Bespoke experiences
Discover Travel has been sending eager adventurers on unique journeys for years – but its own story has been just as much of an adventure.
When Discover Travel marked its 25th anniversary last year, it offered a moment of reflection for owner Ian Collier. For two decades, the agency was based on Oxford Terrace in the heart of the city. Following the earthquakes, they were among the first businesses to return to the CBD, continuing to offer personalised holidays amid the dust and scaffolding of a rebuilding city.
Then, during the upheaval of the Covid pandemic, the agency opted for a change, relocating to a boutique space on Wordsworth Street in Sydenham.
“We’ve always been a destination agency,” says Ian. “ We’ve been around a while, and our reputation speaks for itself. We’re the travel agent that likes to have fun.”
Ian joined the business in 2003, bringing with him a passion for travel and a background in adventure tourism. In the 1990s, he worked with a UK tour operator that was pushing the boundaries of tourism – flying people to the edge of space with ex-Soviet technology and taking travellers down in mini submarines. “I laughed when I saw Katy Perry on Blue Origin,” recalls Ian. “I was doing that decades ago.”
When Ian relocated to Christchurch, Discover Travel was known as Adventure Travel. Over time, the brand evolved into its current name. “Adventure travel means something different in New Zealand,” Ian explains. “Here, people think of bungee jumping or zorbing – things Kiwis invented. But we found the market was shifting. People were looking for more tailored, boutique adventure experiences.”
Their customers increasingly wanted to travel in more meaningful ways, swapping the back-of-a-truck desert treks for bespoke, immersive experiences. While their biggest market remains Europe, Discover Travel has made a name for itself offering unique ways to explore it.
“When I started, most people were either inter-railing or on big coach tours,” says Ian. “We wanted to offer something different – smaller group tours, softer adventure, and independent travel options.”
They became known for designing custom European itineraries, often incorporating active pursuits like cycling in Andalusia or walking in the Alps, with options for both self-guided and group adventures.
Cruising is another popular option, but again, they do it differently. “We prefer smaller cruise experiences,” says Ian, “like sailing along the Croatian coastline on a superyacht or river cruising through Europe.”
Beyond Europe, Discover Travel is passionate about promoting under-the-radar destinations. “We joke there’s always a dinner party in Christchurch where someone’s naming the next travel hotspot – we’d like an invite,” laughs Ian. Two decades ago, they were sending travellers on cycling tours through Cuba via Mexico, well before it became trendy.
This desire to go where others don’t led to their escorted tours. Pre-earthquake, they launched a Solo Travellers Club, particularly popular among women. “We had 200 people turn up to our first meeting,” recalls Ian. “They wanted to know how they could travel cost-effectively with like-minded people.”
Today, that mission continues. Co-owner, Peter, recently returned from leading back-to-back tours through the five ’Stans of Central Asia. Later this year, he’s off to Sri Lanka. And next year? Discover Travel is planning a ‘Crossroads of the Caucasus’ tour through Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan – a potential new dinner party destination in the making.