KOCHI: For those seeking an adrenaline rush, nothing can beat the feel of the wind on the face, the engine’s thrum, and the scenery rushing past on either side as one rides through less-travelled roads.
But how many have thought of turning this passion for adventure into a lucrative business? Likely not many.
Well, two cousins from Kochi, who are also ardent bikers, decided to turn their love for bike tours into a startup. Anand George and Joseph P Jojo have set up a company called Expedour — a name inspired by the words ‘Expedition, Experience and Tour’.
In Anand’s words, the company embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery.
“The travel bug had bitten us right from childhood,” he says. The cousins hail from a family that used to go on tours regularly, especially during the school holidays.
“However, those tours with the family happened in cars. As we grew up, bikes became our preferred mode of transport. We used to take off on long rides along with our band of cousins. Those rides were thrilling,” he recalls.
After a while though, these tours became less frequent as each got enveloped in their careers or studies.
“After Class XII, Joseph went on to become an engineer while I got busy with preparing for my Chartered Accountancy course. After finishing college, I joined EY in Bengaluru and Joseph began helping out with his father’s business,” explains Anand.
The catalyst for forming the company was a ten-day bike tour programme to Leh and the Northeast that Anand took part in when he was in Bengaluru.
“The bike tour was arranged by a touring company. So, while on the trip, one of the participants asked whether I had been to Maharashtra. When I said no, he urged me to go on a bike trip and even listed some interesting places to visit. Intrigued by his suggestion I asked him whether he had been on a bike tour in Kerala. He then asked me if there are companies that organised such tours here,” says Anand.
It was then that he realised the lacunae in this sector. He found that Kerala didn’t have such a company yet.
“The only bike tours happening in the state were the ones organised by biking communities. But a company dedicated to organising
bike tours was lacking. This led to the founding of Expedour,” says Joseph, its co-founder.
Expedour, which began operations in 2023, offers tailor-made experiences for every type of traveller, whether you seek adventure, cultural immersion or relaxation.
Speaking more about Expedour and its tour packages, Joseph says, “Each tour is led by an experienced captain and supported by a dedicated team, ensuring a smooth and memorable journey.”
Explaining more about how they arrive at the routes, the founders highlight that they test out the route. “Everything from the destinations to the accommodation is tried out by us before they are included in the itinerary,” says Joseph.
The duo says their tour packages have become a hit. “We have got many of our customers coming back for new packages. In the past one-and-a-half years, we have conducted 35 to 40 tours,” says Anand. We have two types of tours, weekend (two or three days) and seven-day tours (Kerala bike expedition) that have bikers travelling through Kochi-Munnar-Thekkady-Alappuzha.
The company has expanded into the rental sector too. “We also rent out bikes and scooters near Kochi airport, filling a gap in the local market,” says Anand.
Currently, Expedour operates tours across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and parts of Karnataka. There are also plans to expand to Bengaluru soon by setting up an office there.