Philip Atkins is the founder, owner, and operator of Global Expeditions, Inc. He began the company in 1989 with a handful of family and friends and has been in operation ever since. Global has remained a small and highly diverse technical group of guide professionals spanning 11 Western States and a multitude of foreign countries.
Philip first developed his interest in running outdoor recreational activities for people as a Guest Recreation Director with Yosemite Park and Curry Company in Yosemite National Park, California. From 1978-86, he helped run many of the activities in the park including: river rafting, biking, downhill skiing, mountaineering, cross-country skiing, and ice skating. He was instrumental in developing biking trails, rafting operations and a river communications network throughout the park. Philip was a member of the local Search and Rescue team for climbing and river related incidents. He also served as a company liaison between YP&C Co. and the National Park Service for swift water rescues inside and outside of Yosemite National Park.
From 1984-88, Philip was the Nordic Ski Director for the Bohart/Crosscut Ranch near Bozeman, Montana, where he served as a nordic and alpine guide in and around the Bridger Mountain Range. Phil was one of the program designers and ski director of the “Winter Survival and Nordic Ski Class PE-261” for Montana State University and was an instructor for Winter Survival courses for the United States Navy and Air Force Special Warfare Group. Additionally, he was trained by the United States Forest Service Blasting Certification program for avalanche control and was an avalanche and cold weather specialist for the Bohart/Crosscut ski area.
Philip went on to become an instructor/guide for Colorado Outward Bound School’s Multi-Environment Program. This elite group of specialized guides work in any environment–winter, river, canyons, deserts, mountains and rock–delivering safe, high-quality recreation to their guests. Philip quickly became one of the senior staff and would spend about 280 days a year in the field. He also became a corporate and VIP specialist, working with corporate executives, VIP’s and government officials from several foreign countries to deliver safe, remote trips in extreme locations. He later co-wrote staff technical manuals and standard operating procedures and served as a member of Outward Bound’s Safety Review Team.
Then in 1989, Philip founded Global Expeditions Inc. From 1990 to 1995, Philip and his fledgling company became the lead consulting company for the Marlboro Adventure Team Project. He was picked as the Director of Operations for the Marlboro Adventure Team and worked closely from its inception with International Management Group (IMG) out of New York City. Philip worked on every element of the program, from developing itineraries for staff and clients to securing permits. At the time, this was recognized as the largest promotion of its kind in US history and was credited with earning over $5 billion for Philip Morris USA.
Philip branched into television, advertising, and motion picture production early on in Global Expedition’s history. With the experience gained in organizing the Marlboro Adventure Team he started to provide location scouting, support, and production services to the associated Marlboro advertising shoots.
Philip was building a good reputation for Global and he began work in the film industry as a safety and reconnaissance consultant for “Conquer the Arctic”, filmed in Finland, Sweden and Norway. He worked on projects including, “The Ultimate Challenge” and “Survival of the Fittest”, a made-for-television special that appeared on ESPN in both Europe and the US.
In 1993, Philip joined International Management Group (IMG) through its subsidiary, Trans-World International (TWI), with whom he worked throughout Eastern Africa as part of a two-man advance team scouting mountain gorillas and the elusive African Leopard for the made-for-television special, “The Ends Of The Earth”, which appeared on the USA Network in 1994.
Through Global Expeditions Inc., Philip has helped produce dozens of film and photo shoots for Leo Burnett Tokyo, Leo Burnett Germany and Leo Burnett USA; provided scouting and location services for feature films such as City Slickers II, Geronimo, Pontiac Moon, and consumer product companies such as Oolong Tea, Qantas, Coca-Cola, Jeep, Johnny Walker, Taco Bell and General Mills for their Wheaties brand.
From 1993-95, Philip was able to position Global Expeditions Inc. as the lead business consulting company in the design, development, and operations of the Marlboro Unlimited Train Program for the Events Group at Philip Morris USA. Global Expeditions Inc. was responsible for finding suitable properties and qualified outfitters to participate in this impressive $500 million dollar U.S. promotion. Philip was responsible for the management of a $30 million dollar budget that included: extensive venue reconnaissance; venue layouts; itineraries; Forest Service, BLM, and Park Service land use contracts; private outfitter contract negotiations; staffing, development of staff training and operating manuals; on and off train guest activities; development of standard operating procedures and protocol manuals for vendors; safety and emergency action plan manuals for vendors; passenger handling protocols; communication networks throughout six states; risk management communications; public relations management; and the management of 36 on-train staff.
This experience led directly to Philip and Global Expeditions Inc. being awarded a consulting contract with The Walt Disney Company to develop the Disney Hyperion Northwest Train Project. The concept of the train came out of the Buena Vista New Business Office under Vice President of New Business, Ellen Guidera. CEO Michael Eisner specifically requested that the New Business Office develop a sample North West route for their Hyperion Train concept. This adventure travel concept was based on guests traveling by train during the day with separate land-based lodging during the night. Philip’s responsibilities included reconnaissance, venue layouts and itineraries, on and off train activities, as well as budget forecasting. Additional spin-off projects included development of time-share adventure travel properties for Disney on the east and west coasts of the United States.
Philip was contracted in 1998 by Abercrombie & Kent International Inc. to develop core products and stabilize new business throughout North America. Abercrombie & Kent at the time was considered the largest, most exclusive, and perhaps the most admired travel company in the world.
Philip developed a business plan and identified key businesses to purchase to create a foundation for A&K in the North American travel theater. Philip then was hired initially as Executive Vice President and later as President of Abercrombie & Kent North America. During his tenure, he acquired two companies for A&K and started several others in strategic locations and developed many other A&K programs throughout the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Hawaiian Islands.
Philip played a key role in the development of A&K's Active brand worldwide and its safety programs. In addition to building A&K’s North American business, Philip personally created and implemented vacations for some of A&K's most elite clientele, including Bill Gates, Tim Allen, Kevin Costner, Dan Akroyd, William Randolph Hearst III.
His business connections and diverse network on a global scale enables him to secure the best in accommodations, planes, trains, yachts, and unique ground movement for his clients. His professional demeanor and charisma as an articulate guide and his impeccable attention to detail in the service background make him an outstanding personal trip leader anywhere in the world. Combined with knowledge of some of the more remote places on the globe, Philip has a keen ability to operate first class vacations anywhere on the planet and he consistently is able to produce vacation products unparalleled anywhere in the industry.
Philip’s acumen is not limited strictly to business and bottom lines. He remains an active outdoorsman and continues to guide and lead exotic high-end adventure trips throughout the world. His passion for adventure is contagious, his stories enchanting. His knowledge of the American West is enough to keep clients returning year after year wanting more adventure in their lives.