Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristian Steffensen and Rachel Anorov.
Hi Kristian and Rachel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
It’s certainly true in traveling, that the destination is incredibly important… but just as important is where you stay…that first hotel when you touchdown in. It’s the launchpad… the touchpoint where unknown paths cross, plans get spontaneously made, the place to receive the all-important initial recommendations, which can cast the trajectory of the traveler further into the magic of exploration and adventure… It really can shape the trip from the outset… and it’s so important to get it right… at least we think so….
After having a blast exploring the world, and living the budget hostel life… our needs evolved….We wanted something more comfortable, more luxurious but still edgy, cool, communal, and of course affordable. So on each trip, the arduous search would begin… trawling through websites, Instagram, travel articles, asking friends for recommendations, in search of those hidden gems…
And sure enough… time and time again we started coming across these fantastic, boutique, quirky hotels… Often an expression of the owner’s creativity – they are niche – they don’t have big marketing budgets, so they don’t jump out in ads or top-ranking searches. They are independently owned, but all share similar philosophies – embracing bringing travelers together and creating a real sense of place in alignment with their community.
So we started compiling and taking notes on all these places around the world… to be shared with friends…. and then friends of friends… and at some point, we decided we needed to share this with a broader audience…. and so Destination Outpost was created.
On this journey we also started to come across like-minded people who had places and stories to share… these wonderful folks became our team of contributors – experts in finding, assessing and showcasing these Outposts all around the world.
Ultimately our aim is to be a trusted resource that can provide a focused recommendation of one or two Outposts in each destination, be it a city break, or city escape…. And those places have been shortlisted, experienced and criteria-checked to ensure an on-point stay. Our mission is to be a one-stop-shop where people can share those recommendations for hotels that tick all the boxes, saving people the hard work, so they can spend their valuable time enjoying their travels rather than searching for those hard-to-find, exceptional accommodation experiences.
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?
We think we’ve been pretty fortunate so far. Though, while it hasn’t been a rough road for us, it has taken a lot of work and time to set up a respectable online presence, that can provide all the information a traveler would want to know about any given hotel in a nutshell. We’ve now got some great processes and a fantastic network, which gives us more time for building the database and getting more reviews out there.
And of course, our website and Instagram launch happened to coincide with a time where the world was locked down and travel was the most restricted it’s ever been, but as the travel restrictions are lifted and the world opens up again people are hungry to explore again and we’re starting to feel that shift and demand for what we have to offer.
Right now we would say our main the struggle is getting the word out to travelers that we have this great resource available. Our offering is unpretentious, but there is an overwhelming amount of travel advertising out there that can make it difficult for our audience to find us amongst the noise.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The work of Destination Outpost has evolved organically as we have grown. We are proud to be a platform that showcases both places to stay that are really special and deserve to be discovered and to pay homage to the work of talented, creative travel writers that are passionate about sharing their experiences. We have taken the road less traveled, driven by inspiring our audience rather than making money through advertisements and working with big franchise hotel brands.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I have learned is that if you want something to be successful, you really need to be passionate and persistent. It’s the passion which makes all the mundane parts – the heavy lifting – much easier and enjoyable… And it is authentically sharing this passion which like-minded people who share our values appreciate.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.destinationoutpost.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinationoutpost/
Image Credits
Casey Bressan @ Sherwood Queenstown, Tom Butts, Stefanie Acworth @ Calile Hotel, Shipwreck Bar Lombok, Rachel Anorov, Urban Cowboy Nashville, Stefanie Acworth @ Ace Hotel Palm Springs
