Starting the Countdown for travel produces more endorphins in anticipation than actually arriving in destination (well sometimes!). More to that point - I have been a very busy bee and I can tell you I have been experiencing some endorphin overload especially after a full week of seeing new properties and new experiences for future travels. Typically this time each year we travel to Las Vegas to attend Virtuoso Travel Week. Virtuoso is an invite-only luxury travel consortia. Being part of this consortia has incredible perks for our clients. We meet one on one with hand picked representatives from boutique hotels, luxury cruise lines and on the ground partners from many countries around the world.
It is always a treat to meet new friends and nourish the old, attend continuing education programs and socialized with many partners over cocktails, dinner with partner friends and also other travel advisors. As with all things 2020, we pivoted and I attended one to one meetings via video format with 130 individual partners. Of course, NOT meeting our friends in person was a drag, but there were many, many positives. I was able to be completed zoned in and sometimes the background of the meeting was in destination so I was able to see the view from hotels in Spain, France, Italy, etc. At a time when we cannot travel to Europe, brainstorming and seeking new accommodations and experiences was beyond exciting!!!! Building my knowledge and professional relationships with friends around the globe makes me better prepared to choose which of the many options is the best fit for you, your family and your travel preferences. It's always nice to say "I have a VIP Client I'm sending, please look out for them.
After each of my clients return from their trip that we've planned I send an email asking what's on their radar for the future. And here's why I ask - I have a notebook of who wants to go where and having planned their past trips, I know what kind of experience and accommodation they are looking for and I choose my meetings based on this. So before we actually start the detailed planning, I've kept each of their destinations on MY RADAR for a year sometimes.
Many of my clients have already reached out, but for anyone that I haven't spoken with, I would love to know how you are feeling about travel for 2021?. We've received phone calls, "Where can you send me, I gotta get out of here?" and some that say, "let's start planning 2021." And I'm sure many of you can relate, or may fall somewhere in the middle. Whether you want to plan for future travel or just dream for now, it's all OK, we want you to feel comfortable and we would love to know HOW YOU FEEL!
And as we continue to navigate this temporary travel landscape, we are checking on and staying in touch with our travel partners and tourism boards for the most relevant information. While many countries in the Caribbean are opening borders to the US, many European countries are not opening borders to US citizens at the moment. Some tourism boards have said that countries will need to flatten curve for a minimum of 60 days before possibly lifting the ban.
I would love to get your thoughts on a couple questions to help us get a better idea of how you are feeling about your future travels - we would be so grateful to hear your feedback. Just click the link below to answer our quick 2 question anonymous survey to help us better provide you with the best information.