January 30th, 2015
Published by
Karissa Jobman
How Bucket Began
It all began one year ago to date, before either of us even had a seed of the Bucket idea in our head. We met just three weeks into our internship with Southwest Airlines. Both of us were fresh out of college and full of ideas for the world. Our initial attraction was an energy of exploration, entrepreneurship and world transformation; hence why we both signed up for the 'flight of our lives' - a chance to gain business experience while reaping the benefits of free domestic flights for an entire semester. Within days of our first interaction, the lists began. Everyday we would meet for our 60 minute lunch break, notebook in hand, as we began arguing politics, purposing business plans, and planning our next great adventure for a weekend flight around the country.
Our bucket list for our intern days was as long as time was limited. Flying from Dallas Love Field, we sought to hit every corner of the country and major city in between. New York City, Seattle, Denver, Boston, St. Louis, and the list continued as we spent countless hours in airports patiently awaiting our names to be released from the standby list. While it was an anxiety-ridden time, our early mornings in the airport were sacred, as it gave us the perfect time to incubate on our next bucket list often scribbled on the back of a non-rev ticket, where we would plan a 24-hour crash course on our approaching weekend getaway.
Atlanta: World of Coke, Olympic Park, Chicken and Waffles, Stone Mountain, Civil Rights Museum
Ready?
The engine of the Boeing 737 jet revs as we shared our love for Latin America and discussed our ambitions of the future. Daniel, from Ecuador, tells me about how he would love to see the tourism industry in Quito grow, while I ramble on about my obsession with South American travel, after just returning from a four month stay in Buenos Aires. Our entrepreneurial minds churn: how can we expand access to tourism in these less traveled countries?
Go.
And thus Bucket began. We wanted the world to experience the cultures of developing cities that were close to our hearts as much as we desired to see them grow economically. But in order for travelers to access these locations, we saw a need for a greater convenience in tourism. Without electronic ticketing, accessible websites, or ample information, navigating these destinations to a foreigner is intimidating.
And then it clicked.
By partnering with top attractions in these cities, we could help others achieve their bucket list, while exposing the world to the beauty of these diverse cultures. A pass granting access to the city's top attractions would make travel more accessible, but still give adventurers like us the flexibility to create their own journey and connections.
Bucket would allow just that - giving travelers their own wings to explore.