Travelers think they want Stonehenge - but what they remember is a pint shared with locals, the scent of wild hedgerows, and a guide who brings the landscape to life.

In the final episode of our Emerging Multi-day Tour series, we sit down with Will Cairns, Managing Director of Active England Tours, to explore how a soft-adventure brand transforms repeat UK visitors—mostly American retirees—into lifelong fans through curation, kindness, and flexibility. From e-bikes and support vans to clever Sunday tour starts that lower hotel costs, Will shares the thoughtful decisions that create value without ever sacrificing soul.

Curiosity changes everything. That’s the thread running through our conversation with Crooked Compass founder and CEO Lisa Pagotto, whose frontier-travel philosophy favors depth over dazzle and local impact over checklists. In this second episode of our Emerging Multi-Day Tour Operators series, we explore how she designs perspective-shifting journeys in safe yet overlooked destinations — from Papua New Guinea’s highland festivals and WWII relics to Mongolia’s sweeping steppe — and why honesty about difficulty, logistics, and culture leads to more meaningful travel.

We’re kicking off our new Emerging Multi-Day Operators series - spotlighting how a new wave of founders is reinventing group travel for modern explorers. The multi-day category is poised for growth in the next 5-10 years with an impressive average of 20–30% annually, driven by travelers seeking deeper connection, curated itineraries, and shared experiences.

In this episode, we meet Dr. Nabila Ismail, pharmacist turned founder and creator of A Dose of Travel, who turned her solo travel storytelling into a thriving small-group brand that celebrates belonging for South Asian travelers while welcoming all who share that spirit of curiosity and connection.