Experience This! Travel Industry Insights and Opinions S4E1 Driving an 85% repeat rate and bringing a 40 year old Tour Business into the digital age
Jan 22, 2026
Mary Collins, owner of Blue Fern Travel and Far Horizons, modernizes a 40-year archaeology tour company while running DC food and scholar-led trips. She discusses preserving human-led, scholar-driven small groups and redefining luxury as exclusive access. Mary explains achieving an 85% repeat rate through community and scholar engagement, and the digital upgrades like online payments, CRM, portals, and mobile apps.
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Buying A 40‑Year 'Startup'
- Mary bought Far Horizons, a 40-year archaeology tour company, and found it was a "40-year startup" running mostly pre-internet systems.
- They were still taking credit card numbers on paper and mailing them before she modernized payments and CRM.
Scholar-Led Intimacy Drives Depth
- Far Horizons pairs a scholar with every trip and limits group size to 14 to create deep engagement and continuous learning.
- Scholars travel with guests constantly, enabling ongoing conversations and richer context across sites.
Luxury As Exclusive Access And Knowledge
- Mary defines luxury as exclusive access and intellectual depth rather than just five-star hotels.
- Private museum spaces, scholar connections, and rare access create the luxury experience her customers seek.
