients are larger organizations; others started as family businesses and have grown into major players. We provide outstanding implementation and training services to all our clients – from interns and volunteers with minimal computer experience to our “power users” who take their ViaTour data into Excel for advanced querying and analysis.
PRODUCTS:
ViaTour is available in three versions, Basic, Standard and Pro, to meet the needs and budgets of organizations of all sizes.
Each ViaTour application level includes a comprehensive set of features that will immediately boost your staff’s day-to-day productivity in the following areas: targeted marketing by mail or email, reservation processing, tour implementation, financial tracking and executive analysis.
ViaTour is fully integrated with standard Microsoft Office programs you are already familiar with – Outlook, Word and Excel.
Web Integration Available Summer 2009: Data in SQL Server, Data Hosting, Web Services, Website Development and Web Integration. If you require web functionality (publishing tour data to the web, taking reservation bookings from the web), scalability for more than 25 users, multi-location access or all of the above, we recommend purchasing our new ViaTour version with data in SQL Server.
In concert with this release, we will be offering data hosting services (which would allow users in remote locations to access your secure production data over the internet), integrated web services and web page templates for publishing tour info and taking bookings. (Creating reports in Word or Excel for publication to the web by your web developer is an alternative for advanced users in any level of ViaTour.)
OUR COMMITMENT
- Expect a quick return on investment – ViaTour will:
- Streamline daily operations with efficient use of automation;
- Improve customer service by ensuring ready access to accurate information;
- Facilitate effective communications, both within and outside your organization;
- Increase staff productivity without adding employees;
- Leverage data into powerful business intelligence and successful marketing.
Designed to meet your needs and challenges – ViaTour serves:
- Outbound and receptive tour operators;
- Alumni, museum and non-profit travel programs;
- Large, medium and small organizations;
- Specialty and luxury travel providers;
- Coach operators and adventure operators.
An innovative and reliable software partner – the ViaTour team will:
- Engage with you in a detailed product evaluation to understand your needs.
- Integrate your business terminology into the user interface.
- Create custom reports that express your look and style.
- Enhance ViaTour’s feature set to continually advance your business objectives.
- Facilitate client collaboration on new development for unbeatable value.
- Provide unparalleled technical support with ViaTour’s Annual Maintenance Plan.
EplerWood International
February 10, 2009
Organization Mission/Purpose: EplerWood International was launched in January 2003, by Megan Epler Wood, founder and past president of The International Ecotourism Society, to advise private business, government, international development projects, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions on the development of sustainable tourism and ecotourism in developing countries.
Our work takes us to remote locations, little known to the outside world, to work with local specialists to develop and create well-planned, sustainable destinations that can be commercially viable for the adventure travel community.
Products and/or Services: EplerWood International provides market-based approaches to sustainable tourism development in response to a rising global demand for sustainable tourism projects.
We increasingly see ourselves as the firm that helps introduce new, unknown destinations to the adventure and ecotravel community. Our job is to help commercial tour operators and hoteliers add viable new destinations to their catalogues and development plans.
We are here to help you, and our bill is paid by development agencies, so take advantage of our services!
Examples of 2009 projects:
- El Salvador Launched www.elsalvadorexperience.com in December 08 the first eco/adventure portal for the country. Launched eco, culture, adventure and voluntours to El Salvador with Greenspot.travel and G.A.P Adventures – looking to promote and interest more operators in 2009!
- Bangladesh Launched a new project in Bangladesh in January 2009 to help design an adventure destination on the Teknaf Peninsula, where the longest beach in the world lies along the Bay of Bengal. Presently developing a unique trekking opportunity along a pristine coastline with trails into remote forests with wild elephant, with return journeys via traditional Bengali wooden boat craft. See our blog at www.meganeplerwood.blogspot.com
- Dominican Republic Launching the first artist’s cooperative in Puerto Plata to develop marketable arts and crafts. Through Vermont Institute for The Caribbean, local artists have been trained via experienced Vermont crafts persons and the project is being linked to “all inclusive” resorts to help sheltered visitors come to know the real Dominican Republic. Getting the DR’s true culture on the map of the adventure travel world will be another excellent potential outcome.
Geographic Reach/Areas of Operation: EWI is based in Burlington, Vermont with project activity that spans the globe. Past ecotourism development projects have been undertaken in Mexico, Brazil, Sierra Leone, Honduras, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Ecuador, with upcoming projects in other countries. We specialize in creating a solid, market based array of unique projects that will support the local economy, while being fully ready for international purchase. We are open to suggestions and collaboration as a means of making new and unique destinations feasible for your business.
Special Interest in Connecting with the Adventure Travel Community:
EWI’s connection with the adventure travel community can be illustrated by our latest work in El Salvador. EWI coordinated the launch of Ecoexperiences El Salvador, a destination marketing portal that is designed to showcase the variety of eco-adventure activities available in the country such as Volcano trekking, surfing, ziplining, mountain biking, snorkeling, etc. Part of the marketing strategy is to create partnerships with tour operators interested in incorporating El Salvador into their itineraries. GreenSpot.travel and G.A.P. Adventures have already joined EWI in featuring El Salvador as one of their destinations. We seek to cooperate with the adventure travel community on all of our projects.
Green Living Project
January 15, 2009
In this era of global environmental and social awareness, one of the best things citizens can do is live and support a more sustainable lifestyle. Green Living Project™ is focused on documenting, promoting, and supporting successful and unique models of sustainability from around the world. In 2008, Green Living Project highlighted Africa, documenting projects administered by leading non-profits, eco-lodges, conservation organizations, travel companies and local tourism boards. In 2009, GLP returns to Africa, as well as embarking on its first expedition to South America.
Through various production and distribution techniques, Green Living Project™ aims to educate, inspire and entertain while encouraging individuals and communities to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. The company markets its exclusive content both online and offline, including international multi-media lecture events that are open to the public, attracting a wide audience from high school students to working professionals to retired baby boomers. Events showcase projects from around the globe focused on relevant and important sustainability topics such as responsible tourism, renewable energy, wildlife conservation, community development, waste management, and organic farming. Attendees learn about the geographic regions covered, local communities, examples of sustainability, and responsible tourism. Each event also shows how people can get directly involved with each project and organization by volunteering, visiting, donating, or purchasing items. Key partners include National Geographic Adventure, REI, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Adventures in Travel Expo (ATE), African Wildlife Foundation, Earthwatch Institute, Timberland, Gregory, and Keen Footwear.
From Rob Holmes – Founder and President of Green Living Project – on the Lecture Tour: “The most rewarding aspect of these events has been the overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees and event partners. Attendees are engaged, inspired, and have the unique opportunity to get directly involved with interesting projects from around the globe. They also learn about the world, sustainable living, responsible tourism, and how each of us can make a positive impact. Our professional content and unique storytelling about positive success stories really resonates with people since it celebrates and instigates activism to make a difference locally and globally. These educational components will be expanded when we launch our new Education Program this spring. This exciting new program will further develop our educational objectives, and will expand the lecture tour to elementary, undergraduate, and graduate schools nationwide.”
Green Living Project is always on the hunt for key project and retail partners with a parallel commitment to sustainability. Please contact Rob Holmes for more information.
Kelty
September 12, 2008
Since 1952, Kelty has built affordable, reliable outdoor gear that enables everyone, from the first-time camper to the experienced mountaineer, to embrace any experience with confidence.
Based in Boulder, Colorado, Kelty uses the natural backdrop of the Rocky Mountains to test, create and continually innovate within their diverse outdoor product families of Apex, Backcountry, Trail, Basecamp, Commute and KIDS. Kelty combines the best in new technology with a healthy dose of common sense to create exceptionally made, affordably priced outdoor products.
Exclusive Tents
June 24, 2008
Our stunning and eco-friendly tent designs are quickly becoming the standard for alternative accommodation worldwide. From the remote African safari to the five star ultra luxury island resorts, Exclusive Tents is leading the way to a new era of sustainable green living.
Our focus and passion is to provide canvas and fabric structures which have a low impact on the surrounding environment. In doing so, we have opened the door for many architects looking to develop in environmentally sensitive areas.
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