Recommend November 2012 - (Page 26)

portugal—untapped gem continued Sintra is one of the country’s must-see destinations and included in Tauck itineraries. tour operator intel Various tour operators were asked their impressions about Portugal as a hot European destination for 2013 and what makes their product unique in the marketplace. Collette Vacations “Portugal is a top destination for 2013, since travelers are now uncovering that for such a small country it is filled with diverse landscapes, rich medieval history, fine wines and cuisine, and the most hospitable people—all while delivering an inexpensive product offering to Western Europe. Collette tours to Portugal focus on multiple-night stays that allows for leisurely paced sightseeing, enriching cultural and dining experiences, and even regional wines served at every dinner. “One of our new tours, the 12-day Discover Portugal’s Treasures, under our small group traveling brand Explorations (maximum of 28 passengers), includes 10 nights of superior accommodations in Portugal’s famous historic lodgings known as pousadas. Travelers spend three nights in the Portuguese Riviera in a 15th century oceanview fortress, and three nights in Porto. In addition, travelers follow the contours of the Douro River.” —Manny Paulo, v.p. of worldwide contracting and product manager for Portugal (800) 340-5158; collettevacations.com family is our range of vacations to the region; between Globus and Cosmos, we have five diverse itineraries that combine Portugal with Spain.” —Steve Born, v.p. of marketing (866) 755-8581; globusjourneys.com Tauck “Portugal can be a great destination for travelers who may have already visited some of the more classic destinations in Europe, such as Rome, Paris or London. In some ways it’s a bit more off-the-beaten-path, less ‘discovered,’ so it can really surprise travelers with some amazing experiences. Tauck’s Spain and Portugal itinerary explores Lisbon, but unlike most tours in the region, it also visits Sintra where our guests tour the 14th century Royal Palace, the seaside village of Cascais, and Evora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.” —Kathy Georgette, Europe product manager (800) 788-7885; tauck.com Insight Vacations “Portugal is the Western European country with some of the fewest Americans traveling to it, so it is an untapped gem. We received an overwhelming request for Portugal from both agents and past clients—it was our number one requested stand-alone destination. “Among our unique key points are a visit to the pilgrimage center of Fatima; accommodations in five-star hotels such as the M’ar De Ar Aqueducto, a magnificent 16th century construction; two nights in Algarve; two nights in Porto; visits to Tomar to follow the story of the mysterious Knights Templar and to Evora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.” —Marc Kazlauskas, president (888) 680-1241; insightvacations.com or insightvacations.com/ us/user/log-in Globus family of brands “The region of Spain and Portugal have seen strong growth for us over the past couple of years. Its combination of climate, culture and cuisine is hard to beat, and it’s been a good value relative to some other European destinations. As an example, our Cosmos’ Jewels of Spain and Portugal starts at just $969 pp for nine nights—a great value. And unique to the Globus 26 november 2012 “We predict 2013 will be an excellent year of growth for this wonderful destination, not something we can predict for many other countries. For several years now we’ve seen certain parts of Europe attracting a higher rate of visitors, Portugal being one of those destinations. Why? First and foremost, Portugal represents excellent value. Trafalgar’s Best of Portugal vacation delivers transportation, accommodations, sightseeing and meals together with our unique insider experiences for only $165 per day. “Beyond value, I believe the interest lies in the unique cultural experiences, where a wonderful variety of World Heritage Sites complement the spectacular Algarve coastline, stunning mountains and beautiful medieval cities. Food and wine from Portugal are also becoming more widely popular—any vacation to Portugal should include a visit to the beautiful Douro and, of course, a tasting of the ‘port’ of Portugal! “Finally I think that the warm welcome that the Portuguese extend to travelers has developed great feelings of warmth and fondness for the destination that have since propelled Portugal up the list of desirable destinations.” —Paul Wiseman, president (800) 854-0103; trafalgar.com or trafalgaragent.com ● recommend.com Trafalgar USA http://www.globusjourneys.com http://www.collettevacations.com http://www.tauck.com http://www.insightvacations.com http://www.insightvacations.com/ http://www.trafalgar.com http://www.trafalgaragent.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend November 2012

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Westin Hotels & Resorts
Tour Talk: Connections by Abercrombie & Kent
Myanmar-The Place Where Time Stood Still
Portugal-Untapped Gem
River Cruising Continues to Make Big Waves
St. Barthelemy Avec Amour
This Plane is Going to Cuba
Colombia Rising
Puerto Vallarta
The Lure of Hawaii
A Ride on the Rocky Mountaineer
African Retreats in Tanzania

Recommend November 2012