TraveLuxe

Archive for November, 2013

Group Travel

It used to be that group travel meant being stuck in a big bus for a week with 60 other passengers that you don’t know. Not anymore! The face of group travel has changed drastically in the past few years and has become more customizable than ever.

Does your church or synagogue run group trips (or would they like to)? What about a volunteer group for an organization? Or perhaps your book club wants to visit in person the places you’ve read about? Maybe you want to trace your routes on a ancestral journey? Whatever your group or interest, there are plenty of travel opportunities. We can even help you get together a group or travelers with similar hobbies or interests. Some potential groups you might consider include:

  • Literary travel: whether you’re part of an official book club or just a big fan or a certain author, genre, or time period, literary travel is becoming increasingly popular. Visit the homes, workshops, and watering holes of your favorite writers, or take a tour of destinations featured in some of your most prized works. These types of tours are particularly popular in places like England, Scotland, Ireland, and Paris, but a customized trip to could be created to just about any destination for your group.
  • Historical tours: historical societies, history buffs, and even school groups can create a tour around a particular event or time period in history. Perhaps it’s World War II sites, or Tudor England you wish to see exprience, for instance. Whatever the historical interest, there’s no better way to learn about or honor it than visiting the destinations first hand.
  • Volunteer tours: The possibilities here are vast. Volunteer groups can do everything from help towns rebuild after a natural disaster to get involved at wildlife preserves in Africa. ?You could be part of a larger project – for instance Habitat For Humanity – or create your own volunteer project for something that has special meaning to you. These may be done in coordination with another organization, for such as a church or synagogue, or could be a self-created group. We can even help you gather volunteers by creating and promoting a program.
  • Gastronomy and culinary tours: Food and drink has long been associated with travel and cultural experiences. Be it cooking classes, wine tasting, a whiskey-themed tour, or another type of gastronomical delight, it’s often difficult to ignore the roll that food and drink plays in travel, and the pull it gives different destinations. Groups from culinary schools to dinner clubs to people who simply share the love of a good glass of wine or pint of beer are traveling around the world to experience the way other cultures do food and drink.
  • Genealogy tours: These can be great for heritage societies, family groups, or just those from a certain region that want to explore their past. Some tour companies focus exclusively on this type of travel, and if a tour to your chosen destination(s) does not already exist, we can help create one for you.
  • Garden tours: While tulip tours (and river cruises) are the most famous garden type tour, these are growing in popularity throughout Europe and the world.
  • Music and art tours: visit the homes of your favorite musicians and artists, attend the symphony or enjoy a private tour through your favorite museums. Trips can be created for everyone from professionals in the fields to school or university groups, to those who simply have a love of art or music.

These are just a few examples of group tour options. We can help your group create a trip around your particular shared interest or activity. If you have a group that would like to travel, but you aren’t sure which type of trip you’d like, that’s ?fine too – we’ll work with you to determine the destination(s) and activities that best fit the needs and interests of your group.

 

All In The Family

Multigenerational travel is becoming more popular than ever. Hotels, tour companies, and cruise ships are gearing up their focus on families, offering amenities and activities that cater to every age range, from great grand parents to young children and everyone in between. With all of these options, why not hold your next family celebration or reunion in a favorite or dream destination? ?Here are some of our top suggestions for multigenerational getaways.

  • Villa rentals: Villa rentals can be found everywhere from the Caribbean to Hawaii to Tuscany. They provide the perfect place to gather family members of all ages, and give you the freedom to cater to everyone’s sleeping and dining preferences. They also may be more affordable than booking numerous hotel rooms.
  • Dude ranch: These can range from rustic to luxurious and are ideal for families. They offer activities for people of all ages, and certainly offer a different experience from the average vacation. They’re best for those who like a bit of activity, but you certainly don’t have to be an elite athletes. Some even offer spa services for those who prefer relaxation and a bit of pampering. Many of the packages include meals and some activities, so they offer a good value for your group.
  • Safari: Safaris come in all shapes and sizes these days – everything from tented safaris to luxury camps to five-star lodges. They can be experienced on foot, by off-road vehicle, by boat, or even by hot air balloon. While I wouldn’t suggest this for families with very young children – infants or toddlers – it truly can be a multigenerational experience. Some safaris will have age requirements or activity level suggestions so it’s important to check these before booking your trip.
  • Cruises: Cruises have become increasingly focused on the family. They offer options from fine dining to rock climbing to dance classes and everything in between. They allow everyone to stay in one place while each having a day to day experience that meets their interests. Cruises are not for everyone, and it’s important to find the cruise ship and itinerary that best fits your family, but for the right group, they can be the perfect family vacation.
  • Genealogy trips: What a better way to celebrate the family then to explore your heritage? While some may think of trips to discover ones ancestry as something for the older generations, they can offer a great opportunity for the whole family. Kids have the chance to not only learn about their family, but experience the places of their history first hand – from big cities to small villages where their ancestors worked and lived. After all, these children will be the ones to carry on the family history, so why not let them immerse themselves in it from an early age?
  • National Parks: If you’re looking for a domestic location, the US national parks offer a great variety of sites and activities that appeal to virtually. You can make a particular park the center point of your vacation, or take a road trip between several parks.

The key to a family vacation is finding a destination that offers options both interesting and feasible for all family members going. This includes knowing the age limits for entrance to various sites and attractions (if any) as well as the activity level required. If there are family members who have trouble getting around, you want to chose a destination whose activities and sites don’t all involve walking for hours a day. The same is true of young children. Choosing the perfect destination for your family can take a bit of time and some careful consideration, but we will work with your group to make sure that the vacation you choose has something for everyone.

Do You Travel For Business?

When people think of planning travel, it probably conjures up images of foreign cities or white sand beaches with their friends or loved ones. But not all travel is for fun and leisure.

Many jobs require travel for client meetings, seminars, conferences, events and more. We’d love to help you with those too! Here are some of the travel options that we can arrange for you and your company:

  • Flights, hotels, rental cars, and airport transfers (group and private) for employees.
  • Pre and post travel for meetings, conferences, and events. This can include either business travel – for instance a team meeting or team-building for employees – or ?individual leisure travel at the destination before or after the event. ?This could include everything from theater tickets or a night tour on an evening when you don’t have event obligations, to day trips or a week long exploration in your destination.
  • Inbound travel for a meeting your company is hosting. If you have clients or off-site employees coming into town for an event, we can arrange their flights, accommodations, transportation, and anything else you need.
  • Off site meetings for your team. We can help you arrange the entire meeting at your destination – everything from securing the meeting space to setting up group dinners 0r networking event, plus all of the travel and accommodations required for your trip.
  • Inbound travel for presenters and vendors coming into town for a meeting or event that you are hosting.

These are just a few of the examples of how we can help your company with travel. We work with each company individually to cater to their specific needs for each trip or event. ?Have a business travel need not on the list? Contact us by phone at 856-266-8898 or email us at maya@chimera-travel.com to learn more about how we can work with you and your company.