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 Samantha Smits - Smits SusTour Consultancy
Samantha Smits
Founder & Sustainable Tourism Consultant
Smits SusTour Consultancy
https://adventuretravelmarketing.com/guest/samantha-smits/
Hoi! I’m Samantha Smits, a Sustainable Tourism Consultant based in the Netherlands and Tanzania. My goal? To empower you with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to create real change.
Originally from the Netherlands, I studied International Tourism Management at Breda University of Applied Sciences and earned a master’s degree in Tourism, Society, and Environment from Wageningen University & Research.
I’m deeply involved in supporting community-based tourism initiatives, championing local businesses, and preserving cultural heritage. Oh, and I absolutely love dogs!
summary
In this episode of the Big World Made Small podcast, host Jason Elkins speaks with Samantha Smits, founder of Smits Sustour Consultancy, about her journey into sustainable tourism consulting. Samantha shares her early influences, including her experiences in Cub Scouts and her passion for travel and cultural exchange. She discusses her internship in Tanzania, the challenges of adapting to a new culture, and the importance of myth-busting in sustainability consulting. Samantha emphasizes the need for practical, accessible solutions for tour operators and accommodation providers to embrace sustainability without feeling overwhelmed. The conversation highlights the significance of storytelling in promoting sustainable practices and the importance of reducing carbon emissions over merely purchasing carbon credits.
takeaways
- Samantha's consultancy focuses on making sustainability accessible for tourism providers.
- Her journey into sustainability began with her experiences in Cub Scouts.
- Education and cultural curiosity played a significant role in her career path.
- Traveling to Tanzania for her internship was a transformative experience.
- Living in Tanzania presented both challenges and opportunities for personal growth.
- Sustainability consulting involves a lot of myth-busting and education.
- It's essential to empower local businesses to adopt sustainable practices.
- Reducing carbon emissions is more impactful than just buying carbon credits.
- Samantha aims to create a relaxed and approachable atmosphere in her consulting work.
- Storytelling is crucial for differentiating sustainable tourism operators.
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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