Blending luxury and authenticity is at the core of what we do and ensures a memorable experience at premium quality.
- Adam McEwan, CEO and Founder
UNIQUE
We create unique experiences
Hero adventures break away from standard expectations of what a destination has to offer. From the endless dunes of Dubai to the heritage-filled canyons of AlUla, our experiences go beyond check-box tours and are designed to delight and immerse you fully in your experience.
SUSTAINABLE
We create sustainable adventures
When you explore with us, you’re not just travelling through the destination but also giving back to it. Our sustainable practices preserve nature and promote authentic culture and heritage. Travel knowing that you are respecting the land and making a positive difference.
MEANINGFUL
We create meaningful journeys
Hero journeys offer a window into a slice of Arabia. We reject inaccurate cultural representations of destinations and instead craft experiences true to the destination's history. Every journey is designed so you can take away learnings and lifelong memories.
Awards
Our Hero Journey
We’ve come a long way, and we have a long way to go. Join us on our journey.
Platinum Heritage - On 24 October 2012, we opened our experiences to our very first guests. Starting off with one Platinum Camp and one Heritage Camp, we were able to accommodate a total of 36 people per day.
Platinum Heritage - We welcomed our 5,000th guest.
Platinum Heritage - Opened our second Platinum Camp and Heritage Camp.
Platinum Heritage - Received the reward for Gulf Capital Start Up of the Year. Welcomed our 10,000th guest
Platinum Heritage - We hosted our first wedding.
Platinum Heritage - Introduced Astronomy on our evening safaris.
Established a long-term partnership with Land Rover.
Platinum Heritage - Opened an internal workshop to service our desert fleet.
Balloon Adventures Dubai - Acquired the UAE’s longest operating hot air balloon operator.
Platinum Heritage - We welcomed our 100,000th guest.
Platinum Heritage - Opened our third Heritage Camp.
Hero Boat Tours – Opened Dubai’s first self-drive boat tour company.
Balloon Adventures Dubai – The first hot air balloon company in the world to fly falcons from the balloons
Platinum Heritage – Started using solar panels as the main energy source for all our camps.
Balloon Adventures Dubai – Won first of multiple World Travel Awards.
Platinum Heritage - Started using hydro panels for drinking water and plumbing.
Hero Experiences Group – Established a group identity that provides the UAE’s leading air, sea and land experiences.
Platinum Heritage – Established our own internal falconry department.
Balloon Adventures Dubai – Introduced drone shows as part of our hot air balloon experience. Platinum Heritage - Introduced acrobatic entertainment on our Platinum Evening Safaris.
Hero Classics – Opened our own official workshop for servicing our whole fleet.
The Dubai Balloon – Opened the highest observatory point on Palm Jumeirah.
Absolute Adventure – Acquired the UAE’s leading outdoor adventure provider.
Balloon Adventures Dubai - Organized and hosted the annual AlUla Skies Festival in AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Hero Balloon Flights – Launched Saudi Arabia’s first commercial hot air balloon company. Platinum Heritage – Opened our third Platinum Camp.
Switched our fleet of Range Rovers to the most modern and ultra-luxurious Land Rover Defenders.
Absolute Adventure – Developed hiking trails in the stunning volcanic landscapes of Khaybar, KSA.
Launched Platinum Heritage Saudi in the stunning Sharaan Nature Reserve - offering luxury canyon safaris and astronomy
Balloon Adventures Dubai rebranded to Hero Balloon Flights - a name representative of the group of companies and to be used in several destinations.
Hero Balloon Flights Dubai launched a series of themed hot air balloon experiences such as a DJ on air, a foodie experience and a wellness series with yoga and meditation.
Hero Events and Absolute Adventure launched the inaugural Adventure Festival from 14-15 December offering a weekend filled with land and water based activities for the whole family in two stunning locations in Sharjah.
Hero Balloon Flights was appointed to design and deliver a suite of aerial activations to enhance the annual Liwa Festival in Abu Dhabi's visual identity.
Hero Balloon Flights organised the aerial experiences at the annual AlUla Skies Festival in Saudi Arabia for the second time
Our Leaders
Adam McEwan
CEO and Co-Founder
Nationality
Australian
Hero since the very beginning (September 2012)
Hero Role
Leading a team of strong leaders and talented employees to be part of one of the most successful travel experience providers in the region.
Fun Fact
“I’ve traveled to 138 countries”
Bassam Chamoun
COO and Co-Founder
Nationality
Syrian
Hero since the very beginning (September 2012)
Hero Role
An ever-changing role, from ensuring smooth operations for flawless guest experiences to mentoring and supporting other passionate people in the team.
Fun Fact
“I used to be a goldsmith. I like to think that’s why I can be so creative.”
Conny Geiger
General Manager of Platinum Heritage
Nationality
German
Hero since the very beginning (September 2012)
Hero Role
Overseeing the daily management of the UAE’s leading desert safari provider to ensure that every guest walks away with a memorable experience, feeling like a HERO.
Fun Fact
“I played in the German women's soccer league.”
Anthony Henderson aka Tony
General Manager of Hero Experiences Group in Saudi
Nationality
Kiwi - New Zealander
Hero since April 2022
Hero Role
Overseeing the day-to-day operations in Saudi Arabia and helping ideate and conceptualise exciting new products for each brand.
Fun Fact
“I developed and owned a radio station in New Zealand with over 40 presenters. I’m also a psytrance DJ on the weekends.”
Shigyo Yoshitaka aka Yosh
Director of Flight Operations
Nationality
Japanese
Hero since September 2019
Hero Role
Managing our hot air balloon maintenance, crew training, flight operations and ground operations in UAE and KSA. Yosh is also our Chief Pilot for our hot air balloons.
Fun Fact
“I am the first Japanese hot air balloon pilot to fly in Australia, Kenya, Tanzania, Myanmar, UAE and the KSA.”
Paul Oliver
VP, Outdoor Education & Adventure
Nationality
British
Hero since June 2023
Hero Role
A pioneer in experiential learning and outdoor youth development, Paul guides our academic and educational tourism programs.
Fun Fact
“I’ve lived in Dubai for 42 years, like to collect watches and have a burning passion for helping the less fortunate.”
Yamen Al Obeid
VP, Operational Excellence
Nationality
Syrian
Hero since the very beginning (September 2012)
Hero Role
A master of operational transformation, Yamen leads the optimisation of systems and drives scalable growth across the UAE and KSA.
Fun Fact
“I moved to the UAE in 1997 and used to work in construction and hospitality.”
