WANDERLUST
MILLER XU AND MARIANE THUILLIER Founders of M2adventure
Interview by Sophie Steiner
“We always encourage people to try new things, discover hidden or off-the-beaten path places and meet new people”
Seven years ago, Miller Xu and his business and life partner, Mariane Thuillier, started M2adventure out of their mutual love for hiking and the great outdoors. Over time, they built up their Shanghaibased travel community to include trips all across Asia. As a result of COVID, 2020 saw some major changes in the way the company operates, but through pivoting and keeping their activities fresh and relevant, they have overcome major obstacles and continued on their growth trajectory.
no other hiking or travel agencies are taking them. But what really differentiate us is our team leaders. (We call them ‘team leaders’ because they are so much more than just everyday ‘guides.’) They are friendly, passionate and full of energy. Our kind of trips naturally attract a fun bunch of people who, just like Mariane and me, are young-spirited, sporty, looking for adventures and always ready to have a laugh. As they say, your vibe attracts your tribe!
How and when did M2 get started? Where does the name come from?
What is M2’s main mission with providing tours to guests?
MX: About seven years ago, Mariane and I met on a hiking trip in China. We realized how much we both love hiking and being outdoors, so we started organizing our own hiking trips for fun. We also started dating, and eventually got married last year. At that time, the trips we organized were just for us and our friends, but eventually more people joined in and our hobby became M2adventure. At the very beginning, Mariane and I would lead almost all of the trips, at the end of the trips people would always thank us, but instead of saying “thank you Miller and Mariane,” they would often say “thanks M&M or M2!” So, it was only natural for us to choose this name for our company.
MX: Our motto is: ‘Keep Your Life Adventurous!’ We always encourage people to try new things, discover hidden or off-the-beaten path places and meet new people. We also believe and support sustainable travel, by protecting the local environment where we travel to and giving back to the local communities through volunteer work and donations.
How does M2 differentiate itself from other travel and tour companies in Shanghai and the rest of China? MX: M2adventure is more of a traveling community than a travel agency. We are known for our unique outdoor trip products (EBC hike, Yellow Mt. West Valley hike, etc.) that take guests to places that
How did M2 have to evolve as a company as a result of COVID? Did the pandemic open up any new doors for the company to expand in other ways that weren’t expected? MX: We had to pivot, from a pure outdoor hiking/activity-focused organization to a more all-around travel company in order to survive this challenging environment. We designed new trips and tried new ways to communicate with our community through photos, videos and livestream. We learned and grew a lot as a company from this experience, and it has been quite a rewarding process. We created new trips based on what was possible rather than what we normally schedule. When we couldn’t leave
Shanghai, we had to be more creative and develop fun local activity-based trips, such as biking, horseback riding, forest day walks, etc. within Shanghai. Later on, since Tibet (one of our best sellers) was not reopening, we had to explore new horizons and started doing Silk Road trips within China. We quickly built up an expertise in that area, and we are now among the top three tour companies in Shanghai for organizing Silk Road trips. Have you had any ethical qualms associated with working for a company that promotes travel during a time when some view travel as selfish and unsafe? MX: In general, if people want to travel, they will travel – with or without us. We have a strong monitoring system and local network to ensure we provide trips in low risk areas, without risk of quarantine nor change of QR code colors. We also never hesitate to cancel trips and refund full deposits to our clients if the situation changes and there are any risks or COVID cases. What are you most excited for in the upcoming year in regards to changes and developments at M2? MX: We are most excited for the return of the Tibet Everest base camp hikes and new trip development in regions like Xinjiang, Guizhou and Inner Mongolia. We are also slowly building up a family-oriented line of trips. > This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. To learn more about M2adventure, scan the QR code below:
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