Today we’d like to introduce you to Felipe Correa.
Felipe, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was basically born in the Hospitality Industry. My first memories involve tour buses, airline and hotel swag, lots of travel. My dad is a seasoned airline executive. He gave me my first job at the Juan Santa Maria airport in Costa Rica. That was my first first-hand experience in the industry. I came to the U.S in 1991 to attend college, life happened and I ended up staying.
In 2002 I had an opportunity to go into business on my own and I took it. Resort Concierge services and in-house tour operation were the main focus. My wife and I named it “At Your Service Concierge.” We started this service at the Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort and successfully expanded to the Holiday Inn Fort Lauderdale beach, Bahia Mar Resort, and eventually to the Vacation Village Resort. Altogether, we provided fine Concierge services to more than 21oo resort units.
In 2006 we decided to focus primarily on the Tour Operation part of the business. That’s how Tours to You! was born. We established solid, high-quality, affordable sightseeing tours to the Florida Everglades, Miami, and the Florida Keys and Key West. To date, we have carried over 100k people to these destinations. The nature of the work gave me a great deal of exposure to Florida’s environment, people, and art. It was actually in a tour to Key West that I took my first “famous picture,” which ended up winning the Flagler 100 photo contest by the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce. I won a little camera, some attention, and a vision into what I really love and hope to do for the rest of my life, fine art photography. I’ve been passionately pursuing that form of art since 2012, eight solid years later, my photography has gained significant attention in a hyper-saturated field.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Far from smooth, I’d say, but I guess that is the norm in any industry where you want to emerge as one of the best in your particular field. I do recall the 2005 hurricane season as the one that nearly destroyed my business. Katrina, Rita, and the awful hurricane Wilma left me with a -$89 in my bank account. Literally penniless by the end of that year. It was then, at the very end of my rope, that the Vacation Village Resort wanted a meeting. The rest is history. Such a large resort, more than 1600 units, I had all the work I could handle. Once again, I had the capacity to show off the beauty I love and to pursue my artistic passion. I welcome every hardship as a life lesson. If I use the grit and grind properly, I may just be able to polish myself into a clearer and brighter being.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
We deliver serious sightseeing tours. While most operations focus on glitter and gossip and vice, we focus on Nature, history, people, art. We focus on Florida Virtue. We are proud to tell the story of the Real Florida warmly and sincerely. On the photography side I’ve done a fair amount of commercial photography in the Florida Keys. From the famous Islander Resort in Islamorada to the quirky Gilbert’s in Key Largo. I’m particularly proud of the work at the Islander, which enjoyed lots of attention on social media, and was even published in a multi-page spread in the Flamingo Magazine. I’ve also made the cover of the UNWIND magazine twice in their annual wildlife issue.
In addition, my travels through wild South Florida have yielded images that have gotten significant attention. In 2018 I was picked as a Keys Artist by the Florida Keys Council of he Arts and was added to their prestigious Culture Magazine. Also, in 2018 and 2019, I finished 3rd and 2nd, respectively in the Key West Photography festival. That is a particular honor that I treasure. Key West has been the home of some of the finest artists; I am proud to have my name added to that long list.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Check my ego. I know I am good at what I do, and at times I flexed that muscle a little too much. I realize now that that attitude made me too rigid at times, and at other times it got me into perilous situations, from which I am lucky to have come out alive. 2020 has been a great year to practice and grow my humility. All the adversity has helped to polish my mirror.
Pricing:
- Private 1-2 people Everglades Photo Safari (4 hours) $600
- Private 1-4 people Ten Thousand islands Photo Safari (8 hours) $800
- Photography Workshop – Beginner / Talented (6-8 Hours) $500
Contact Info:
- Address: 2797 N.E 51st Street #402 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
- Website: www.tourstoyou.net
- Phone: 954 756 2427
- Email: Felipe@tourstoyou.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tourstoyou
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/felipe.correa.503/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ToursToYou
- Other: https://www.huxley-lavellefineart.com/felipe-correa
Image Credit:
All photos directed/taken by Felipe Correa
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