Kriss Saunders from ARC Adventure has had a fantastic September

We’re at the end of September and today we’re talking to Kriss Saunders about what has happened for him this month.

Kriss is CEO of Arc Adventure which is an adventure holiday company based in Herefordshire and offering holidays UK wide.

How was your summer as we go into autumn? Any highlights for you or your business? 
Our summer was great for the business and me personally. We have built some strong partnerships that are already boosting the business for 2024. I also got to go on a familiarisation trip to Argentina learning about the history and architecture of Buenos Aires and travelling north to the Mocona Falls and the Ibera Wetlands enjoying kayaking, ziplining, horse riding and boat trips. Now equipped with great itineraries and knowledge to pass on to customers.

What’s happened for your business in September? 
We are planning for the upcoming World Travel Market developing new products and strengthening some of the relationships we have. This will enable more authentic adventures to be featured on our new website coming out later this year. 

It was ‘back to school’ month or ‘start of university’ month. Is this relevant to you personally or professionally? 
With my young lad currently at nursery, school specifically hasn’t had an impact on me as this continued through the summer. Having Max at nursery is reassuring though, knowing he is loving playing outside and developing, giving me peace of mind to focus on work.

September is also known as ‘organic’ month – when it comes to your business, what do you do to be ‘more green’?
Sustainability is one of our core focuses in the business and we work with our partners to ensure we are adjusting every way we can to make our tours as green as they can be. We love the motto ‘Take only photos, leave only footprints’. Our ultimate goal is to create our own offsetting system to help combat the emissions produced by flights.

World Gratitude Day took place this month.  What are you grateful for in your business or personal life? 
In business I am grateful for the flexibility it provides, allowing me to fit in valuable time with family. Also, the incredible experiences I get to encounter which makes me appreciate the beauty and nature of the earth.

What are your hopes for business for the rest of this year?
We are launching a new event and a new website during the remaining stages of 2023. The event is an exciting collaboration which will take 30 people to Sri Lanka in November 2024, the gem of the Indian Ocean rich in culture, wildlife and awe-inspiring scenery. The website launch has been a long time coming and will be game changing for us, we are so excited and cannot wait to reveal it. Not only will this website contain adventure tours from around the world, but they will be bookable through the website too!

We are dealing with a lot of messages around ‘bad’ news such as the rising cost of living and interest rates rising. How are you keeping positive? 
The cost-of-living crisis has meant businesses have had to adapt regardless of the industry they are in. For us, even our bigger spending customers have cut back and holidays as a non-essential buy are often the first purchase to be scrapped. But we are lucky that there is a trend for customers not wanting to cut on their experiences so we have maintained a good level of bookings with 2024 already looking to be our biggest year yet.

Although it is important to keep up to date with what is happening in the economy, what is more important is ensuring you adapt your business for what is in front of you. Don’t wait scrape by and worry about what is going to happen, ensure you and your business are tackling the challenges head on.

To keep positive, take the time out of your business to ensure you are enjoying the most important things in your life such as family and friends. Do an activity that will take your mind off things and release any stress that you are feeling. I personally play hockey and my sport is something I do not compromise heavily on as this is where I let off steam and enjoy some social time with team mates which reduces any stress I feel.

Have you got any services or special offers you’d like to mention?
We have special offers running now for last minute breaks and winter getaways. 

And finally, September 30 is International Podcast Day – do you listen to podcasts or do you have one of your own? Can you share a tip? Which podcasts should others check out? 
We don’t currently have a podcast, but we want to launch one starting in 2024 and planning is in place for that now.

My tip which I look for in a podcast is to invite guest speakers which compliment you and your business and really engage with your listeners. This helps keep the content fresh drawing in new listeners.

One of my favourite podcasts is Steven Bartlett’s ‘The Diary of a CEO’ . I find Steven particularly engaging and a lot of the time very relatable.

For more information visit www.arcadventure.co.uk