TomTravel2

Last night was the cocktail reception and training expo for “VAST” which is an acronym for Virtuoso Active and Specialty Travel. This is a select group of travel vendors who have products that are for the more adventurous types who still want the quality of Virtuoso type travel experiences, and for suppliers with niche specialties.  It was a whirlwind where the members (Virtuoso travel agents) were divided into groups of about 10 and assigned a vendor to start with. They had six minutes to introduce their product at which time we rotated to the next booth. Many of these booths were wildly creative! There were many visual aids and props used to make points for us to remember. Some used games or activities and one Swain tours even used a game show format! Well done ladies! Cruise West was highlighting their 350 day world cruise this year so they presented it as a news cast. They were very entertaining! Even at 10:54 they put on a heck of a show. Micato safaris highlighted their give back to Africa theme by donating a book for each guest who joins one of their marvelous safaris. The reps for Volcanoes Safaris were dressed in gorilla costumes as they are known for getting a select few guests face to face with that amazing species. You should see their photos! Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in beautiful British Columbia gave us a craft project that. Apparently I am not meant to be a weaver of willow bark headbands.

I did not get photos of all the booths during this face paced tour but at the end of this post will be a slide show of what I got. What follows is a bullet list with a brief summary of the providers of VAST experiences.

• A season away- They offer more than villa rentals. For those who want 3 weeks to 3 months immersion in Italy and France in a luxe villa with absolute concierge service from a villa host this is the thing. The hosts are well connected to the local people and will help you connect in meaningful ways. This is a high end high touch live away experience.
• Abercrombie & Kent Extreme Adventures- You really want to climb to the top of Kilamanjaro and do it in A & K style with their absolute standard of perfection? You can! This is only one of the many physically challenging adventures they can outfit and guide you on.
• Absolute Travel- We met “The Travel Guru” who was Absolute Travel founder Ken Fish. They provide bespoke private guided journeys in Asia, Africa, and South America. We use this wonderful company frequently, and they are highlighted on our web site. He highlighted the personal service on trips and from the representatives that help us plan the trips. He believes in sending his people frequently on all their journeys so they know first hand what clients will experience. It would be a great company to work for.
• Alpine Adventures- The ski, snowboard, and other snow sport experts. We called them with a last minute request for skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland departing in 12 days! A man was leaving from Boston and wanted to meet his son who would be coming from Dubai for seven days of skiing in a great lodge close to town nightlife and dining but very convenient to skiing. Alpine Adventures had a perfect itinerary for me that day! The clients had a great trip!
• Aqua Expeditions- Ultra Luxe Amazon River (and nearby rivers) expedition cruise ship. Gourmet food large modern staterooms in the world’s biggest rain forest. I just so want to do this one. They showed us a video inside a tent (nice touch) that had me ready to book myself.
• Backroads- The bike and hike pros. They can do bike trips for people who are at different levels at the same time, groups, custom tours, and do it almost everywhere. Popular trips are wine and bike in France and italy. They also do hiking treks for easy, moderate to hard hikes.
• Big Five Expeditions- @bigfivetours on Twitter. It was great to put a face on someone I have been tweeting with. They do active trips form safaris and now onto extreme experiences. They had a red sports car and a guy in a racing outfit and helmet to emphasize how they are moving to custom thrill experiences like driving on a race track at 200mph or flying a fighter jet. Very cool!
• Bill Peach Journeys- Australia or New Zealand by private aircruise. See the highlights of these great places without getting on multiple commercial flights. Not a large jet like TCS but a similar concept with private tours and Virtuoso hotels at the top destinations like Great Barrier Reef. They use a 34 seat Dash 8 aircraft and fly at low altitudes so you sight see to the next place and don’t waste time getting there.
• Butterfield & Robinson- “Slow Down to See the World” Hiking, biking, walking and small ship trips to the world’s great places. They have done this type of travel for over 40 years. Very immersive one of a kind experiences that can be “life altering” and cannot be found on your own.
• Clayoquot Wilderness Resort- This is a very luxurious very isolated property on the Northern Coast of Vancouver Island which is an amazing place. “All inclusive eco-safari resort” it is on the west coast where the raw Pacific waves put on an amazing show and is in the Clayoquot Sound World Biosphere. This is the place that basically invented North American “glamping” luxury tents with gourmet food and wine and one included adventure after another. They gave us a craft project which was most vexing in a six minute lesson. I won’t hold it against them because this is one place I would love to experience. If I had more time even i could make the headband.
• Silversea Prince Albert II-  Expedition cruising’s most luxurious new ship. This is a adventure ship from a super luxury cruise line. See amazing natural wonders and out of the way places while dining and wining like a king or queen. Large modern well appointed staterooms many with balconies. 132 very pampered passengers will see Antarctica and other exotic sights in style.
• Swain Tours- All things custom in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. From the urban to the rugged outdoor stuff they do it all. They planned the Today Show plans a wedding Honeymoon this year with a Virtuoso advisor.
• Tahiti Legends- French Polynesia, South Pacific and Australia and New Zealand tour operator based in the US.
• Tauck Culturious- They are one of the best group tour packagers and this is their new offering featuring active components like hiking, walking, biking, kayaking and horeback riding. Europe, Asia, Canada, Central and South America.
• TCS- I did not see them at the exhibit but know them well. The ultimate tour by private jet. Never touch your bag or stand in an airport line. They whisk you personally through customs at each stop and put you right into your private tour vehicle. When you return to your hotel (which will be the nicest property in that destination) your bag will be waiting in your room. They specialize in exclusive insider experiences in each stop. Trips go around the world and all are themed. Oh I wish!
• The Andean Experience- Peru based boutique hotel developer and trip planning. Authentic immersive experiences face to face with people and culture of Peru. Cusco, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Titicaca and much more in this fascinating country.
• Travel Dynamics International- This was a new one to me. They have been doing small ship voyages on deluxe ships for three decades. Learn about cultures up close and see great sights. Unusual Itineraries and top scholars and experts on each voyage.
• Volcanoes Safaris- The gorilla people. They run “great ape ecotourism” lodges specializing in mountain gorilla encounters for their guests in Uganda and Rwanda. They limit the number of guests and do everything they can to make a very small footprint. The pictures were stunning. There were some showing gorillas strolling through the lodge grounds. Wow.
• Zegrahm Expeditions- Small ship excursion cruises. Adventure travel experiences in remote and intriguing destinations. The bring in expert naturalists and experts on local cultures to make an educational trip not to be forgotten. 75% of guests come back for more.
• Cox & Kings- Luxury tailor made travel in Africa, the Indian Ocean, The Far East, Latin America, the Middle East, and one of the best at India. They featured luxury rail journeys and tiger safaris in India. The presenters were dressed in Indian garb which was very cool. Judi and I had met with the sales rep. in Scottsdale a few months back and she was awesome.
• Cruise West- Small ship excursions in Alaska, Siberia, the Sea of Cortez (my long time stomping grounds) and now offering a 350+ day world cruise on their new luxury ship the Spirit of Oceanus. The newscast simulation they did was very funny. I like that new ship!
• EuroPanache- Paris based luxury themed travel company. They do Fashion, perfume, art, antiques, cooking, wine and Champaign themed custom trips with the top chefs, sommeliers, fashion experts, and all other types of experts for very high-end clients. I guess shopping is now an extreme sport for some.
• Explora Lodges- Chile based eco lodge company adventure in stunning outdoor settings. Unique properties, gourmet food, luxurious rooms in Chilean Patagonia, the Atacama Desert (where they have a telescope), and Easter Island or Rapa Nui. Urbane comforts in wild remote settings. Very eco oriented and seek to open minds not just pass on knowldege.
• Great Southern Rail/The Ghan- Australian luxury rail journeys. See the scenery don’t just do a fly by. Great service and unbeatable Aussie style as you travel by train. Great Australian cuisine and wine while the unusual sights roll by your window.
• Greaves Tours- India specialists. “Unlimited access to India” Small group and FIT travel to “India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.” I have to look that last one up, and I am pretty good at geographic trivia.
• Heritage Tours Private Travel- I also did not know this company very well. We have had several clients look for a package tour or cruise that combined Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. These are the places this company plans out of the ordinary trips to. They also do southern Africa. Need to learn more on these guys.
• Horizon & Co.- Canada, sports events, small groups, and corporate travel. Bespoke experience type trips for the above as well as families and Indivduals. They said call us for The Masters Golf.
• Inkaterra- Machu Picchu, Cusco, Amazon and Titicaca lodges of the utmost quality. They salute the native culture and do it in a very high end way. Very immersive customized experiences in Peru. Yes, this is the place to stay to really have a Peru high.
• International Expeditions- Another vendor I had met with recently. Jennifer Reynolds brought me more up to date on this wildlife focused small group and private tour provider. They also do small ship adventures. All of their trips are perfect for those who may not need the five star hotel if they can see the world’s amazing wildlife up close and personal. Bring your cameras!
• Lindblad Expeditions- They do most of the National Geographic Explorer small ship excursions. This is the company that invented this type of trip more than 30 years ago. Their head expedition leader gave us a talk that featured pictures of him 20 and 30 years ago when he was less grey. He was awesome! They are the experts in educational nature, history and culture immersion.
• Metropolitan Touring- Ecuador and Galapagos on site. This almost assures a company that does nature trips does it not? They have their own small ships for the Galapagos as well as hotels and villas there. They have full ground operations on the islands as well for custom tours and small groups.
• Micato Safaris- Judi is in love with this company and rightly so. They focused on how and what they give back to the local communities they operate in. Schools, libraries, clinics, clean water systems and more. They have awesome safari lodges and safaris as well. They hire local and immerse you into the community as well as the natural wonders.
• Natural Habitat Adventures- All nature all the time. All over the world for small groups with top naturalists and expedition leaders. Africa, Alaska, the Arctic, the Galapagos and more,
• Nomads of the Sea- Ultra luxury, ultra high-tech, ultra small ship expeditions. 32 crew and 28 guests experience Chile’s Patagonia coastline by sea, by land and even by helicopter. Who like’s fly fishing! Me! Me! I volunteered as the guinea pig and did a lousy job. The guy asked for another volunteer. This nice young lady came up and got it right away. I love the look of this one!
• Orion Expedition Cruises- We really like this company. At my urging Judi consented to feature them on the alliance travel partners web site. This is the only shipping line in the history of the world to be founded and owned by a woman. I think that is very cool. It is a small very modern, very luxurious expedition ship that is ice rated and state of the art. Australian crew insures a bonzer good time and a relaxed convivial atmosphere. No tux for this one mate! They go to some amazing places that no one else cruises to like North Australia’s Kimberley, the Aussie side of Antarctica where you land on the continent, and remote parts of Papua New Guinea.
• Permier Sports Travel- The name says it all. College football, major sports events, NASCAR, golf tourneys, Wimbledon, Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl, boxing, award shows, concerts, theatre and etc.
• Roadtrips Sports Travel- First class sports travel packages to 5,000 events and games including but not limited to the Olympics, World Cup, Monaco Grand Prix, the Kentucky Derrby,  the Masters etc.
• Rocky Mountaineer Vacations- Canadian scenic luxury rail trips in western Canada focused on the Rockies in British Columbia and Alberta. They do various rail and land combinations as well. They will flexibly customize the itinerary you desire based on the existing rail schedule. They work closely with the amazing mountain lodges and the urban hotels of Fairmont.

All of this was thrown at me in one night. That was the first night of Travel Mart. combined with the afternoon trainings it was an exhilarating and exhausting day. I got to my room after 11:00 and made it to bed around midnight. Such is the hard work I do so I can learn about all these great Virtuoso travel options for my people. During all that I remembered to snap a few photos! Click on the first image below to open a slide show in a pop up window. Mouse over the pop up and click on the arrow to the left to advance the sldes…