[NE Coffee Chat] Tripsoda: "Let's Go on an 'Adventure Travel' Together to Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan"

Adventure Travel Products Designed for Millennials & Gen Z
Operating Korea's Largest Travel Companion Community
Enabling Unique Journeys to Unfamiliar Destinations for Everyone

The grasslands of Mongolia, the vast wilderness of Kyrgyzstan, and the deserts of Jordan-scenes of journeys to such unfamiliar destinations are often seen on television. While gazing in awe at the breathtaking scenery on the screen, many resolve to visit these places themselves. However, actually traveling to such destinations is not easy. Even after purchasing a plane ticket and arriving locally, travelers often waste a lot of time if they lack transportation, drivers, or guides to reach their desired spots. The costs can also be significant. Tripsoda is a platform designed to solve these problems for 'adventure travel.' By connecting a travel companion community with adventure travel products they have planned themselves, Tripsoda enables anyone to enjoy unique travel experiences.

On January 29, Jo Wonil, CEO of Tripsoda, said, "The 'adventure travel' market, which refers to unique journeys in unfamiliar places, will continue to grow," adding, "We are operating travel products targeting the Millennials & Gen Z, who are leading this growth."

Jo Wonil, CEO of Tripsoda, is explaining the 'Adventure Travel' products targeting the Millennials & Gen Z. Tripsoda

Adventure travel products have existed before. However, they were mainly focused on trekking and primarily attracted customers in their 50s and older. These travelers typically had more time and money, resulting in longer trips and higher prices. Tripsoda identified the adventure travel needs of Millennials & Gen Z, which traditional travel agencies had overlooked, and launched its business to address this gap. Jo explained, "According to data from online communities in 2022, there was demand among women in their 20s who wanted to visit Mongolia, but at the time, it was difficult to go without vehicles or guides. By targeting this demand and creating travel products for Mongolia, we saw positive results and gained confidence in this business."

In countries that serve as adventure travel destinations, it is difficult to offer competitive pricing unless a certain number of people join a trip. As a result, travelers often gathered participants through online forums, which was inconvenient and vulnerable to scams. Tripsoda addresses this issue by allowing travelers to naturally form groups and purchase products together through its own travel companion community. Jo said, "We operate the largest travel companion community in Korea, with about 80,000 active members during peak season," and explained, "We built the business based on the concept of an online guesthouse, where people exchange travel information and sometimes travel together."

As a result, Tripsoda has organized adventure trips to more than 10 countries, including Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Nepal, Tanzania, Egypt, and Georgia. The products are centered on experiences such as trekking, horseback riding, and enjoying beautiful natural scenery. Targeting Millennials & Gen Z, the trips are typically designed to last about a week. Jo noted that the Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan packages generate the highest sales.

Tripsoda's offerings are also infused with the personal experiences of Jo, who considers himself a traveler. Having traveled to more than 50 countries, he spends as much time as possible in the countries where he plans new products, carefully considering each trip. Jo said, "I personally visit and inspect the sites to create our products. Rather than sitting in an office and communicating with local agencies by email, I prefer to be on the ground and solve problems in person."

In addition to its popular existing products, Tripsoda plans to expand into various other countries. The company does not limit itself to only remote or unfamiliar destinations for adventure travel. Jo believes that even in Europe or nearby Japan, if a unique experience can be found, it can qualify as adventure travel. He said, "Our challenge this year is how quickly we can respond to community demand and enter untapped markets," adding, "There will be endless opportunities to develop new products in regions like Africa and South America."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.