Onward and upward! New travel business connects organizations with unique experiences

Onward Travel Co. is a new service that provides customized trips for organizations and their members.

The travel service was started by Molly Crist and her sister Katerina Clauhs, with inspiration firmly rooted in family.

"My mom and grandmother had a cooking school and they did trips every year when I was growing up. Cooking classes all over the world. It was wonderful for the business and I've always been very inspired by that," says Crist.

Crist, who started the Silver Spork food truck when she moved to Grand Rapids a few years ago, says her business model goes beyond satisfying an individual's wanderlust, but is really a marketing platform for organizations to build brand loyalty and engage and retain their customers in a new and unique way. 

The first trip for Onward is a collaboration with AIGA West Michigan, destination Reykjavik, Iceland, where the itinerary includes attending a design festival, multiple tours and networking opportunities, and a stay at Kex Hostel.

"Traveling with a group is amazing," Crist says, adding that, by designing a itinerary with a group, you are able to access events, visit businesses and create unique experiences that an individual typically is not able to do.
 
After the Iceland trip, Crist is working with Amore Trattoria for a "foodies" trip to Italy tentatively called Amore in Italy. Crist is also working to bring a group from her sister's cooking school, the Cooking Cottage, to Grand Rapids in May during Tulip Time.

To learn more about Onward Travel Co. you can view their site here. 

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor.