Homeworker plans ‘adventure hub’ in Ashdown Forest amid expansion

Homeworking travel agent Elle Pinkard plans to open an “adventure hub” in the New Forest as her two brands expand with new staff and increased turnover.

 

The Protected Travel Services (PTS) agent is the founder of LGBTQ+ specialist Destination Rainbow and Adventures By, based in Kent and East Sussex.

 

“Both Destination Rainbow and Adventures By have grown in ways I could not have imagined a couple of years ago,” said Pinkard.

 

“Adventures By has grown from a very small operation into a busy boutique agency with a loyal client base, a growing team of homeworkers, and now our first in-person adventure hub opening in East Sussex in the middle of Ashdown Forest in July.

 

“We have expanded what we offer, from tailor-made adventures to ski trips, cruises, safaris and even wellness escapes – all built around our clients and what matters to them.

 

“Our focus is on growing the team in a way that keeps everything very personal and very client focussed.”

She said the Adventure Hub will open two days a week at Babylon Eco Centre.

 

“It’s creative, nature-filled and community-minded, and I’d love to see it grow into a proper local space where clients can pop in for a coffee and a chat about their next trip, and where we can host events with our favourite suppliers,” she said.

 

“I’d also love to grow the team with the right specialists who can help us expand our expertise even further. It would be amazing to find a cruise specialist, a wedding specialist and a honeymoon specialist who can each bring their own passion and knowledge to the business, while keeping the personal, bespoke service we are known for.”

 

More: Your Stories: Why Elle Pinkard set up Destination Rainbow for LGBTQ+ families [September 2023]

 

Emma Butterworth, who met Pinkard on a fam trip to Malta last year, has become the business development manager for Adventures By.

 

The brand has just taken on its fifth homeworker, with recruitment happening “naturally through word-of-mouth and chance encounters”.

 

“Emma and Karen are both local to me, which has worked out beautifully. They will be covering East Sussex and Kent and will be based in and around our new travel hub,” said Pinkard.

 

“Emma has been working with me in the office one day a week and from home the rest of the time, but we all expect to be at the Adventure Hub more regularly now.

 

“Karen is a former travel journalist, a clinical hypnotherapist and an NLP practitioner, which makes her so well positioned as a wellbeing travel specialist.”

 

Pinkard said Destination Rainbow has become “so much more than just a travel agency”.

 

“It is now a platform for LGBTQ+ families who want to see themselves reflected in the world,” she said.

 

“I have built strong partnerships with hotels and suppliers who are genuinely committed to inclusivity and launched our own Destination Rainbow Approved programme to recognise those that go above and beyond for LGBTQ+ travellers.

 

“Destination Rainbow is still very much just me for now, but I am actively looking for the right person to help shape its next chapter – ideally someone with a background in travel who is just as passionate as I am about LGBTQ+ representation, and who is looking for something more involved than a homeworker role.”

 

She added: “We have seen really steady, healthy growth year on year. Turnover for 2025 is already around double what we did in 2024, which was itself double what we achieved in 2023, and passenger numbers are following a similar pattern.

 

“It has been organic, manageable growth, exactly how I want it, and it has come through word-of-mouth, repeat clients and people connecting with what we are about.”

 

Emma Collis, executive director at PTS, said: “Adventures By and Destination Rainbow have been valued PTS members since 2021.

 

“Founded by Elle Pinkard, what began as a small independent homeworking agency has grown into a thriving business, now with a team of five additional agents.

 

“Most notably, Elle, her wife, and their three children were recently invited by Sea Breeze Beach House in Barbados to participate in a professional photo campaign that went beyond simply saying ‘everyone is welcome’, it was a genuine expression of that ethos.”

Collis also highlighted how Pinkard has contributed to a report on LGBTQ+ tourism and spoke about inclusion on a panel at World Travel Market 2024.

 

“The entire team at Adventures By highlights passion, professionalism, and each have their own unique area of expertise. It’s a true pleasure to work alongside them and to witness their continued success and growth,” said Collis.

 

Pinkard also won the Woman Mentee of the Year: Individual Entrepreneur award at the International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum (IWTTF) Awards last week, held by Women in Travel CIC.

 

“I became a mentee because I knew I wanted to grow my business, but I felt a bit stuck on how best to do that,” said Pinkard.

 

“I was lucky to be matched with Andrew Hunt, founder of Holiday Architects, and I couldn’t have asked for a better fit.

 

“He built his business from his spare room, which is exactly the kind of growth journey I’m on now.

 

“We originally met at World Travel Market when we were both speaking on panels, but since then we’ve been catching up monthly over Zoom.

 

“It’s been invaluable having someone to bounce ideas off, offload the occasional stress to, and learn from.

 

“Andrew always helps shape our chats into action points, which has made me far more accountable and I know it’s helping me become a better and more successful business owner. The mentorship programme with Women in Travel CIC finishes at the end of the year, and I’m already sad about it and wondering how I will survive without it.”

She said winning the award was an “incredible” moment, especially as she received it from fellow mentee Beth Alcorn.