Detours Gay Travel Blog
A Conversation with Our New Owner
- Feb 18, 2026
Since its beginning, Detours has always been about people first. From the guests who trust us with their travel plans, to the team behind the scenes and the trip leaders out in the field, it’s the people who shape the Detours experience. Since that very first trip to Thailand in 2012, Detours has continued to evolve, guided quietly by the people who have carried it forward from our office in Vancouver and around the world.
Over the coming months, we will be sharing stories of the dedicated team behind the scenes in a few different ways, sometimes here on the blog, sometimes through our newsletter, and sometimes on social media. These are the people who help shape the Detours experience every day, including Daniel, Shane, Brandon, Maurice, and Laura.
With Daniel stepping into this next chapter as the new owner of Detours, it felt right to start here.
Getting to Know Daniel
Before diving into the bigger questions, we started with a few quick ones to get to know Daniel a little better.
Quick Takes with Daniel
Coffee order: Triple non-fat latte; one sugar in the morning. Matcha latte if it’s after noon.
Go-to comfort food: Japanese curry rice, especially on a cold day.
Last book you read: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid. Couldn’t help it!
Currently listening to: Private Blizzard by Dhruv.
Window or aisle: Aisle, unless on a short red-eye.
City streets or quiet nature: Ideally nature by day and city (or at least town) by night.
One word to describe a great travel day: Unscripted.
What Drew Daniel to Detours
Before we talk about what’s next, what first drew you to Detours as it already existed?
Gosh - where to begin. First, it only took about 30 seconds of research to see the stacks of glowing reviews that Detours has received over the years. It was obvious that everyone, from the office staff to the trip leaders, at Detours is incredibly good at what they do.
Secondly, I poked around the Detours website and was pleasantly surprised that every single trip that they offer looked like one that I’d personally want to go on. The itineraries were all clearly researched meticulously and an enormous amount of care was given to make the trips relaxing, yet gratifying.
Finally, in looking through the profiles of all the staff and trip leaders, I felt that I might have found some kindred spirits. While the individual interests differed quite a bit - from film, to boating, to the dramatic arts - the passion for travel was clear.
Learning from the Leadership
Miles and Shane built Detours with a strong focus on its community. What did you learn from spending time with them before stepping into this role and during the transition?
Spending time with Miles and Shane made it clear that Detours’ community isn’t a marketing idea. It is the product. I learned how much trust is built through consistency, care, and showing up for people long after a trip ends. Miles and Shane have both been deeply intentional about listening to guests and trip leaders and letting those relationships guide decisions, and I intend to continue in their footsteps.
What the Detours Experience Feels Like
What does “traveling the Detours way” or the “Detours Travel Concept” mean to you, not in theory, but in how it feels when you’re actually on a trip?
I think it’s a pretty cool mix of “leaving the driving to someone else” but also having agency over your time on the trip and not feeling like a sheep that’s being herded.
It’s also down-to-earth. We stay in nice places - I’ve even personally picked some of them on our recently announced trips in France, Japan, and Ireland and Scotland - but usually don’t have dinner in places that require jackets or expect diners to know the difference between a fish fork and a steak fork.
The People Behind the Trips
Detours guests often say the trip leaders and staff are what keep them coming back. What stood out to you when you met the team in Whistler?
I was floored, to be honest. Every single person whom I met felt like someone who I would have been close friends with had we gone to college together. It’s not just that we’re all passionate about travel, but I was struck by how approachable and down-to-earth everyone was. I would happily be led on a trip by everyone I met.
Navigating the Transition
For travelers who have shared meaningful moments with Miles, Shane, and our trip leaders over the years, what would you want them to know about how you’re approaching this transition?
I see no value in fixing something that isn’t broken. The core of what makes Detours special, the “structured spontaneity,” isn’t going anywhere. Miles may not be leading trips for Detours anymore, but he created something special that I absolutely intend to carry forward.
Looking Ahead
How do you balance protecting what makes Detours special with the responsibility of guiding it into its next chapter?
One of my hypotheses about buying Detours was that there’s an incredible amount of room for growth, but I want to be thoughtful and measured in how we grow. The next chapter of Detours will include not just more destinations, but also varying levels of luxury and prices. My goal is to continue to bring more people into this magical community that Miles and Shane built before me.
The Moments That Matter Most
What kind of moments do you hope Detours travelers are still talking about years from now, long after the trip ends?
I hope the moments that stick with travelers aren't just the sights that they saw, but the unexpected human connections like a shared meal with a local family or a new friendship with a fellow traveler. If years later they remember who they met more than where they went, we’ve done our job.
A First Impression
If a longtime Detours traveler runs into you on a trip for the first time, what do you hope they’ll say about how Detours feels under your leadership?
I hope they’ll say that they didn’t even realize that Detours had been sold, other than perhaps fewer redundant vowels that they encounter in emails with the owner ;).
What’s Next
This conversation with Daniel is just the beginning. Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing more stories from the people behind the scenes who help shape the Detours experience every day.
Thanks for being part of the journey.