Send Your Stuffies On The Adventure Of Their Lives

A new travel agency gives beloved teddy bears a chance to experience Iceland

Words: Catharine Fulton Images: Stock

We’ve heard of a teddy bear hospital. We’ve attended a teddy bear picnic or two in our day. But a teddy travel agency was new to us. So when it came to our attention that

Kidarchy participant Jakob Friðrik Jakobsson had launched a new business providing oncein-a-lifetime travel experiences to teddy bears from around the world, we were intrigued.

To those who know Jakob, a teddy-themed business idea didn’t come as a surprise. The adults behind Kidarchy tell me the 11-year old is seldom seen without a favourite stuffy in tow. It turns out the reason for that is quite simple, as Jakob pate before, which is just fantastic.”

Elfa reiterates that the whole selection process is anonymous, and judges select participants based on their musical and creative talents, as opposed to potential biassing factors.

As a testament to the Upbeat’s success, right after our interview, Elfa was preparing to meet with the consul of Hong Kong. “We won the international YAM (Young Audiences explains, “teddies are very likeable and cute.”

It all began with an idea

Jakob got the idea for starting a teddy travel agency from a cousin who thought it would be a fun idea, as well as from his own lifelong love of taking his own beloved stuffed animals on trips — their favourite place to go is on airplanes and to London to visit Hamleys and Build-A-Bear. We can only assume Jakob’s parents are happy to pay for extra baggage allowance because the young entrepreneur tells us “my bags are full of teddies” when he travels.

Motivation aside, what is a teddy travel agency?

On his Facebook page “Teddy Travel Iceland.”

Jakob explains that it’s a one-of-a-kind travel agency for teddy bears and other soft friends of yours.” He explains that, as an avid collector and lover of stuffed animals, he will take the best of care of any stuffies entrusted to his care, shuttling them around to the hottest spot in Reykjavík, like Hallgrímskirkja, Tjörnin pond, galleries and exhibitions, cafes and restaurants, and more. They may even get a peek at the Icelandic education system by following young Jakob to school.

How it all works

Once arrangements have been made with the teddy bear connoisseur, customers simply have to ship their beloved bear to Reykjavík, where it will be toured around town, put up at night in its own bed and maybe even make friends with Jakob’s favourite teddy Minta, a green bear who wears reading glasses. Jakob will send photos of his guests’ adventures back to their owners and, after a few days, carefully pack them back up to return home with great new life experiences.

Just think, for the cost of postage your beloved stuffed bear, cat, bunny or platypus can become a bonafide world traveller. Act now and you might even be Jakob’s first customer — hey, everybody’s got to start somewhere.