Robert Riesmeyer, or Santa Claus as he is known around town, (more on that later!) is passionate about his role as experience curator and tour operator, offering travelers unparalleled excursions to every corner of the world through his Epic Explorations travel company.
He is caretaker of the land at his family’s Riesmeyer Farm in Wellington, Missouri. He explained, “The farm was purchased by my great grandfather in 1893, and I am the fourth generation of his, and the third generation to live on this property. My grandparents were married in 1907 and began living here at that time. My father was born on this property in 1912.”
This is why he naturally is drawn to and appreciates the Adventures sustainability program at Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa on the island of South Caicos (Turks and Caicos.)
South Caicos spans just eight square miles, yet it holds a proud reputation as the “Fishing Capital” of Turks and Caicos, with lobster and conch deeply woven into its’ heritage. The island is also celebrated for offering some of the best Bone Fishing in the Caribbean. Though compact, it carries significant historical importance and welcomes fewer tourists than nearby Providenciales, creating a quieter and more traditional island atmosphere.
“It is a wonderful place for families—beachy, refined and beautifully natural,” he shared. “We visited the coral reef restoration project, where baby corals are being cultivated and replanted to strengthen and restore the reefs damaged by human activity. I truly believe we are caretakers of the earth, and it’s our responsibility to ensure that our children and future generations can continue to enjoy it.”
Salterra's environmental initiatives extend beyond the property's perimeter. Before the resort opened, it co-founded the South Caicos Coral Reef Consortium (SCCRC) to support reef restoration and resilience research. The consortium has established in-situ (underwater) coral nurseries and an off-site coral lab, and hundreds of corals have already been replanted along local reefs.
Other environmental and educational partners include the School for Field Studies Center for Marine Resource Studies, the TCI Reef Fund, The Reef Institute, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
“It’s more private and secluded so you can unplug from the world and immerse yourself in nature,” he explained. “I love that no matter where we’re going, whether in the middle of a big city or an island paradise, we are able to connect with that location. South Caicos was a big commercial salt producer. Now, the commercial production has moved to the Bahamas. Salt is only produced for local artisan uses. When we were there recently, our chef actually did a five-course dinner with a different salt in every course!”
Rob cut his teeth in the travel industry 16 years ago. His first business partner was one of the founders of the rhythm and blues cruises where they would put blues acts on the ships. She enamored him with her creative trips.
That is why he strives to offer the same type of creative adventures and show people the world while connecting them to wherever they go. He believes no matter where you go in the world, people are all basically the same, trying to improve their lives.
"I have dined with people in Morocco, Poland, Argentina and more and carried on conversations and gotten to know them as individuals. That's what I want for my travelers; to have that opportunity to visit with locals and truly connect with the destination." he continued. “For example, you don’t want to just say, ‘there’s the Eiffel tower’ and take a picture and move on. Slow down! Meet people where they are and build those bridges/connections.”
He has destination guides on his website so when people say, “I want to go somewhere,” they can get the facts from a person and not just rely on what social media puts out there.
His role as Santa is one of the great joys of his life. As part of Santa America, an organization that sends trained Santas to bring comfort and cheer to people during difficult times, he visits families in their homes, hospitals, and hospices throughout the year.
“I do corporate events, special gatherings for children on the autism spectrum, and so much more,” he shared. “This year alone I’ll take part in over 50 events. I also work closely with the Shadow Buddies Foundation, which has been creating comfort buddies for children facing serious illnesses for three decades. There’s nothing quite like seeing the joy and love it brings. And at Salterra, I even had the privilege of being Santa on the beach for families—it’s truly magical.”
Visit shadowbuddies.org, epicexplorations.com, salterra.com, SantaAmerica.org.