Wonder Tours aims to build buzz about going out in Longmont, beyond – Longmont Times-Call

Jennifer Ferguson wants to be in the business of creating memorable experiences.

After starting Discover Longmont Tours in August 2017 to introduce Longmont eateries to locals, Ferguson wants people to discover more. There are many interesting places that aren’t on their radars, she said.

“My goal is to create new favorite places people can tell their friends about, and go there again and again,” said Ferguson, who recently bought a new bus to ferry people around.

That’s why she’s rebranding her business as Wonder Tours with an official launch party Thursday at the Wild Game Entertainment Experiencein Longmont.

Ferguson aims to broaden the scope of tours from food and drink to other themes. She plans to develop customizable tours, she said “Made in Colorado” is one idea she wants to pursue.

A lot of people come to Longmont to visit family, and they might not be aware of all the interesting sites in the area, said Ferguson, who works as operations manager at Boomtown Accelerators.

Wonder Tours will help them help explore the community while they sample the local culinary delights in a friendly manner, she said. “My goal is to expand beyond Longmont. Wonder Tours is about giving people a memorable experience.”

Part of the rebranding efforts include the launching of a new annual membership costing $100. It will give customers a 50 percent discount on tour tickets they buy for themselves, Ferguson said. “I’m entirely focused on locals. My business model is based on creating repeat business for local establishments.”

As an entrepreneur with an MBA, Ferguson saw a business opportunity when she realized how hard it is for restaurant owners to get people in the doors. Her tours have helped people get a closer look at restaurants and their owners.

Now, she thinks by expanding her business model, she will be able to curate more value-added culinary experiences for her clients.

Often restaurants fail, because they can’t build a repeat clientele, she said. Wonder Tours will be able to offer programs with multiple options and variety to bring new and repeat customers to local eating and drinking joints, Ferguson said. She plans to develop six to 10 tours lasting up to three hours. Her goal is to have a daily tour option, she said.

Wonder Tours can accommodate 18 people on the bus, but the ideal group is a little smaller than that, she said.

“More people can be challenging for restaurants to manage,” she said.

Nancy Rezac, executive director of Visit Longmont, has been on one of Ferguson’s culinary tours. “She does a good job of mixing cuisines.”

Visit Longmont is active on social media, and sends out a monthly newsletter to 1,500 subscribers informing of activities and events in Longmont, Rezac said.

Ferguson’s tours complement her organization’s mission of making Longmont a place to see and explore, she said. “It’s a useful service to the city.”

Pratik Joshi: 303-684-5310, [email protected]