about us

Person with long hair leaning out of a car window, enjoying a scenic mountain road, with trees and snow-capped peaks in the background.

A Passion for Travel,
and A Commitment to
Giving Back

BUGMe.Travel was born from a simple idea: to give back to the industry that gave us everything. As lifelong travelers and tourism professionals, we’ve spent decades experiencing the highs and lows of the travel business. We’ve built companies, guided fellow adventurers, and connected people to unforgettable experiences. Now, we’re using that knowledge to create something that benefits both vacationers and the businesses that make tourism possible.

With a combined 40 years in the tourism industry, we’ve seen firsthand how local businesses fuel unforgettable travel experiences. From one-of-a-kind adventure outfitters to family-run resorts, these businesses are the backbone of tourism. However, they often struggle when big-name booking sites take high commissions while offering minimal benefit to the businesses themselves.

That’s where "Don’t BUG Me, I’m on Vacation" comes in. We wanted to create a better way – one where vacationers save money and local businesses thrive.

The Story Behind "Don’t BUG Me, I’m on Vacation"

Ray had guided sled dogs for years, back in the 2010’s, with a fellow named Denis Rozon. Denis was a former world champion who still hosted the Dryland World’s at his location, less than one hour from Canada’s capital city, Ottawa. Despite Denis being one of the most experienced mushers on the planet, offering tours a stones-throw from a major world tourist destination, his reservations scheduled remained… full of potential, shall we say. Asking himself why, Ray set out to study tourism industry to find some answers.

Through research, four categories of marketing solutions were found, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Through planning, DBM blends the beneficial aspects of each category of while eliminating the drawbacks. This is a literal statement, by the way. On a whiteboard, the negative aspects of each style were erased and the positive aspects of each style were listed together; and the format of DBM is a result of that list.

There is a much longer version of this story, but one compelling data point from this research is the circular conundrum where: the most authentic tourist activities were being offered by businesses who spend their time doing their activity, not marketing their activity, while simultaneously, vacationers seeking those authentic experiences were only able to find companies whose expertise is in marketing. It was a catch-22, lose-lose situation.

DBM was designed to break this cycle by helping vacationers find the exact vacation they desire – that diamond in the rough they may never have found through other websites – thus matching authentic tourism experiences with the customers they can best impress. Denis (and others like him) could now focus on sharing his world class dog sledding skills with customers who appreciate his unique experience. Win-Win.

While the features of our website are unique and effective, what really sets DBM apart from other tourism sites come more from our underlying perspective: creating a thriving business for us as a side effect of travelers finding their best vacation and businesses attracting their best customers (and affiliates making a handsome commission!).

In the beginning

DBM was first attempted back in 2015 as, sort of, and analogue version of what it is today - with paper registrations and physical key tags. It was well received by businesses and travelers alike but the process was cumbersome. Apps were a new development, web builders hadn’t arrived yet, and affiliate plugins were yet to be invented.

Josh and Ray talked about the business over the years until Josh finally said: “Why don’t we give this a try? The tech exists now and still, no one has approached a travel website from the business owner and vacationer perspective.”

Et voila! Don’t BUGMe I’m On Vacation is now a fun & easy way for travelers to find & save on the exact vacation they want by connecting with local tourism businesses they are designed to serve.

And our affiliate program rewards those who believe in what we offer with a generous commission for selling Road Trip Passes (which supports their grassroots initiatives).

Meet the Founders

Josh and Ray met in 2004 at Algonquin College in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada; graduating from the Business of Outdoor Adventure.

Since then, Josh has traveled extensively, guiding and managing adventure companies across Canada, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. His adventures show no sign of stopping and his deep industry experience helps influence how we work with businesses to create meaningful partnerships.

Ray is an experienced outdoor guide, passionate innovator, and dedicated businessman committed to building strong communities through adventure and travel. He has run small businesses, founded a think tank, written books and delivered workshops; all to foster business, community and personal development.

Together, Josh’s guiding experience (with focus on business) and Ray’s business experience (with a focus on community) they’ve built an honest, sustainable business that allows our team to share in the financial success while supporting the greater tourism industry.