WAVE JOURNEY IN THE PRESS





Catch the WAVE   by CATHY ROBERTSON  

A Taylorville native launches a web-based business and travel site for women.

Since Jill Hoelting left Taylorville more than 25 years ago, she has
outrun a bear, taught rock and snow climbing, hiked in Nepal, sold
real estate, and driven a tour bus in Alaska. Those - and a host of
other experiences in her constantly moving life - have led her to a
new business venture.  

Hoelting is a co-founder of WAVE Journey. WAVE (Women's
Adventures, Vacations & Experiences) is an online resource for
travel, business, outdoor activities, cooking, and vacation
destinations for women. The site is reader-centered with places to
post favorite recipes, restaurant recommendations, book critiques,
and more. There is even a link to Amazon.com.  

According to Hoelting, www.wavejourney.com is also affiliated with
Expedia, so airline, hotel, and car rental bookings can be made
through the site.  

WAVE Journey, however, is much more than an online reservation
service.  

The site offers a place for women to write about their own travel
experiences, pose questions before traveling to a new destination,
andshare information with others.  For travelers who prefer to look
past the customary tourist stops and see how the locals live, WAVE Journey offers the means to put
them in touch with area residents before their trip.

'Say you're traveling to Alaska and you want to meet some of the locals,'
Hoelting said.  'Ask the question on WAVE Journey if anybody in Anchorage wants to meet for coffee
or walk the coastal trail or go for a hike.  It's a great way to connect with women from all walks of
life and make new friends.'  

In the 'Where We Are' section of the site, Hoelting has posted her whereabouts for the last few
months. The end of February found her in Reno where she shared the name of her favorite local
restaurant with readers. She spent some time in Palm Springs, then it was back to her new
hometown, Bend, Oregon, where she will be in residence till mid-May. At each stop, she invites
questions, comments, or informal gatherings.  

Hoelting's partner in the business is Vivienne Chapleo of Vancouver, British Columbia, who serves
as the company's president and CEO. A native of England, Chapleo's background in hotel and
restaurant management compliments Hoelting's years of work in the great outdoors.  

Both have traveled the world.

'When we travel, we don't just want to do the same things all other tourists are doing or simply
meet other tourists in the hotel or restaurants we go to,' Hoelting said. 'We want to meet the
locals, learn about their way of life and enjoy their towns and cities the way they do.'  

Hoelting stated that market research has indicated a surge in women traveling on their own.

'We find that women in today's culture like to meet other women as there's a much quicker rapport
established. If you get a group of women together for an outdoor adventure, the level of
competition is different, and it's likely that you're going to bond quickly and create long-lasting
friendships that you can continue to enjoy for years to come.'  

Hoelting and Chapleo are currently planning just such a trip, a two-week stay in France.  

'This will be different than anything out there because we're going to rent a villa in a beautiful
setting that is close to hiking, biking, water sports, local markets, medieval villages, and other
attractions. It will be self-paced, so you can do as much or as little as you wish with your time. Many
tours that are offered for women are wonderful, but can be very expensive. We like to stay in nice
accommodations, eat and drink well, enjoy a variety of activities and experience new cultures
without breaking the bank,' Hoelting said, speaking for herself and Chapleo. 'So we thought it
would be fun to invite other women to join us.'  

While travel for women is the main focus of the site, WAVE Journey encompasses many areas of
interest, Hoelting said.  'The entire concept of the website involves providing a directory of
women-owned and women-friendly businesses around the world that have been either
recommended by our readers or researched by us,' she said.

Over the years, Hoelting has worked at many jobs, from sorting tomatoes in the family produce
business in Taylorville to wilderness guiding in the wilds of Alaska.   

'For the last thirteen years, I enjoyed the fast-paced life of a realtor. Now, based back in the 'lower
48,' I wanted to transition into a career that would feel more like a vacation. WAVE Journey requires
much focus and research, but I'm learning so much interesting information about fabulous places
and getting to travel to boot!'  

Hoelting, the daughter of Jerald and the late Verna Leach Hoelting, graduated from Taylorville High
School in 1975, then earned a degree in outdoor education from Southern Illinois University. She
moved to Alaska in 1980, working as a guide with a backcountry wilderness program. The following
year, on an excursion in the Brooks Range north of the Arctic Circle, she was treed by a grizzly bear
and spent four days awaiting rescue. For the next two summers, she played it safe and drove a
tour bus.
WAVE Journey
Women's Adventures, Vacations & Experiences ~
Your Journey Starts Here!
Jill Hoelting, shown here
christening her whitewater
canoe on a glacier-fed
Alaskan river, is a co-founder
of WAVE Journey, an online
travel and business resource
for women.