About Us - Company Details
Experience Travel Like Never Before
Derek Yap (Founder)
If you’re ready to travel with purpose, strengthen relationships, and explore the world in a unique way, let Around the Corner be your guide.
With our novel, themed tours to many different and exotic locations, you can be assured that every trip will be an unforgettable experience.
Founder story
Meet Derek Yap: The Story Behind Around The Corner
Before I started Around The Corner, I spent more than 13 years in the corporate world, primarily in sales and market research. Like many Singaporeans, I followed a fairly traditional career path — working hard, building relationships, achieving targets, and progressing professionally.
While I enjoyed the work, I always had a passion for travel.
Travel was never simply about visiting famous landmarks or checking destinations off a bucket list. What fascinated me most were the experiences that happened in between — meeting people, discovering hidden places, trying local food, learning new skills, and sharing memorable moments with fellow travellers.
Over the years, I noticed that many tours felt very similar. Large groups would move from attraction to attraction, taking photographs before quickly moving on to the next stop. While there is nothing wrong with sightseeing, I often felt that some of the most meaningful travel experiences were being missed.
I started asking myself a simple question:
“What if travel could be built around people’s passions and interests instead of just destinations?”
That question eventually became the foundation of Around The Corner.
Who Are We?
Experience Travel Like Never Before
At Around the Corner, we redefine travel by creating unique, immersive, and theme-based experiences designed for explorers who want to go beyond typical tours.
Our curated journeys focus on sports, wellness, history, wildlife, family travel, and corporate retreats, allowing you to connect with like-minded travelers, strengthen relationships, and discover new passions. Whether you seek a quaint escape filled with tranquility, an exotic adventure by the sea, or a surreal wellness retreat focused on healing and health, we craft special experiences that make travel truly meaningful.
Why Choose Theme-Based Travel?
An unique experience in a different environment
Taking the Leap into Entrepreneurship
Starting a travel business was not an easy decision.
Leaving behind the stability of a corporate career meant stepping into a completely different world. Like many entrepreneurs, I faced uncertainty, self-doubt, and plenty of challenges along the way.
Building a travel company from scratch required much more than a love for travel. There were suppliers to source, itineraries to design, licences to obtain, partnerships to establish, and customers to earn trust from.
In the early days, every booking mattered.
Every successful trip helped build confidence, while every challenge became an opportunity to learn and improve. Like many small business owners, I wore multiple hats — sales, marketing, operations, customer service, tour manager, and sometimes even photographer.
There were moments when things did not go according to plan. Flights changed. Weather disrupted activities. Last-minute adjustments were needed. These experiences taught me that good travel planning is not just about creating an itinerary. It is about anticipating problems, adapting quickly, and taking care of people.
Those lessons continue to shape how I run Around The Corner today.
Why Around The Corner?
The name “Around The Corner” reflects a belief that some of life’s best experiences are often closer than we think.
Sometimes they are found in a hidden café down a quiet street. Sometimes they happen during a conversation with a local guide. Sometimes they emerge through a game of pickleball with new friends or a shared meal after a long cycling ride.
Travel is not just about seeing new places.
It is about creating stories, building relationships, and making memories that stay with us long after we return home.
Today, Around The Corner specialises in customised tours, corporate retreats, incentive travel, cycling tours, pickleball experiences, wellness retreats, and themed travel experiences.
But at its heart, the mission remains simple:
To create meaningful travel experiences centred around people, passions, and genuine human connection.
Because the best travel memories are often waiting just around the corner.