I'm so excited to share a new travel site with our Wandering Educators. I know, there are a plethora of travel sites out there. Yes. We enjoy - and participate - on many of them. But here is something new. A community of travelers in the know. CHECK. The key word is Community. I am very excited - any time that travelers get together, the stories fly and the comraderie is something to behold. I just KNOW that AgoVita Travel - Live Life - will be a community that will be part of our lives.
We were lucky enough to sit down and talk with Dave Hurley, founder of AgoVita Travel, about travel, social responsibilities, building a community, and more. Here's what he had to say...
WE: Please tell us about AgoVita...
DH: Think of AgoVita Travel as a joining hand that brings together not only travelers around the world but also the providers of services that cater to the traveling community. We want to take travel from an individual act to a movement of the masses, connecting people over one common interest, travel. Coming soon is our gold membership which will benefit community members by offering exclusive deals and discounts at our AgoVita Network member businesses and some additional surprises. For AgoVita Travel, its all about enabling an affordable way for people to see and experience the world, not only through the www. but in reality as well.
In the next week or so our community page will be going live. While we are currently only offering a basic membership, members will have access and function of the entire site. This will always be the case for a basic membersip. Community members can log their travels by writing stories, posting photos, commenting on others adventures and more. Featured articles will be written daily on all things travel by our AgoVita team of freelance writers in addition to a featured destination each week. This is a minute listing of things to come.
One of our biggest goals in the future is to hold world held events in the name of AgoVita and travel. This will truly bring the travel community together and that's our goal, to connect as one. We also have plans not only for giving to our community of travelers and network members but also giving back to the places we visit.
WE: What was the genesis of AgoVita?
DH: The genesis of AgoVita is simply that I wanted to create something that all travelers can benefit from. I've had the joy of traveling extensively in my 26 years and it really shapes who a person is. When someone is confined to one place their entire life, they are not opened the possibilities that are out there to be experienced. With the AgoVita Network, I wanted to make it possible for anyone to be able to see the world no matter what background. AgoVita is an elite club for the traveler and no matter if you are a veteran Vagabond or a weekend adventurer, everyone in the AgoVita Community is elite.
I've also met hundreds of unique people in my travels and I thought to myself, why not create a way to stay connected. Yea, there's Facebook and Myspace but why not have a social outlet dedicated to us, the traveler? I created AgoVita to be fun, exciting, interactive, and most of all affordable for everyone to explore the vast expanses.
WE: What can readers expect from AgoVita? How is this different from other travel sites?
DH: What readers, visitors and community members at AgoVita can expect is something fresh, new and exciting. I won't lie, there are numerous great websites out there that offer travel stories and photo blogging. What these sites don't offer is that sense of community. Our stories and featured articles won't just be written by "other" unknown travelers in the world, they will be written by our friends, companions and travel buddies. AgoVita wants our visitors, members and readers to feel a sense of home away from home when they log on and catch up on the latest.
WE: Who contributes to AgoVita? How have your travel experiences informed this site?
DH: Where do I begin? Currently AgoVita Staff consists of freelance writers, marketing gurus, a great I.T. team and virtual assistants. Everyone who has helped AgoVita Travel to come alive has contributed and dedicated some long sleepless hours and I am personally in debt to each and every one of them. As our site grows, so will our AgoVita Team, behind the scenes. It is my personal belief that life is too short to spend your time and effort on a job that grants you no satisfaction, so in keeping with the AgoVita way, any employee that works for us now or in the future will be expected to enjoy life, I guess it's sort of a prerequisite.
In November our AgoVita Network will come to life. Every one of these travel businesses will contribute to AgoVita by catering to our community in the form of discounts, destination content, great deals and opportunities.
WE: How can travel be socially responsible? How do you suggest travelers give back, while abroad?
DH: Travel takes people outside their comfort zone, immerses them in unfamiliar cultures and opens the their eyes to the world. Travel shapes people and helps to educate on why things are. The most exciting part of travel for me is meeting people from where I've been and where I'll go. The biggest advice I can give is to learn the customs and cultures where you go and hold that near to you, it's a priceless keepsake that you will always remember.
While people are traveling abroad I think the biggest way to give back is simply to educate others on what you have seen and experienced. For example the Middle East and its' people are largely associated with violence and images of terror because of the acts of a few extremist groups. In fact' Muslims and Middle Eastern people as a whole have been some of the most hospitable people I have met. When others ask me what it was like to be in the Middle East, even as a military man, I tell them the truth, "I've never met nicer people". I think education is key in the quest to quelling the world of animosity.
WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
DH: If anyone has questions about AgoVita Travel and what we aim to accomplish, feel free to contact me at dave[at]agovitatravel.com. We want to welcome everyone from the traveling community to come by and check us out, you won't be disappointed and we would love to have you join our community.
Help us build the AgoVita Travel Communtiy! Sign up for our newsletter by August 31, 2009 for a chance at $500!
Keep living life - it only happens once.
WE: Thanks so much, Dave! I am very excited about AgoVita and look forward to participating and learning a great deal!
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