TORONTO — For Lou-Anne Fradsham, specializing in niche travel meant getting back on the saddle – literally.

The Toronto-based Leisure Manager of Uniglobe Bon Voyage Travel, who has been a travel advisor for over 30 years, has always loved selling adventure travel and sports groups. But it was only recently that she honed in on horseback riding, a passion that she acquired at 65 years of age following years of being terrified of horses.

Lou-Anne Fradsham (far left) with her horseback group in Banff-Credit Anne Oakes

“My mother purchased a large pony – Gordie – for my two younger sisters, which I also rode occasionally. One day, Gordie tried throwing me off by banging against the fence. My foot got caught in the reins and I was dragged around the corral until a friend managed to get him under control. After that, I never went so much as near a horse again,” Fradsham tells Travelweek.

That is, until 46 years later in August 2021 when a friend convinced her to tag along on a three-night horseback riding trip in Banff. Fradsham’s initial reaction was “Are you kidding me?” But despite her fears, she soon found herself booked on the trip with three friends. 

Fradsham’s horseback group at Copper Cayuse Outfitters, BC-Credit Anne Oakes

“There was no cell phone service, just stunning views of the mountains. I survived the steep terrain and learned some things about riding. After the trip, I wanted to go again – I was hooked!”

It was because of this trip (and one gentle-natured horse named Freddie) that Fradsham was able to reignite her passion for horseback riding. Fuelled by this passion, she quickly went to work planning a trip for the following summer, this one with Copper Cayuse Outfitters, a horseback riding company based in Pemberton, BC. She put together a group of nine, a mishmash of friends and their friends with varying skill levels, with the help of founder Don Coggins. 

“Don was so easy to work with and tailor-made our group to what we wanted to do,” says Fradsham, adding that Coggins pays 10% commission and is very happy to work with agents. “We stayed in tents pitched on platforms, had outdoor showers, and Don cooked all our meals, which we ate outside under the stars. He even supplied the Baileys!”

The trip was such a success, in fact, that five group members wanted to keep the fun going. “So I planned a five-day driving extension to Vancouver Island and booked a houseboat that doubled as a B&B,” adds Fradsham.

With this core group, Fradsham built a niche business that now includes an annual horseback trip. This past summer, she escorted a three-night getaway to Cache Riding Stables in Deer Lake, NL where they rode horses in Gros Morne National Park (“It was a wet trip but a great trip,” she says), and is currently planning for next year’s adventure in the Yukon with Yukon Horsepacking Adventures.

“I do my research on the web and scout out the places. Now that I’ve done three trips, I know what I’m looking for to make sure everyone is safe, the horses are good and looked after and, of course, the price is right,” says Fradsham.

Looking ahead, Fradsham hopes to build out her business to eventually host horseback riding trips across Canada, in addition to destinations like Ireland and Iceland. 

When asked for any words of advice for other travel agents looking to go niche, she suggests tapping into their own interests.

“It’s easier to sell your niche market if you have a passion for the product and you already have the experience and knowledge, which will make your clients feel more comfortable booking the product,” she says. 

Fradsham also adds that a niche trip doesn’t have to be the entire trip.

“Horseback trips, for example, can be added to a trip – they don’t have to be the focal point,” she says. “On our B.C. trip, we did four days of horseback riding before enjoying a five-night holiday on the island. The same thing happened in Deer Lake, where we added a seven-day trip around Newfoundland and Saint-Pierre. 

“By adding a bit of everything, everyone ends up loving these trips and are looking forward to more.”

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