How Luxury Adventure Travel Creates Guest Loyalty: Lessons from EXP Journeys

Mind Hous
Oct 24
8 min read

The Secret to Being Unforgettable in Luxury Adventure Travel

What if your guests cried tears of joy at the end of their stay—not because they were leaving, but because of what they experienced while they were with you?

That's exactly what happens on trips with EXP Journeys, a luxury adventure travel company that's mastered the art of creating transformative guest experiences. In a recent episode of The Conscious Check-in, hosts Amy Wald sat down with Kevin Jackson and Maxie Johnson to unpack how they've built a business around life-changing journeys that guests—and their families—remember for generations.

For hospitality professionals looking to deepen guest loyalty and create meaningful connections, this conversation is packed with insights. From the power of cultural partnerships to the business case for B Corp certification, Kevin and Maxie prove that luxury adventure travel isn't just about stunning locations—it's about how you make people feel.

How EXP Journeys Started: Adventure as Connection

Kevin Jackson's inspiration for EXP Journeys came during a 2005 hike on the John Muir Trail with his parents. "I wanted to show people what adventure can do for your psyche, your physical nature, the connection you have with the people that are on the trip with you, and just the feeling of elation that I personally had at the end of that trip," Kevin explained.

The key insight? Adventure doesn't need to be physically demanding—it needs to be a shared experience.

After spending time in Australia writing a business plan, Kevin launched EXP Journeys in 2007. Sixteen years later, the company operates with a team of former textile managers, Wall Street bankers, judges, and lawyers—all united by one thing: they want to create experiences for others, not just themselves.

Maxie Johnson's path was different but led to the same place. While Kevin was hiking the John Muir Trail, Maxie was in law school, questioning whether the legal career path was right. After ten years practicing personal injury and criminal defense law, Maxie took the leap into adventure guiding. "I had this teenager in a wilderness area tell me, 'Mr. Johnson, this was the best week of my life,'" Maxie recalled. "As an attorney, I never had clients tell me that anything I did was involved with the best week of their life."

That "aha moment" continues today—but now Maxie's clients arrive via helicopter, stay in luxury camps, and still have the best week of their lives.

Hospitality Takeaway: Your team members' passion matters. When guides (or hotel staff) are motivated by creating joy for others—not just personal interest—that authenticity transforms the guest experience.

The Grandmother Who Found Herself on a Cliff Edge

One of the most powerful stories Maxie shared was about a tri-generational family trip near Zion National Park. The grandmother, in her late 60s and experiencing early-stage dementia, was scheduled to go canyoneering with her family. When they reached the first rappel, she froze. "I can't do it," she said. "I think I should just bail out on this activity."

The guides could have simply escorted her out. Instead, they stayed present. While preparing a backup plan, they asked if she'd like to try on the harness—just to see how it felt. Then the rope. Then walk to the edge to see where her family would go.

Before long, she was harnessed, roped, and standing at the cliff edge. Her son offered to rappel beside her. And she went. She completed the entire canyoneering experience with her family.

That night at dinner, her husband—the grandfather—approached the guides with tears in his eyes. "He told us that he saw a part of his wife out there that day that he had not seen in a while," Maxie said. "She found a part of herself out there on those sandstone cliffs that maybe she had forgotten or lost touch with."

Hospitality Takeaway: Don't give up on guests too quickly. Sometimes people need support to access an experience they didn't think they could have. The payoff—for them and for your brand—can be life-changing.

Why Every Trip Is Different (And Why That Matters)

Kevin emphasized that EXP Journeys has "never done the same trip twice." They have a "huge box of puzzle pieces," but they've never put them together the same way.

"If it was the same repetitive thing, I think we'd strive on innovation and continuing to try to find what is the next cool thing," Kevin said. "How can we stay ahead of the curve?"

This philosophy mirrors what hospitality leaders already know: personalization drives loyalty. But EXP Journeys takes it further—they customize not just at the planning stage, but during the trip itself.

Maxie explained: "You'll be riding along in the car and just be like, 'Hey, could we possibly go helicopter tomorrow in addition to that canyoneering?' And you've got a guide there that already has thought about all the plan B's and the plan C's for the next day."

That flexibility is possible because guides have deep relationships with local vendors and know their destinations intimately. They're not just "a phone call away"—they're on the ground, year after year, building trust.

Hospitality Takeaway: Personalization requires infrastructure. Invest in staff training, local partnerships, and systems that allow your team to say "yes" to guest requests in real time.

Cultural Partnerships That Preserve and Uplift

One of EXP Journeys' most meaningful partnerships is with Joseph, a Navajo guide who leads slot canyon tours and performs traditional hoop dancing ceremonies for guests.

"Joseph can take small groups into those canyons and he will tell his stories about growing up there on the reservation," Maxie said. "Often at the end of the tour, he will pull out a Native American flute and play a small private concert for the group that's there."

Joseph is also an award-winning hoop dancer, currently ranked fourth in the world. He teaches his eight-year-old son, Jayden, the same traditions. "Hoop dancing was taken from the Native Americans—the U.S. government prohibited that practice for so many years," Maxie explained. "Joseph has a way of not only keeping that culture and that ceremony alive and thriving, but he can make a living doing it."

EXP Journeys also supports the Navajo Relief Fund through their foundation and introduces guests to leaders like Peter McDonald, former president of the Navajo Nation and one of the last living Navajo code talkers.

Hospitality Takeaway: Authentic cultural experiences require more than booking local entertainment. Partner with communities, compensate them fairly, and help preserve traditions. Guests will feel the difference—and so will your conscience. Learn more about how Greenluxe helps properties build sustainable community partnerships.

The Business Case for B Corp Certification

In 2021, EXP Journeys achieved B Corp certification—a rigorous process that evaluates companies on their social and environmental impact.

"Four years ago, I would have no idea what to say" about sustainability and partner vetting, Kevin admitted. "What I found that the B Corp provided was just a really good understanding of what to look for, what questions to ask, how to be more responsible in our selection process."

Maxie added: "The whole focus of that B Corp is that we made a legal change in our government documents where we're going to consider all of our stakeholders. Our stakeholders are our clients, our employees, but they're also the areas where we operate—the national parks, the national forests, the BLM land."

The certification isn't just a logo. It's a commitment to long-term thinking. "We're playing the long game with this B Corp certification," Maxie said. "This is about making solid, sustainable choices that will continue to drive this long after Kevin and I are out of this game."

Hospitality Takeaway: Certification frameworks aren't just for marketing—they help you build better operations. Whether it's B Corp, LEED, or another standard, the process forces you to audit your impact and improve. Greenluxe helps hospitality properties navigate sustainability certifications that align with your values and business goals.

What Guests Really Want: Privacy, Remoteness, Exclusivity

When asked about the future of adventure travel, Kevin had a clear answer: "What people are clamoring for is exclusivity, privacy, and feeling this sense of remoteness and being by themselves."

One client's brief was simple: "I don't want to see another person other than my friends and the staff for four days."

EXP Journeys delivered—using their luxury tent camps that operate on a near Leave No Trace basis. When camp is broken down, you wouldn't know six massive canvas tents, a dining tent, a cook shack, and a common space had been there.

This trend mirrors what's happening in hospitality: guests are willing to pay for privacy, authenticity, and fewer crowds. They want to feel like they've discovered something, not joined a tourist assembly line.

Hospitality Takeaway: Consider how your property can offer moments of solitude and discovery, even in popular destinations. This could mean private dining experiences, curated excursions with small groups, or off-peak access to natural sites.

The Duck, The Eagle, and What They Teach Us About Service

Amy Wald asked Kevin and Maxie to choose an animal that represents how they guide. Kevin chose the bald eagle—"having a higher-level view, being able to see what's going on, but also when I need to be in the mix and getting involved."

Maxie chose the duck.

At first, it sounds funny. But his reasoning is brilliant.

"In the EXP logo, we have incorporated elements of both the water, the wind, and the land—the duck does all of those," Maxie explained. "The duck can swim on the water, walk on the land, or fly."

But the real metaphor? "When you see a duck out on the lake, it's just floating along so calm and serene—that's what an EXP guide looks like when they're working. We're cool, we're calm, everything's fine. But what you don't see are those legs furiously paddling underneath the surface of the water to keep that duck moving."

Hospitality Takeaway: Great service looks effortless. But behind the scenes, there's constant movement—early mornings, late nights, communication with vendors, contingency planning. Invest in your team's capacity to "paddle" so your guests only see the calm.

Why White-Glove Adventure Isn't an Oxymoron

Maxie addressed a common objection: Why would I pay that much money to go on a trip when I could just do it myself?

His answer breaks down into three key benefits:

Mental Freedom: "As a traveler with EXP Journeys, you can just turn your mind off. You can't do that when you're doing it yourself—you've got to be worried about what time to leave, where to park, what restaurant to eat at."
Flexibility: "You'll be riding along in the car and just be like, 'Hey, could we possibly go helicopter tomorrow?' That guide has established relationships and has thought through all the plan B's already."
Someone Else Drives: "Just having a driver is huge. You don't have to deal with the traffic of getting into Yellowstone National Park. You can just relax in the backseat with your spouse, with your kids."

Nature is a luxury. And having experts who know how to access it seamlessly—without stress, without logistical headaches—is worth the investment.

Hospitality Takeaway: Communicate the invisible value you provide. Guests don't always see the planning, vendor coordination, or backup systems that make their experience smooth. Make that visible in your marketing for sustainable initiatives.

Key Takeaways for Hospitality Professionals

Here's what hoteliers, resort operators, and experience designers can learn from EXP Journeys:

Hire for purpose, not just passion. The best team members are motivated by creating joy for others, not just doing what they love.
Customize experiences in real time. Build systems that allow your team to say "yes" to spontaneous guest requests.
Partner authentically with local cultures. Don't just book entertainment—invest in preservation and fair compensation.
Certification frameworks improve operations. B Corp (or similar standards) forces you to audit impact and build for the long term.
Privacy and exclusivity are the new luxury. Guests want to feel like they've discovered something, not joined a crowd.
Make your effort invisible. Great service looks effortless, but it requires infrastructure, training, and deep local knowledge.

Listen to the Full Conversation

This episode is packed with even more insights—including Kevin's dream trip concept (GPS coordinates and total surprise), Maxie's ode to the Colorado River, and why they believe adventure luxury travel is just getting started.

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Ready to Elevate Your Guest Experience?

If you're inspired to bring more personalization, cultural connection, and sustainable thinking into your property, Greenluxe can help. From staff training to certification support, we work with hospitality leaders who want to create guest loyalty that lasts.

Book a 1:1 consultation with Amy Wald to explore how your property can design experiences guests will never forget.

Or learn more about Greenluxe's services for sustainable hospitality.