In 2008, after many, many years in corporate environments, I realised my real interest was for people and Australia, not career and decided it was time to explore that passion and how I could and showcase it to the world.
At the time, the touring experiences out of Melbourne were either ‘big box’, rigid types – name tags, 50 seat coaches – or what I used to call ‘Flintstones’ experiences, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants budget outings.
Sure, if you go to Paris people would look at you strangely if you returned without having seen the Eiffel Tower, but I always thought there was so much more to offer than just the ‘sights’.
Everyone said I was crazy but the more they said ‘no’ the stronger my belief and resolve and purchased our first vehicle and conducted our first group tour with 2 guests later that year.
My philosophy was to go beyond to provide more personal, insightful experiences – drawing on a born and bred local knowledge to seek out the unique and a keen interest in customer service innovation to create a new level of style and comfort.
As a self-employed Architect, my Father took it upon himself (before getting married!) to explore the world in search of the newest places, styles and emerging trends to inspire him and his stories of magical faraway lands like the USA and Europe enthralled me as a child. That spirit for innovation and discovery has never left me and is ingrained in everything we do today.
We’re not about simply throwing expensive things on a piece of paper to create an itinerary, though. Quality for us is about anticipating our guests needs and is just as much about the little things, the unexpected or unusual that delight and surprise.
Our original vehicle has long since gone, but since that time we have created award-winning exclusive private and boutique group experiences for thousands of guests across Melbourne and its regions and are proud of the standard we have set in the tourism landscape.
Our aim is to offer guests an experience, not a tour.
Our unwavering desire is to make our guests feel like one of us. A love of community, a lifetime of local experience and knowledge and a passion for discovery takes us off the beaten track in search of insights into the culture and personality of our destinations and its people to make real connections.
But it’s not just about where we go. A passion for innovation - that just begins with our custom-built luxury vehicles – drives our quest to provide the highest quality service, comfort and style.
We aim to absorb our guests in an environment of discovery that not only awakens a sense of place but unearths the essence of its true culture.
We offer genuine and unique experiences that are never contrived, always natural and we love and we hope to share them with you soon!
Paul
Owner & Founder, Escape Discovery Adventures