Last Word

Theexperiential travel space in Australia is booming, with many operators frantically scrambling to assemble the next unique itinerary they believe will resonate with travellers’ growing appetite for new and unusual experiences. Enter Kick the Bucket Touring Inc., the new Australian operator specialising in funeral-related travel engagement. The company’s CEO, Gary Reaper, recently took some time out from his bleak schedule to chat with travelbulletin about the appeal of funeral-related travel. “People often ask me, ‘why funerals?’ And my answer is always the same, because I wouldn’t be caught dead on any other holiday,” Reaper chuckles. “It’s important to have a sense of humour in my line of work,” he adds before composing himself. Kick the Bucket Touring offers day trips to converge on thousands of unsuspecting grieving families across the country in any given month. “We aim for total authentic immersion which is why we ensure the family of the deceased is always unprepared for our guests’ arrival,” Reaper said. “Upon entering the funeral service, our clients have the option of delivering an impromptu eulogy to the group if the moment takes them, or for those with a slightly more adventurous spirit, we also offer special ‘Corpse Selfie Packages’ where people can quickly hop inside the casket to capture that classic Instagram moment (only available at open casket events).” Kick the Bucket also sell premium packages for travellers who want more than just the funeral crash experience, with add-ons available such as maps and entry passes to private wakes. Each ticket includes a believable backstory for enhanced realism. “We’ll do all of the research and discovery so that our guests can simply relax and enjoy being the fictitious uncle of aunty of the dearly departed,” Reaper enthused. “Before you know it, you’ll be reminiscing about the old times and raising your glass for a captivating, and entirely mythical, toast”. NB – Kick the Bucket Touring would like to stress that it cannot be held accountable for any violent actions taken by funeral attendees and it has legal rights to a minimum 10% of any last will and testament its clients manage to weasel their way in to.

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