Vacation; Does that word bring up thoughts of relaxation and fun long days in the sun, or does it bring up the stress of booking tours, finding the best prices and worrying if the activities will live up to the hype? Greg Fisher of Tripshock developed the idea of a streamlined online booking service back in 2009, with the thought that he could do away with vacation stress and give vacationers the Destin experience of their dreams.
“We’ve built Tripshock by partnering with different activity operators like a one-stop-shop website where you can book all the things you want to do while on vacation,” Greg said. “Over the years, we have grown it and currently we are in 25 different markets, with Destin being our number one.”
Greg and his business partner Alex Benko make a good team, as Greg handles the sales and business-to-business side of things while Alex takes care of website development and technical projects.
“We built a software program called Waverez that operators can use to manage their business and accept online bookings directly,” Greg said. “It also integrates into Tripshock so we can help them get new customers and power their online presence.”
With everything from pontoon rentals and wave runners to Big Kahunas Water Adventure Park and the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, Tripshock really has something for everyone. With a focus on water activities, Tripshock gives customers the confidence of booking excursions that are vetted and priced fairly.
“We have a best-price guarantee, we make sure you are getting the same, if not better price for everything we sell,” Greg said. “We also have a comparison engine so you can see everything there is to do and compare and contrast the different options to see which one best fits your needs.”
Greg also has a love for sharing his knowledge in the boating business with others, and does so through his podcast, “The Awkward Watersport Guys,” which he co-hosts with Destin entrepreneur and captain, Kevin O’Neil.
“We talk about issues in the boating industry, mainly in the commercial and boat rental side,” Greg said. “We have been producing it for about three years now and have about 150 episodes.”
"I take a lot of pride in my ability to help water sport businesses grow and reach their potential," Greg said.
Greg lives in Destin with his wife Christine and two children, Amelia and Everett. Over the past 15 years, Greg said he has developed a lot of friendships with business operators in the Destin area. Although businesses now have their own online booking websites available, many still prefer Tripshock for its ease of customer use and visibility on the platform.