RSS
Home
Interview with Jeff Willner, the founder of Kensington Tours
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
.jpg)
A couple of weeks ago I was given the opportunity to speak with Jeff Willner, a travel enthusiast who has circumnavigated the globe more than once, rode a Land Rover through 57 countries over the span of a year, and visited over 70 countries worldwide. Willner has taken his love of travel and created a business, in the form of a travel company called Kensington Tours. Awarded one of the Best Adventure Travel Companies in 2009 (Luxury) by National Geographic, Kensington Tours has an impressive client to guide ratio (sometimes 2:1). By the end of my conversation with Willner my wanderlust increased, merely by listening to some of his travel stories.
On an expedition in 1999, Willner met a group of Maasai one of which invited Willner to stay with his family. The unique experience and hospitality of his guests inspired Willner to create similar tours for his clients. It is stories like these that have encouraged Willner to promote responsible tourism and break negative stereotypes people may have about certain cultures.
Right after 911 Willner was scheduled to drive across the Sinai into the Middle East, needless to say he had some reservations. Despite the bad timing he decided to go through with his expedition and he found that some of the countries people are most hesitant to visit are also some of the friendliest. His belief is that if we avoid certain places out of hesitation, it may hinder a possible life changing experience.
Travel not only has a profound impact on the traveler, but also has a significant impact on societies, some of which depend mainly on tourism for their economy. Tourism can also have a negative effect; think of the erosion of Machu Picchu by the thousands of visitor each year or the Galapagos Islands and their deteriorating ecosystem. Therefore it seems that a love of travel can come with a feeling of responsibility.
It is because of such sentiments that Kensington Cares was created. Kensington Cares is a not for profit organization that strives to give back to the communities that people visit. Since Willner grew up in the Congo, he realized at a young age that despite the intelligence and motivation of some of his peers, most would not have the same opportunities that would be provided to him. Presently 4-5 % of the profits from the Kensington Tours are contributed to the Kensington Cares project, which provides supplies, builds schools, and awards scholarships to students.
Willner states that Kensington Tours puts great importance on the communication between traveler and travel consultants. The travel consultants are knowledgeable often living in the areas in which they specialize. Although there are itineraries available, the traveler is given the option to decide the location, the quality, the price, and the time spent in each location.
Seeing as I have never taken a Kensington Tour, unfortunately I cannot provide a personal account. Speaking with Jeff Willner can be pretty convincing, especially since there are many places that I would prefer to travel with a tour guide. I would consider taking a budget tour with Kensington in the future (the luxury tours are slightly out of my price range), but until then I am only able to go by the enthusiasm and breadth of travel knowledge provided by the founder.
.jpg)
If you have any personal experience you’d like to share, please do so below.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
