Behind the scenes with Flash Pack’s new Short Stay Adventures

Flash Pack’s innovation team are tasked with perhaps the most enviable job on LinkedIn – researching and curating new, boundary-pushing escapes all across the globe. 

It’s a mission that recently led the four-women powerhouse to unveil Flash Pack’s new Short Stay Adventures. This vibrant, more affordable collection spans six worldwide trips (Albania, Morocco, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Turkey and Georgia), and is designed to deliver maximum experience in minimum time. 

Come join us as we head inside the beating heart of the innovation team, to find out how and why our new whirlwind trips were put together – and whether their roles really are as amazing as they sound…

Why did you decide to design the new Short Stay Adventures?

Krishna Vyas (pictured above), head of product development at Flash Pack:

Flash Pack has form when it comes to innovation and creativity – so we’re always looking at new ways to diversify our product range. We’re also very much led by our global community of solo travellers when it comes to ideas and suggestions of how they want to explore the world.

At the beginning of this year, we launched a major research project featuring customer interviews, surveys and a deep-dive into new market trends. One of our key findings was that there are loads of people out there who feel quite apprehensive about group travel, and have never booked a tour before. But they’re also really keen to travel the world with other, like-minded folk. They’re drawn to our concept – yet, at the same time, they’re nervous about the group dynamic, and making new friends.

Our short stay trips are a taster of everything Flash Pack does best

Our Short Stay Adventures gave a perfect solution to this problem. They enable customers on the fence to dip their toe into the format of group travel, minus the commitment of a longer trip. Think of these escapes as a miniature taster of everything that Flash Pack does best – including providing a platform for new friendships.

With stays of up to five days, the new collection is also lighter on the pocket than our 10-day or two-week trips. They’re great for Flashpackers who have busy schedules, with less time to play with. And they fill a gap in our portfolio, too, with six new short trips covering a range of locations in and around Europe and near America (to serve two of our biggest audiences). 

How did you decide on the location for each Short Stay Adventure?

Istanbul and Marrakech 

Lauren Barker, junior product innovation manager at Flash Pack:

We specifically chose destinations that would offer a range of wow-worthy activities, are easily accessible for a short break, and where we have strong connections on the ground to guarantee an incredible trip.

Istanbul and Marrakech present a tantalising mix of food and cultural activities, as well as traditional hammam experiences, too – prepare to feel reborn! Both destinations feature their own unique and immersive experiences that are the hallmark of Flash Pack adventures. They’ll take you to both the heart of the action, and to the hidden gems.

Puerto Rico and Oaxaca

Fathom “Chin” Stead, junior product innovation manager at Flash Pack:

Puerto Rico and Oaxaca are both great for providing local insight and a good sense of place within a short space of time. They have an excellent variety of culture, food, adventure and original experiences, which are the main elements of any Flash Pack trip. The best thing about them is that you can cover a lot of ground in just a few days. 

As the first departures for both destinations edge more towards the end of 2024, they’re a handy option if you want to squeeze in one more holiday before the end of the year – especially if you have some annual leave left over.

Albania and Georgia

Elena Damiani, junior product innovation manager at Flash Pack:

Albania and Georgia are easy choices for a short break, but they also count among Europe’s less-discovered destinations. We launched another Montenegro-Albania trip last February, which proved to be very popular among both existing and new Flashpackers. We decided to create another trip to show the Mediterranean side of this country, highlighting the beautiful beaches with a Flash Pack touch.

Georgia is an up-and-coming travel location where old meets new and East meets West. We chose it because it offers a fantastic balance between cultural immersion and adventure. It’s also a remote destination, where you’ll be able to completely switch off and come back refuelled. 

The new short trips feature some very unique, standout experiences – how do you go about creating these, for that Flash Pack wow factor?

Chin (pictured above):

I love the research element of my role the most, as it’s what gets me excited about the design process. Blogs, travel magazines and personal tips from our well-travelled Flash Pack team – mixed with some creative flair – helps us curate those boast-worthy experiences. I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t cherry pick activities that I would personally love to do myself!

Our local partners’ knowledge is invaluable when we’re trying to unpick whether an activity or a site is worth all the online buzz that’s behind it. Often, our conversations lead to a more authentic and lesser-known experience that helps us create that wow factor. 

One of our key rules to designing a trip is ‘don’t ask, don’t get’

Lauren:

We’re a team of go-getters and one of the key rules to designing a trip is “don’t ask, don’t get”. We, of course, do our own thorough research (a very fun part of the job) to see how we can showcase the full range of a destination. 

But the most important factor is our relationships with our partners on the ground. They have the local expert knowledge and it’s our relationship with them which helps us to deliver these unique experiences and make them bespoke to Flash Pack. Fancy indulging in an Ottoman Palace three-course menu in Istanbul? We can do one better, and offer the chance to learn how to cook your very own!

Elena:

That is the best part of the role. I research activities in articles, blogs, social media, magazines, or from personal knowledge if I’ve been to a place. I try to think outside the box and design something unique to each itinerary. We work closely with our local partners to make the experiences happen. I am sure they think some of the ideas are mad but they hardly ever push back… they are Flash Pack partners, after all!

What are you most proud of personally within Flash Pack’s new Short Stay Adventure collection?

Elena (pictured above):

I am very proud of the Georgian itinerary. The blend of activities has been designed to give a true taste of this fantastic country (I have been three times myself), from meeting a local toastmaster to making traditional dumplings with Georgian grandmothers, and even hiking and baking the beautiful Truso Valley in the Caucasian Mountains. I love it!

Chin:

The bioluminescence tour in Vieques Island, Puerto Rico (pictured above) is pretty special. It was only after researching more about Puerto Rico that I learned the brightest bioluminescence in the world can be found in Vieques Island. This has led it to be designated one of 2020’s Seven Wonders of the World by Condé Nast Traveller. Flashpackers will get to witness this incredible phenomenon at any time of the year from the comfort of their glass-bottom kayak – pretty cool!

Lauren:

As part of the Istanbul trip, Flashpackers will get the opportunity to see traditional carpets being made from inside a private studio – an experience that’s normally off-limits to tourists. This is what I love most about designing Flash Pack adventures. We can take you to the highlights of a destination, but also weave in an essence of local life. The result is an authentic and immersive experience that you’d be hard-pushed to book by yourself.

What experience does someone need to work in adventure innovation – and is the job as dreamy as it sounds?

Lauren (pictured above):

All the C’s – connection, creativity and communication. Of course a keen interest in travel is a must. But above all, it’s about developing connections and communicating with our partners on the ground, and within Flash Pack, to bring the best trips to our customers. 

The job itself involves a lot of moving parts including customer analysis, destination research, relationship building with partners from other cultures and countries, as well as organisation and project management. 

Flash Pack’s mission is to create one million friendships through the power of travel and technology. With this in mind, it’s clear that designing trips to forge friendships makes this a dreamy role, and a movement we want to be a part of. The best part? The creative juices we get to utilise to curate and design these incredible, friendship-building adventures. 

Designing trips to forge friendships makes this a dreamy role

Chin: 

Lauren has summed it up perfectly. I’d also emphasise that the ability to work cross-functionally is a big part of the role. We need to be able to work closely with Flash Pack’s marketing team to help them bring our trips to life online and on social channels, and with our global sales team, to help articulate to customers what makes each trip special. 

Elena (pictured above right with Chin and Krishna):

For me, the biggest skill needed in this role is being organised. We work across different launches and with multiple stakeholders, which requires meticulous attention to detail and effective time management. Each launch involves a myriad of tasks and deadlines, from coordinating with suppliers to ensuring marketing assets are ready for review and launch. 

Without strong organisational skills, it’s easy for tasks to fall through the cracks, leading to delays and missed opportunities. Being organised allows us to stay on top of our workload, prioritise tasks effectively and ensure that all aspects of a launch are executed smoothly and efficiently.

Flash Pack’s Short Stay Adventures to Albania, Morocco, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Turkey and Georgia are live now. Come explore them and get inspired for your next whistlestop escape.

Krishna Vyas, Lauren Barker, Chin Stead and Elena Damiani all work to curate adventures as part of Flash Pack’s innovation team. 

Interested in a career with Flash Pack? Visit our careers page to find out more about our global work culture, benefits and current vacancies.