Home Based Travel Agent Podcast: June 2022

Thursday, June 23, 2022

443 - Astrotourism With Michael Marlin

Show 443

Show Notes

Space tourism is all about looking down whereas astrotourism is all about looking up as Michael Marlin describes astrotourism in this podcast. We have lost a precious resource over the last twenty to thirty years and that is a dark sky where, with the naked eye, we can see the Milky Way and billions of other stars and galaxies. The vast majority of the world's population and eighty percent of North Americans have never experienced a dark sky. Our dark skies have disappeared due to street lights and the far-reaching artificial light thrown off by our large cities. In fact, most of the world's population lives in large cities or suburban areas where dark skies are all but obliterated with artificial light.

Astrotourism is growing by leaps and bounds because people want to experience the awe of observing the stars under a dark sky. A luxury resort, Clear Sky Resorts, offers luxury domes equipped with telescopes, private decks, modern bathrooms, pools, and best of all, expansive windows where you can observe the dark sky from the comfort of your indoor space.

Our guest in today's podcast, Michael Marlin who goes by the name of Marlin, has written the book, "Astrotourism: Star Gazers, Eclipse Chasers, and the Dark Sky Movement." The book takes an in-depth look at what astrotourism means for the travel trade community. Michael and I give you an overview of astrotourism in today's show.

If you haven't experienced a dark sky then you owe it to yourself to make a trip to find a dark sky. This is an experience you will never forget and it may bring tears to your eyes to see what you've been missing. And, you may return from your dark sky adventure wanting to share this experience with your clients. If so, there are resorts like Clear Sky Resorts where you may find commissioned opportunities to build your business with astrotourism.

Pick up Marlin's book if you want to learn more. It's available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3n8Hvu9.

"There was a study done by a couple of PhD's out of Missouri State University…they calculated that over the next 10 years the Colorado Plateau would generate 5.2 billion dollars … from astrotourism and create an additional 10,000 jobs every year."

"Because 80 percent of North Americans can't see the Milky Way anymore, more and more people are traveling to take in the last few remaining dark skies. "

Links to Items We Talked About in This Show

The Mind of Marlin - Marlin's website

"Astrotourism: Star Gazers, Eclipse Chasers, and the Dark Sky Movement."

Marlin's phone number: (702) 274-8788

Podcasts Related to This Show

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The Fine Print

Thank you for listening to the Home Based Travel Agent Podcast. Barry, or the Show, receives no compensation from the guests on our show, or from the companies they represent unless we state otherwise during the show. We invite guests to our show because they offer something of value to the travel trade community. The Home Based Travel Agent Show is funded from the resources of Barry Kantz.

Photo credit Photo by Erike Fusiki from Pexels

Labels: astrotourism, Eco Tourism, tours

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

442 - Health and Wellness Travel - Yoga Retreats With Rachel Roberts

Show 442

Show Notes

Yoga retreat adventure crossing suspension bridge

Today, for most people, travel is about the experience and not so much about acquiring things and partying. Millennials want to travel to have an experience they can share with friends on social media. Environmental awareness, healthy diets, exercise, spirituality, and a desire for new experiences are all a part of the Millennial lifestyle. Mix these ingredients with the desire to travel, along with the fact that Millennials are now the generation spending the most on travel, and you have a recipe for health and wellness tours.

In fact, traveling for health and wellness is a travel experience that resonates with all generations. All generations are looking for a travel experience that rewards them with real connections to other people, connections that include the ingredients of health and wellness travel.

Yoga retreats are an excellent form of health and wellness travel that have all the ingredients to fulfill the travel desires of your clients. Rachel Roberts of Bija Yoga Retreats joins me in this show to talk about how yoga retreats can be a part of your travel business. Rachel is ready to team up with you to create a yoga retreat in beautiful locations that nourish the mind and spirit.

"People seem really primed to want not only to travel but to have these curated experiences that are centered around mindfulness and wellness."

"Out time is such a scarce resource for so many of us, so people want the ability to get away, to not want to invest a huge amount of time in planning it themselves, but to go with someone they trust whose already planned it. I know your listeners know this experience very well. So, they can experience wherever they're going as fully as possible in the allotted amount of time, so they can rest and renew and restore and so that they feel like they actually sort of took care of themselves in the mix and so that is what a yoga retreat really does."

"I'll tell you what goes into making a good retreat, so people understand the cogs in a wheel. First, you need a compelling location. Those tend to be locations that have some spiritual aspect to them or some artistic aspect to them. ... So, the destination matters. Then you need a resort or facility that has the space for a yoga retreat, and that space should be beautiful and compelling. ... Then they need catering. ... And then one or two excursions. ... And then ease of access ... and then figuring out who you are partnering with who would actually lead the students on the ground once they get there. "

Links to Items We Talked About in This Show

Bija Yoga Retreats

Rachel Roberts email: rachel @ theyogabars.com. [remove the spaces before and after the @. This is done intentionally to avoid spam bots from harvesting emails.]