Posted by David Porter on August 22, 2015 · 1 Comment
Amphitheater in Arles, France
We’re just home from Virtuoso® Travel Week in Las Vegas. This year, nearly 5,000 luxury travel agencies, travel agents, and luxury travel brands gathered to share new trends, new properties, receive awards, and build relationships.
Further, Virtuoso® releases a number of annual reports and surveys sharing macro and micro trends happening in the luxury travel space. I’ll be sharing these reports and surveys with you over the coming days as luxury travelers find travel inspiration and information as they observe some of the trends occurring.
First up…
Top 10 Travel Pursuits of the Luxury Traveler
More than 5,800 luxury travelers were asked in the 2015 Virtuoso® Travel Dreams Survey about their top 10 travel pursuits in the coming years. First off, they confirmed that travel was top of mind as 59% said that they will take 1-3 trips this year, 29% will take 4-6 trips, and 12% will take 7 or more trips in the coming year.
When asked what type of travel most peaked their interests, they responded:
- Cultural/Historical (42%)
- Cruising (40%)
- Adventure/Nature (37%)
- Beach (31%)
- Family (25%)
- Food & Wine (24%)
- River Cruising (22%)
- City Getaways (19%)
- Relaxation/Spa (16%)
- Romantic (15%)
As you can see, these numbers add up to more than 100%. That’s because, as we noted above, luxury travelers plan to make more than one trip in the coming year.
How about you? What type of travel most peaks your interest in the coming year?
Share your answer in the comments section below.
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Posted by David Porter on August 17, 2015 · Leave a Comment
As a great many of our clients are baby boomers, we tend to get a lot of requests for “special occasion” travel. Here’s our clients Jim and Rita in the Canadian Rockies enjoying their 40th wedding anniversary.
Rita reached out to us a few months back as they wanted to enjoy a Gold Leaf experience on the Rocky Mountaineer luxury train followed by a road trip through the stunningly beautiful Canadian Rockies. As we’ve enjoyed this very experience twice, they used our travel agency to help them build a wonderful itinerary.
Jim and Rita loved the Rocky Mountaineer, but really enjoyed the freedom of driving through the Canadian Rockies on the Icefields Parkway from Jasper to Banff.
Through our connections with the $15 billion/year Virtuoso Travel Network, we secured special VIP benefits, and had special treats waiting for them as they entered their rooms in the Fairmont hotels in Jasper, Lake Louise, and Banff.
In fact, here’s a room view photograph from the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise that Rita sent our way to share with our audience.
We’ve enjoyed that view a number of times, and we make certain that our clients get the best view rooms in the hotel.
Thanks Jim and Rita for sharing your 40th anniversary postcards with our audience, and we’re proud to have had a part in helping you craft this memorable travel experience!
If you would like us to help you plan a special occasion travel experience packed with luxurious complimentary perks, give us a call at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online information request by clicking here.
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Posted by David Porter on August 3, 2015 · Leave a Comment
Click photo for larger view. ©2015, David A. Porter
Click photo for larger view.
Within the human psyche, there seems to be an intrinsic love of symmetry that our eyes find very appealing. The theologian in me tends to think that this is something that God has wired within his creation. Everywhere we look in the universe, we find remarkable order, and our inward being seems to be drawn to it.
Since the dawn of photography, photographers have crafted works that use symmetry to stimulate this innate desire in all of us. Therefore, when you’re out with your camera, look for situations that you can use this inner pull to help you create a beautiful photograph.
When we were in Arles, France, we were visiting the spot where Vincent van Gogh created his Le Jardin de la Maison de Sante, Arles. And, the minute I walked into this beautiful courtyard, the symmetry of these columns was the first thing to catch my eye. If you can, also pay attention to the available light and shadows as these can add a sense of drama to your composition.
I hope you enjoy my photograph as much as I did creating it just for you! 🙂
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Posted by David Porter on August 3, 2015 · Leave a Comment
Click photo for larger view. ©2015, David A. Porter
You’ve certainly heard of tourist standing too close to the edge of the Grand Canyon and falling to their death. While this photograph isn’t dangerous to that magnitude, nonetheless, as you can see in the photograph, the little girl is complaining to her father about standing up on these large blocks of stone.
I’m not sure why this father thinks that his girls standing in a precarious position up on these blocks of stone makes for a good photograph, but we see this type of thing way too often in our travels. After shooting this photograph, the father had his young girls climb the rocks to the left to an even more precarious position. YIKES!
By the way, I shot this photograph at the Roman Theater in Arles, France.
Moral to the story: please don’t do this type of thing to your young children. 🙂
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Posted by David Porter on August 1, 2015 · Leave a Comment
Yosemite National Park – Valley Floor
August is here, and the summer is nearly over. Carol and I decided to spend our summer at home in Scottsdale this year to continue to lay the important foundational work necesary in our young travel agency: Roaming Boomers Travel Services.
When we started our new business, we knew that we would have to slow the pace of our travel for a few years. But, that doesn’t mean that our wanderlust isn’t crying for adventure. In an attempt to still the longing in my soul, I decided this morning to look back in my vast collection of travel photographs to see where we’ve been in past months of August.
I shot this photograph in August of 2006 on the valley floor of Yosemite National Park. Carol and I had just sold our business in Michigan and we were on a road trip in California. As I recall, we only spent two nights in Yosemite. And while I came out with my camera packed with beautiful photographs, it ought to be against the law to only spend two nights in Yosemite. This is one of those places where you simply must come to a complete stop in your busy life and drink in the beauty of creation.
As rookie travelers, we learned that August isn’t really the best month to visit Yosemite. The place was PACKED with travelers from all over the world, and because it was the dry time of the year, the Yosemite Falls was a mere trickle. The next time, we’ll head there in the spring shoulder season. The summer travelers won’t be there yet, and the waterfalls will be flowing with spring snow melt.
Nonetheless, just look at that scene. Isn’t it beautiful?
Have you been to Yosemite? If not, you must put it on your bucket list. After looking at my photograph, Yosemite is going back on our bucket list. And next time, we’ll spend more time.
Link: Yosemite National Park
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The Roaming Boomers
