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As Gogo Vacations Fades Away: The End of an Era

As the Flight Centre Group sunsets its Gogo Vacations brand and offers best wishes to departing Gogo staff members, we are witnessing the closing act of one of the creators of the modern packaged travel industry, a company that ruled the segment for more than a generation Read the rest of this entry »

Travel Answers Group: A Culture of Service

The Travel Answers Group has been highly successful at growing a business for 32 years based on designing quality vacations to Australia, New Zealand, Africa and the South Pacific. The company’s transcontinental product range is broad and diverse. But its formula for success is a simple philosophy that can be expressed in a few words. It’s all about providing a high order of service. That company ethos provides the focus and the underlying driving force of its success Read the rest of this entry »

Last week, after ASTA responded to American Airlines’ move to deny frequent flyer privileges to customers who are not booking through its New Distribution Capability (NDC), I had the good fortune of speaking with William McGee. He is one of the top authorities on airlines, and a consumer advocate in the never-ending battles between airlines and the public they are mandated to serve. There is no better way to get clarity on airline issues than to speak with McGee Read the rest of this entry »

Tauck, the family-owned tour operator that started in 1925, has announced a plan of succession that was designed with an eye on the next century, as Tauck concludes its first century this year.

As of next October, all the members of Tauck’s leadership team will move up a notch in the hierarchy. Arthur Tauck Jr., the son of the founder, will move from chairman to chairman emeritus. Dan Mahar, son-in-law of Arthur Jr., will move from CEO to chairman Read the rest of this entry »

Tauck Returns to Cuba

Tauck, the global tour operator based in Wilton, Conn., is returning to Cuba after a lapse of four years. When a historically trend-setting operator like Tauck makes a big move like this, it indicates that there is movement in the marketplace that others will also be responding to. It means, keep an eye on Cuba. That market may be picking up again Read the rest of this entry »

In 2024, Tourism Cares, More Than Ever

Malia Asfour, the managing director of the Jordan Tourism Board, North America, has started the second year of her three-year term as chairman of Tourism Cares, the travel industry association dedicated to sustainability and to protecting the great travel sites of the world Read the rest of this entry »

Brazil – Go Now, Avoid Visa Fees

With the Brazilian government postponing by 90 days the institution of a visa fee for Americans, Canadians and Australians, it might be a good time to take a trip down to Brazil, where it’s summer now. There are a few reasons why now might be a good time, though it seems that it could never be too bad a time to experience Brazil.

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Uganda: Reasons to Go

Finding new travel destinations is not just a matter of being the first and the hippest to jump onto the newest trends. It’s a natural effect of travelers wanting to expand their horizons, one of the main reasons people travel at all. And now, in 2024, the word “overtourism” is a real thing, and something that must be taken into consideration whenever planning travel. Finding new destinations can be a way of avoiding overcrowded tourist attractions, and not contributing to the problem of overtourism. Read the rest of this entry »

After seven years as CEO of CIE Tours, Elizabeth Crabill decided not to renew her contract, but rather to move on to the next phase in her career. So far there is no announcement as to what her next adventure will be, but it will no doubt be in travel. While the company is completing its search for a new CEO, the company is being overseen by Stephen Cotter, CIE’s Dublin-based chief operations officer, in the role of interim managing director. Cotter is working closely with Rosanne Zusman, the chief commercial officer, and Stacy Riback, the chief financial officer, as a management triumvirate. Crabill was with the company through October working on the transition.

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Keith Baron and Perillo, a Match Made in Heaven

Keith Baron, former president of Abercrombie & Kent, joined Perillo Tours as chief operating officer a little over a month ago. Baron will lead the day-to-day operations from the home office in Saddle River, N.J., and report directly to Steve Perillo, the president and owner of Perillo Tours. Baron was in his first month at Perillo when I ran into him and Stephen Perillo at the USTOA conference this month.

Stephen Perillo seemed almost giddy with Baron joining Perillo. “The spiritual part is changed instantly,” he said, “the feeling. And he’s a hit in the office. You’d never know because there are 50 people in the office. You bring in someone new, and you don’t know who’s going to like whom. But everyone loves Keith. Everyone.” Read the rest of this entry »

Aarya’s Enchanting Invitation to Nepal

Kathmandu is a word that is almost synonymous with “exotic.” Part of that sense of exoticism comes from the mystery of being so far away, and largely unexplored by Americans. I count myself in that group. And yet the sound of that word “Kathmandu” is so enchanting, it seems to beckon one to come find out what it’s all about Read the rest of this entry »

KwaZulu-Natal Gets Its Place in the Sun

With South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province making it into Conde Nast Traveler’s list of “The Best Places to Go in Africa in 2024,” the province has really made it onto the Big Time stage of world travel. The prestigious travel magazine chose the north of the province as one of only 11 places on the whole continent of Africa that it recommends as its top picks for next year.

All these accolades for KwaZulu-Natal came to my attention recently when I had the opportunity to meet with Philani Mavundla, mayor of Umvoti Local Municipality in Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal Read the rest of this entry »

A Rosy Future for Amtrak Vacations

It’s been a good year for Amtrak, or anyone who likes rail travel and would like to see the U.S. gain a little on Europe, Japan and China with their futuristic (to us) high-speed trains. We could be looking at the dawn of a new Golden Age of Rail Travel.

If you have ridden trains in any of those countries with advanced systems, you have an idea of how good they can get. America’s trains have lagged behind, but things are changing. If you haven’t ridden a train in the US for a while, it’s worthy of consideration. It’s a great way to travel Read the rest of this entry »

Avanti’s Never-Ending Mad Dash Around the World

I see many grim projections about the possible future of humanity, and maybe Paul Barry, CEO of Avanti Destination, is seeing the same reports because Avanti is adding destinations like there’s no tomorrow.

Avanti seems to be on a never-ending quest to cover the entire world with its network of independent travel components. With Europe, Latin America and Asia already thoroughly covered, you wouldn’t expect expansion to be part of Avanti’s agenda anymore. But Avanti is the wholesaler that never sleeps. This year the company has made several significant expansions that reveal that its quest is never-ending. Read the rest of this entry »

The Land Down Under is one of the great frontiers of travel for Americans. Because of its remoteness, it tends to be one of the last places Americans travel to. Yet, it has an irresistible draw. It has always rated high on the charts as an aspirational destination. Due to the long-haul trip required, there is usually a big gap between aspiration and pulling the trigger to really make the trip.

Today, however, long-haul flights have gotten much better, so the 15-hour flight from Los Angeles to Sydney is not nearly as tough as it used to be. It’s a time to watch a few movies or do some reading and, before you know it, you’re down there where the tap water spirals down the drain in the opposite direction. You are on the other side of the world, baby! You made it. And it is worth the trip. Read the rest of this entry »

The people of South African Tourism are busy busy busy, always promoting South Africa anywhere they can. Recently they were on the road attending Africa Showcase North America, an event produced and operated by On Show Solutions of Johannesburg. It was a two-week series of gatherings with activities in four cities crisscrossing the United States: Seattle, Denver, Fort Lauderdale and Boston. Read the rest of this entry »

Collette Marks Generational Change with New CEO

Collette, America’s oldest tour operator, passed another milestone in its 106-year history last week with the promotion of Jaclyn Leibl-Cote from president to CEO. She succeeds her father, Dan Sullivan Jr., who became CEO in 1990, and now will serve as executive chairman. Leibl-Cote is only the fourth person to take the top position since the company was founded in 1918 by Jack Collette. In 1918, the term “CEO” was not used; but Jack Collette was the equivalent for the time, the founder and owner. He ran the company until 1962 when he sold it to Dan Sullivan Sr., the grandfather of Jaclyn Leibl-Cote. She is the first female CEO of the company. Read the rest of this entry »

USTOA Set to Close the Year in LA

Now heading into the final quarter of the calendar year, it’s the end of the summer vacation period and the season of getting back down to business. Near the end of this quarter, Dec. 2-6, the U.S. Tour Operators Association will hold its Annual Conference and Marketplace at the JW Marriott in Los Angeles.

If you haven’t purchased your ticket yet, don’t sweat it. It’s sold out. It’s not a small conference, but it is limited in size. USTOA is the rare exception in the business world of an entity that does not seek growth.

The association limits its participation to what it sees as manageable levels. The conference gathers roughly 800 travel industry professionals for a few days of intense focus on current travel issues, as well as the pleasures and possibilities Read the rest of this entry »

Ninety years is a long, long time. Tour operators often proudly promote the fact that they have been in business for 20 years, and rightly so. That’s impressive. Keeping a tour operator in business through all the wars, stock market crashes, natural disasters and recessions of the last 20 years is a major accomplishment. Such events have taken down many along the way.

International tour operation is a business that is affected by every economic tremor and major event in the world. It’s not for anyone who wants to make an easy buck Read the rest of this entry »

Katarina Line – Welcome to the Family

There’s something very appealing about the archetypal family business. Croatia’s Katarina Line is a real family business, with a bio that is an inspiring success story.

The mom, Katica Hauptfeld, is the founder and chief. The son Daniel is director of marketing. The daughter Anamaria is director of the cruise division. Daniel’s wife helps with marketing and Anamaria’s husband helps with other projects. And, as with any family business, they all pitch in together to do whatever is required to propel the business. Read the rest of this entry »

Avanti Opens for Business in the South Pacific

Avanti Destinations, the Portland-based provider of independent, custom-designed vacation packages, is expanding to the South Pacific, a new region for the company.

Avanti’s South Pacific product line will debut with eight recommended vacation package templates, which are offered as recommended default programs that can be used as offered, or can be altered by clients in practically any way that does not defy the laws of physics. Australia can’t be moved closer to Los Angeles, for example. However, most requested changes within the scope of reality can be accommodated.

Avanti’s range of vacation components include 222 three- to five-star hotels in 50-some locations in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji and 280 tours or activities. Read the rest of this entry »