1. How long has your business been operating, and how did it start up?

Fiji Adventures began 7 years ago, and has had many metamorphoses since that time, until it reached its current incantation (which is again due to expand and change - always!). We moved to Fiji 10 years ago and after a year or two it became obvious to us that tourists weren't seeing the "real Fiji" that we had discovered. We found people sitting by the pool, sipping tropical drinks, complaining that there was "nothing to do." "Nothing to do?", we thought. How could that be? After several years we had still not seen everything there was to see! There are over 300 islands in the archipelago, and it would take a lifetime to explore them all. We began our research (we can't call it work, because it wasn't - it was pure bliss) and came up with exceptional packages and ways to explore Fiji's unique biodiversity and native cultures. And our tagline says it all: "your adventure begins where the road ends"!

2. What are the main attractions of your activity in the area you operate?

Cultural encounters, sea and river kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, waterfall treks, rainforest hikes, surfing, romance and rejuvenation, mountain biking, sailing, cruising, all water sports, village visits.

3. What unique features do you offer?

Our most unique feature is that we are a U.S. company, but two of our managers live here, in the Fiji Islands. This helps us keep up-to-date on what is new and exciting, and what is old and worn. We are constantly updating our packages - adding adventures, taking out ones that don't measure up to our requirements.

We also strive to become as knowledgeable as possible about our clients – in a way that by the time they get here, they think of us as their friends. We know that someone who expects 24-hour room service would not be happy in a thatched hut on the beach, and conversely, that someone who's looking to have that enriching cultural experience would be more happy sitting around with the villagers eating fresh fish cooked over an open fire, rather than staying in a room in Sheraton.

4. What do your customers appreciate in you the most?

The personalized, custom service we provide. We treat each individual as just that - an individual. There is no "perfect resort", that is "one size fits all." And likewise, there is not one itinerary for everyone. We specialize in matching resorts and activities to the individual, instead of fitting the individual into a pre-designed package. Each person's preference, dreams, ideas and budget is considered, and we offer several itinerary options, with choices of islands, resorts, and activities that fit specific requests. As an example, here's a comment that was posted on Frommer's online: "I would suggest you contact Susan Rungo at Fiji Adventures. Her advice and help has been the salvation to my trip! I truly would have been lost without her advice and assistance!!"

5. You have been an InfoHub partner since February 2001. How would you describe your experience of working with InfoHub?

I would have to say that signing up for InfoHub is the best corporate decision we've ever made. I would accredit 80% of our growth during these past 5 years to our links and packages listed with InfoHub. We now have automatic payment for our hot trips, but before we signed up for that, I could immediately tell when our money ran out - requests dropped significantly. As soon as we "refilled" our InfoHub coffers, requests increased. InfoHub is our most valuable marketing tool, and I highly recommend also signing on to the Hot Trips section, as this has proven to be extremely productive for us, in addition to the regular listings.

6. You have been quite successful in converting InfoHub referrals into bookings. Our records show that you have been paying InfoHub $9.28 for each referral. How would you explain your success?

First of all, as I stated, we have our itineraries listed with both the regular listing and with Hot Trips. I think that combo has been extremely effective for us. Secondly, we specialize in the Fiji Islands, and have a lot of package itineraries. So when people are "web surfing" for Fiji packages, most likely one of ours will come up as a hit. We try to fully explain our itineraries in a colorful manner, painting a picture with words (and also with pictures).

7. How do you follow up with the referrals InfoHub sends you?

I'd like to say we follow up immediately, but lately have been busy and unfortunately we haven't been as diligent this month as we have in the past. However, we answer each inquiry with a personal email. We have several "form statements" that we use, but intersperse with personalized comments geared to the requests the individual makes.

We also send a series of questions asking things that require a return email. E.g. will you need airfare included, what level of accommodation are you interested in, do you have a budget you want us to work with, etc. This then establishes a relationship, and we find that once you establish this, and show the customers you are interested in them, as individuals, and are willing to do whatever is needed to ensure that they have the trip of a lifetime, most frequently you establish a loyalty and will get a booking. If not a booking, at least you will make a good impression, so even if the customer does not book, they will remember you as a positive company that did their best to assist, and maybe even recommend you to others. I just booked a family dive trip and the mother told me that we were the only company who actually asked questions and attempted to find out who they were and what they wanted. Everyone else she contacted just sent her pre-packaged dive vacations. As a result, we got the booking - they are going to two different resorts, and will not only be diving, but getting spa treatments, going on a sea kayaking trip, dolphin watching tour, and more. It just requires a bit of effort. We also never send out brochures before we receive a reply back.