The ‘Adventures in Travel Expo’ is set to be the biggest Adventure Travel Expo ever. Being hosted in New York at the Jacob K Javits Center, it is set to blow all other similar exhibitions out of the water. With features such as a dive pool and a rock-wall, and sponsors such as American Express and the New York Post, the city is preparing for an avalanche of adventure travel exhibitors. One man behind the whole operation is Daniel Burge, an ‘Englishman in New York’. A man full of wisdom and adventure, he once trekked across the Himalayas solo, Caribbean Travel News stole a minute of his time to answer the Sixty Second interview.

Name:
Daniel Burge

Company:
Adventures in Travel Expo(Unicomm)

Position:
Senior Sales Director

Past Careers:
Manager of a residential care home for the elderly and 10 years of organising and consulting for the expo industry

How many years with the company:
1

Hometown:
Caherhurley, County Clare, Ireland and Milford Connecticut

Nickname (s):
Dan

Biggest challenge:
300 mile unsupported solo expedition to cross the Himalayas on foot in 1998

Goals for the future:
Organising 4 world-class travel expos in the USA over the next 12 months and becoming a professional homeopath in 2007

Most annoying thing people ask me:
Do you have an accent?

Best personal quality:
Honesty

Favourite quote or phrase:
Let the beauty of what you love be what you do - Rumi

Favourite drink (both soft and alcoholic!):
Water, Whiskey, Guinness and champagne

Latest book:
I haven’t written one yet

Favourite movie star:
Currently Sarah Bolger, one of the children in “In America”.

Heroes:
Hannuman the legendary Indian monkey god. When Laxman, the brother of God Ram was killed, Hannuman was sent to bring a particular herb ‘mritsanjivani’ from a Mountain called Gandarmardhan, that was a botanical wonder of herbs, with properties that could revive a dead person. When Hannuman arrived there in search of the herbal plant he was so confused by the diversity of the plants that he could not recognise which plant was the true or precise mritsanjivani. He did what at that time was the obvious. He picked up the whole mountain, flew with it to the battlefield, and Laxman was brought back to life.

Favourite vacation spot:
Anywhere hot and sunny - it’ll be Goa this February

Things you love about the Internet:
Instant information

Things you hate about the Internet:
Viruses

Latest online purchase:
Some cool diesel sneakers

Favourite travel site:
Mine - www.adventureexpo.com

Favourite overall site:
www.zefrank.com and www.guardian.co.uk

Favourite Beach in the Caribbean:
Any that I’ve been to so far. Punta Cana in June had particularly nice water.

Favourite Caribbean dish:
Jerk Chicken. And a steak from a French Brassiere in Nassau this year

In favour/not in favour of cruise industry:
As long as it and all other travel sectors, move towards providing customers with authentic cultural experiences, and education on the real environmental impact of vacationing then I’m in favour.

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