Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Schugel
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up traveling with my family. During my childhood we would set foot in nearly all 50 States over the course of many summer vacations. We had adventures, big and small, that will remain indelible memories, the kind that when brought back to mind provide joy and comfort, as well as a sense of my place in this world.
In 2002, Peace Corps sent me to Nicaragua. This was perhaps the most pivotal moment of my life. It was not the first time I had been abroad but it was certainly the first time I had been to a truly foreign country. THE door was opened and I walked through.
Many years after Peace Corps and many trips back and forth to Nicaragua led me to start my own travel company, ArtiCulture Tours (formerly Buen Viaje Tours), with the one goal, to share with others the country that changed my life. I landed more permanently in 2009 and spent the following six years leading tours and living an extraordinary life in Nicaragua before eventually returning home to Minneapolis, MN. Once back State-side, I decided to expand my love for leading tours to other countries that compelled me and began offering travel to Cuba and Morocco. One thing remained constant, my commitment to travel deeper, to offer my guests an honest and genuine understanding of a place and its people.
Everyone has a BoC (Because of Covid) story and I’m no exception. Covid took it’s toll on everyone, and I probably don’t need to mention that the travel and hospitality industry took a big hit. International travel came to a screeching halt and I buckled down. As we all started to emerge a year or so later it became evident that the way in which people travel had shifted and there was a renewed interest in all things domestic. During this time, I also had a renewed interest, my own city.
I approached Minneapolis the same way I approached my other destinations, with an eye for what makes it tick. After being away and out of the loop for years I started with a list of things I’d like to know more about. It’s the same list I travel with when visiting a new city. What’s the tallest building and how do I get to the top? Where is the art and how can I meet the artists? What’s the most popular and the most obscure? I’ll look for something in the middle. Why is everyone gathered here and not there? What does Uff da mean?! This new venture, Mpls City & Skyway Tours, began to take shape. My tours are a result of “What’s through this door, down that alley, around that corner?”
It brings me endless pleasure to meet people from all over the world and to hear their stories and their reasons for coming to Minneapolis. Young, older, couples, families, soloists, friend groups, here on business, here for fun. I feel fortunate to play even a small role in their travels. It’s always my hope that my guests leave with a well-rounded view of the city and the people who live here. My enthusiasm for present-day Minneapolis and my optimism for its future are real. I shamelessly want guests to go back home and brag about their visit to my city, but what I treasure most are the reviews that read, “It was like traveling with a good friend.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a one-woman tour operator specializing in locations that are often relegated to the shadows of glittery European destinations, the Internet poses the biggest challenge. It seems you need to be a big-box travel company with substantial capital offering cheap trips to cities and countries on trendy lists published by trendy magazines, in a realm where no one has the time or interest to scroll down, way down, to see what else is possible.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My downtown tours are designed for visitors and locals alike, and include just some of the things I find remarkable about the city. I seek out art, architecture and overlooked treasures along the streets and in the skyways, and share stories about the city’s past, present and future. I purposefully do not focus on information that can be easily accessed on Google. I want people to experience the city through personal anecdotes and active participation. I love visitors’ questions. They lead to interesting conversations that make each tour unique.
One thing that sets me apart is my experience as an international tour guide. I approach what’s local with a world-wide view and feel I’m able to make meaningful connections with people from near and far.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t believe in luck, good or bad, but I do believe in having an open mind and being in the right place at the right time. I follow my gut, I put myself out there, and I try not to miss it when that one really great thing is right in front of my face.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.minneapoliscitytours.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mplscitytours
