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LIFESTYLE

2023 May 5, 6

Level: Low

Flashpacking!

by Pamela Osment

Explore the world in style

5

It’s vacation time, but traveling on a shoestring isn’t your favorite way to go. And cookie-cutter resorts don’t excite you. So what’s the answer? Flashpacking. It’s group travel — largely for singles — that’s been described as “backpacking with style.”

  A few years ago, Radha Vyas discovered a gap in the group travel industry. She realized there wasn’t anything for her age group: 30- to 49-year-olds. Many travel companies offered cheap trips for young backpackers. Others offered luxurious vacations for wealthy senior adults. She didn’t fit in either category.

  In 2012 on her first date with her future husband, Lee Thompson, she shared her discovery. Radha believed creating a travel group to meet the need could be a great business venture. Upon hearing her idea, Lee agreed that it could work. By the end of the night, the couple had developed an initial idea for flashpacking. Their goal was to provide adventure travel with a touch of luxury for 30- to 49-year-olds. Within a year, they had established their business, Flash Pack.