Today we’d like to introduce you to Haley Voss.
Hi Haley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Entertainment Management from Missouri State University in December 2019. I accepted a 9-5 office job after graduation and quickly learned that it was not the right environment for me. I worked at a local, boutique hotel called Hotel Vandivort in Springfield, Missouri through college. I hopped back into bartending and serving at Hotel Vandivort when I quit my office job. Hotel Vandivort introduced me to the hospitality industry.
I was working and communicating with travelers in my community on a daily basis. The hospitality industry allowed me the opportunity to save money, work flexible hours, and fuel my passion to travel along the way. During my time at Hotel Vandivort, I had the idea of starting my own bespoke travel agency. Yet, the idea got pushed to the back of my mind. It was a big idea, and I didn’t know where to start. I moved to Moab, Utah in April 2022. I worked as a Guest Experience Coordinator for Moab Under Canvas.
My position was responsible for sourcing adventures for guests, conducting on-site activities, and sharing my passion, knowledge, and recommendations for attractions to experience in the local community. Why Moab, Utah you ask? Before moving, I applied for about 30 seasonal positions all over the United States. I decided Utah would be the best fit for me. You could spend your whole existence exploring the state and not crack the surface. I knew that a week-long vacation to Utah would not be enough for me.
Finding a seasonal job in the state seemed like the most efficient and exciting way to explore the magical state. Moab Under Canvas allowed me the opportunity to work with travelers from all over the world. I met travelers from England, Mexico, France, China, The Netherlands, Germany, etc. I felt extremely grateful to work with such a diverse group of travelers. So often, travelers would arrive in Moab, Utah with no plans. Many times, travelers would arrive, and I would have to inform them that tours were completely booked for the week and there were no reservation slots open at Arches National Park.
Then they would ask me,” Well, what should we do while we are here?” It was my responsibility to help these unseasoned travelers make the most out of their time in Utah. I would supply guests with an abundance of local restaurants, hikes outside of Arches National Park, and swimming holes when they needed to beat the heat. I loved every second of it. Yet, I always found myself wishing I could have worked with these guests before their Utah adventure began.
Travel is an investment. It takes time, energy, and money. After my eight months in the desert, I decided it was time to take the leap. I created Trail Spice Travel at the start of 2023. Trail Spice Travel is a bespoke travel agency that assists travelers seeking authentic experiences that are truly local and unique to the area being explored.
My experiences have taught me how much time, research, and logistical planning go into experiential travel. I am here to do the hard work for you before your trip so you can fully engage in learning the history of a quaint town, taste test street food that is important to a city, and feel comfortable having a conversation with a local about their culture and way of life.
I understand that one travel plan does not fill all. My mission is to help travelers create an itinerary that fits their needs, wants, and budgets so they can enjoy their travels to the fullest extent possible. Trail Spice Travel is an agency that takes trip planning to the next level. A constant line of communication between agency and traveler creates an itinerary and guide that is detailed yet flexible, so you have what you need at the moment.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Imagine a curvy, one-hundred-mile washboard road and I’m the driver. I take the road day by day. I throw on some tunes, roll down the windows, enjoy the views, learn as much as I can, and embrace the chaos along the way. If I am being quite frank, I think the biggest struggle has been capturing the confidence in myself to take a leap of faith and start my own business. Before starting, I had questions racing through my mind. How do I start? How do I make money while building my business? Will people even be interested in my services? What if I fail?
I spent about a year questioning. I decided there was only one true way to find out the answers and I haven’t looked back since. I wake up every morning excited to start my day. The travel industry is constantly changing. There is always something new to learn in the industry. There is always a new place waiting to be discovered and explored. The travel industry allows me to always be curious and curiosity lights my fire. With that said, I have been BUSY. I feel like my to-do list is never-ending.
Most days you can find me building my business, writing blogs, creating itineraries, and hustling in between. When I am not working on my business, you can find me DoorDashing, walking dogs, and bartending to support my start-up. So yeah, there have been plenty of struggles along the way. I don’t see the struggles disappearing, but I feel extremely grateful every day I get to wake up and put my time and energy toward my passion.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Entrepreneur / Travel Designer. Are travel agents a thing of the past? A lot of people would say yes. What I am doing is reshaping what a travel agent looks like in the Information Age. I don’t consider myself a travel agent but instead, a travel designer. If you are looking to head to a city and hit all the major tourist attractions, then my services might not be for you. I aim to assist adventurous and open-minded travelers who are ready to immerse themselves in experiential travel. I understand that one travel plan does not fill all.
My mission is to help travelers create an itinerary that fits their needs, wants, and budgets so they can enjoy their travels to the fullest extent possible. I hope to provide travelers with a guide to local restaurants so they can easily decide where to eat without spending their vacation time researching restaurants in the area. I hope to work with travelers who want to learn simple phrases in other languages, so they feel confident when approaching locals when traveling internationally.
I want to help travelers understand the culture and history of their destination, so they have a deeper appreciation when traveling. I hope to help travelers find activities that get them outside of their comfort zone. Trail Spice Travel is an agency that takes trip planning to the next level. A constant line of communication between agency and traveler creates an itinerary and guide that is detailed yet flexible, so you have what you need at the moment.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
To Get Inspired – Zero To Travel Podcast
To Stay Informed – Travel Industry Today
To Search for Flights – Skyscanner
Building Itineraries – Google Maps
I love Elizabeth Gilbert and her books. Elizabeth Gilbert and Anthony Bourdain are huge inspirations of mine.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.trailspicetravel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trailspicetravel/
- Other: https://www.trailspicetravel.com/blog
