Posted by David Porter on March 2, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Trevi Fountain, Rome ©2012, David A. Porter
Carol and I are very busy this month helping quite a number of families make their way to Italy this summer. The largest of the family groups looks to approach 14 people with the rest of the groups consisting of single family groups and a number of couples traveling together.
Carol and I have been fortunate to have traveled to Italy quite a number of times, and it remains on our hot-list of favorite countries to visit.
Travel Tip: Rome can be quite hot in the busy summer months. If you can, travel in the early fall. The crowds will be smaller and the temperatures more friendly to walking around the many sites the city.
I captured these photographs from a 2012 visit traveling with friends from Michigan. Rome’s Trevi Fountain is a very popular destination and you should expect large crowds with everyone pressing for the perfect Trevi Fountain photograph. Sadly, because of the large crowds, be careful to watch your personal possessions as the pickpockets find this a wonderful place to ply their devious trade.
Also, while visiting Trevi Fountain, you may want to bring a few coins with you to toss into the fountain as was made popular with Americans after the Academy Award-winning song, Three Coins in a Fountain. To learn more about the history of the Trevi Fountain from Wikipedia, click here.
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Posted by David Porter on February 26, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Best U.S. Luxury Hotels, Resorts for Special Getaways
Do you have a special occasion coming up that deserves a very special luxury getaway? Perhaps a special birthday, anniversary, or just a little time away with a loved one? Then take a peek at our curated list of the best U. S. hotels and resorts to make that special escape.
Our collection currently has 264 of the best of the best hotels and resorts in the U.S. Plus, each of these fabulous resorts comes with complimentary VIP perks from us to you. To take a peek at the collection, CLICK HERE.
The photograph below is from the Amangiri resort in southern Utah. It’s very high on our personal bucket list, and is also in our list! 🙂
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Posted by David Porter on February 26, 2016 · 1 Comment
When we started our travel agency two years ago, we had no idea how popular and important ocean and river cruises would be to our business.
We figured that ocean and river cruises might represent 10-20% of our business, but we were completely wrong. In fact, ocean and river cruises represents over 60% of our sales with land based journeys representing the other 40%.
While we help a lot of folks explore Italy, France, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal and more, we’re finding that most of our clients are looking to ocean cruises for the ease of travel and the opportunity to explore more destinations in a single experience.
To explore the reasons that cruising has become so popular, check out this recent press release from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA):
“Cruise travel is becoming the vacation of choice around the world, quickly outpacing leisure or land-based travel. In fact, according to research from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), over the ten years from 2004 to 2014, global cruise vacations have grown faster in popularity than global land-based vacations by a 23 percent margin.1
Additionally, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) 2016 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook, the industry shows no signs of slowing down with 24 million passengers expected to sail in 2016, up from 23 million in 2015. Travel agents are also predicting a higher demand for cruise travel. Eight out of 10 CLIA Travel Agent Members stated they are expecting an increase in cruise sales in 2016 over last year. 2
“Cruise lines are constantly updating their offerings and providing almost unlimited itinerary options for travelers so it comes as no surprise that cruise travel is outpacing alternative vacation experiences,” said Cindy D’Aoust, CLIA’s Acting CEO. “A cruise vacation delivers amazing experiences in locations around the world at a tremendous value.”
Top 10 Reasons Ocean and River Cruise Vacations are on the Rise
- Cruise Vacation Variety: Over the past 15 years, cruise vacation options have continued to evolve and, today, there is a cruise for every kind of traveler. Ranging from family cruises complete with kid-friendly brand experiences to high-end pampering at world-class spas, there’s a cruise experience for every travel desire.
- Best Bang for Your Buck: Cruise travelers state the “Return on Experience” offered by a cruise vacation is better than other vacation options. In addition to meals, accommodations and on-board activities that are typically included in the price, cruises also allow travelers to see multiple destinations in one trip, and for one cost.
- On the River and Beyond: River cruising is experiencing a big boost in cruise popularity and allow travelers to reach inland destinations that were never thought possible. River cruises now sail to more intimate spaces and lands previously thought hard to get to by cruise.
- A Tailored Trip: Cruises offer each traveler the chance to customize a trip specifically to personal travel preferences. Whether travelers are hoping to relax by the pool or explore ancient ruins, there’s a cruise and itinerary available.
- Cruise to Every Corner of the World: Cruising not only allows travelers to travel to multiple destinations but also makes touring foreign countries accessible and less intimidating. A cruise can take travelers to foreign lands without the worry of navigating airports, restaurants or tourist sites.
- Never a Dull Moment: Many cruise lines offer a variety of on-board activities to keep travelers entertained, day or night, as they travel from port to port. From simulated surfing and sky diving to wine and chocolate tastings, the offerings are diverse and abundant.
- Multi-Generational Cruising: It’s hard to please everyone when it comes to vacationing, but cruising is designed to appeal to every age from toddlers to seniors. From family reunions to the family vacation of a lifetime, cruise experiences are the perfect multigenerational travel solution.
- Staying Connected at Sea: While many like the appeal of being disconnected while on vacation, there are those that want or need to be connected while at sea. Today’s cruises offer a myriad of Wi-Fi, onboard texting and data options.
- A Healthier Vacation: With a growing emphasis on health and well-being, cruising offers a wide variety of health benefits. From the purity of ocean air to on-board fitness options, there’s a way for everyone to stay healthy in both mind and body while on a cruise.
- See the World, But Unpack Once: Cruising gives travelers the chance to see, do and experience all areas of the world. While one can pack as little or as much into their trip as they’d like, their suitcase only needs to be unpacked once.
Source: CLIA press release dated Feb 18, 2016
Another interesting point is that there exists an amazing variety of ocean and river cruise companies that cater to every conceivable budget and style of travel. There are 4-day Caribbean cruises that will only cost about $300/person to elaborate around-the-world cruises that cost upwards of $100K/person.
Bottom line: there exists an ocean or river cruise that will take you anywhere in the world, and fit your budget and travel dreams.
For booking information about a fun ocean or river cruise, call our travel agency at (480) 550-1235, or use our convenient online information request (click here) and we’ll reach out to you.
Important note: when you book your ocean or river cruise with our travel agency, your cruise will not cost you a penny more than if you book it yourself. Plus, we’ll bring you a lot of help, and very likely, extra complimentary perks on top of the best cruise line offers. Pretty cool, right? 🙂
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Posted by David Porter on February 20, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Europe: Where to Go and Stay, How to Get There, What to Do
There’s never been a better time to visit Europe – and never more ways to explore the storied continent. Whether you want to zip from one city to the next via private jet or high-speed train, visit charming villages on a chartered river barge or sightsee from the seat of a bicycle, create the European vacation that fits your pace and reflects your passions. Enjoy a world of perks through our affiliation with Virtuoso – from free nights to exclusive upgrades.
To see the offers, click the image below…
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Posted by David Porter on February 13, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Scratching your chin wondering where to roam on your next vacation? Well, perhaps there’s a few clues for you in Virtuoso’s recent announcement of the Top 10 Spring Destinations for Luxury Travelers.
If you’re not aware, Virtuoso® is the leading international travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel, and our travel agency is an affiliate member. Recently, Virtuoso analyzed its travel transactions for the first quarter of 2016 and has uncovered the most popular destinations for luxury travelers for 2016.
Top 10 Spring Destinations for Luxury Travelers
- Mexico
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- South Africa
- Argentina
- India
- Chile
- China
Note: click the links above to learn more about each of these destinations.
Here’s this from Virtuoso:
It’s no surprise that people are seeking warm-weather locales to escape the Northern Hemisphere’s cold. But they’re looking beyond just the usual sun-and-sand destinations. Luxury travelers are roaming the globe to more exotic places for their break from the chill and damp. Global travel is up overall. And travelers are flocking to a mix of eternally fashionable places and more unusual choices.
Mexico and Canada finish first and second. Their strength isn’t a surprise due to their proximity to the United States. Southern destinations dominate the Top 10 as usual for winter in the Northern Hemisphere. One notable European exception is the U.K., always in style with luxury travelers. Australia and New Zealand are experiencing solid growth, especially for two already popular destinations.
Upscale travelers, always searching for novel locales, are finding them in Asia and South America. India in particular is surging. It landed on both the Top 10 and Hot 10 lists. And Argentina and Chile continue to beckon wealthy travelers with their mix of food, wine, diverse landscapes and history. It’s also worth noting that half these destinations are English-speaking. That makes them more comfortable for U.S travelers.
The folks at Virtuoso mention that global travel is up and certainly one of the contributors to this upswing is the continued strength of the American dollar versus other currencies.
From a currency perspective, the dollar is giving Americans more purchasing power overseas then we’ve seen in a decade. Just take a peek at this chart showing the Euro falling in value against our U.S. dollar.
While this trend is making it difficult for U.S. companies to be competitive overseas, this presents a significant boon for the American traveler.
Moral to the story? Get out there and travel. This won’t last forever!
Do you have a fun trip in mind? We have in-country experts all over the world in our little black book. When’s it time to plan a trip, we routinely organize a three-way collaboration between our clients, us, and our overseas partners. It’s impossible for us to stay current in every location in the world. However, our overseas partners help us do just that.
To begin a no-obligation conversation about a once-in-a-lifetime journey anywhere in the world, call our travel agency at (480) 550-1235, or use our convenient online information request form (click here) and we’ll reach out to you.
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The Roaming Boomers
