Okay, readers, you might have noticed. I enjoy travelling! Duh!!
About ten years ago, I decided to feed my travel bug. Could I afford it? Hardly. But, I travel fairly cheaply. And, it’s all about priorities. When I add up everything I’ve spent travelling since then, I’m pretty sure it’s still less than buying a new Ford F-150. (I drive a 2005 Xterra, instead, thankfully still in great condition.)
But, for an entrepreneur, feeding the travel bug only created new dreams! How could I put together my wanderlust and my entrepreneurial drive? Almost from the beginning, I dreamed of starting my own travel adventure company, similar to those with whom I was travelling. But to cover my particular part of the world, not theirs. I dismissed it as a pipe-dream.
But I could do so for only so long.
Things happen! The result: I’m very proud today to announce to my blog followers the “Advance Launch phase” of West Adventures. We will be providing bucket list experiences for travellers from around the world to come experience our spectacular part of it!
Now you may be wondering: How will that affect Fraser Valley Rent 2 Own and this blog post?
Short answer: Hardly at all.
First, I really enjoy helping people get into home ownership through our rent 2 own program. I love to help them build credit, down payment and work history to get them fully qualified for a mortgage. The best part, of course, is the tremendous satisfaction of success at the end. I enjoy being in the real estate investment industry, too. And I like that it puts bread on my table and pays my taxes and utilities.
That will not change. With the newly announced mortgage eligibility changes, rent 2 own is just as good an option as ever, maybe better. We look to help many more people through this program.
I will not be distracted from it. An Operations Manager will run West Adventures so that I can continue to oversee Fraser Valley Rent 2 Own.
Ron’s blog? That may change just a little. The reason: I am starting another blog as well. (Hey, I like writing, too!) That blog post, Ron’s Best West Adventure, will focus specifically on travel and, unlike this blog, will focus on readers/potential clients from around the world, not the local market. If you want to join that blog, though, just click here.
But, this blog won’t change all that much. There may be a little travel in here from time-to-time, too.
A little more about West Adventures.
Tourism to Canada is absolutely exploding! People from around the world want to come here. One Vancouver hotelier told me business had increased four-fold over the last couple of years. Now Lonely Planet has named Canada the #1 international destination for 2017. And YVR has just been named the #1 airport in the world! My timing couldn’t be better.
We’ll be providing packaged tours through BC and Western Canada, and beyond, starting in summer, 2017. The tours will include transportation, accommodations, some activities, and some meals. There will be a minibus driver and tour leader on each trip. Most accommodations have already been booked.
And, guess what! I just bought a houseboat on the Shuswap Lake, so that I can give our clients an overnight houseboat experience as part of these trips. Is that cool, or what?
Do you have friends from overseas whom you’d like to see come to Canada? Our success will depend on building a large database of travellers, and then inspiring them to come here. We’re offering massive incentives, in terms of trip discounts, to people who help us build that database. Most of this readership, being relatively local, may not be interested in that; you’ve already experienced this part of the world and, what you haven’t already done, you can be easily plan yourself.
But you may be interested in a weekend houseboat trip? And a bit of a discount? We can talk about that. Just note that our primary target markets for West Adventure clients is Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Eastern Europe, South Africa, East Asia, Mexico and the US (beyond the border states).
Travelling, writing, Rent 2 Own, entrepreneurship. . . . I feel like I am fulfilling my dreams!
I think we all have that potential. If we take bold action and decide, every day, to focus on those things that will make our lives better (see last week’s post), we can make our dreams come true.
