Recommend December 2013 - (Page 74)
Budapest's architecture is
mesmerizing.
Europe feature. As Simion Alb from the Romanian National
Tourist Office noted in that article, "Romania is much better
known today in North America than it was 20 years ago, but it still
preserves an aura of mystery and uniqueness. It's authentic." When
speaking about Croatia, Alan Mandic, director of programs for
Secret Dalmatia, said in that same article that, "People have been
to Italy, France, Spain, Greece...and now are looking for something
similar, but different."
And speaking of something different, Turkey is also being sought
out by visitors looking for a unique destination. According to the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey (goturkey.com),
"More than 36.7 million tourists visited Turkey in this past year
compared to 15.2 million 10 years ago." Helping accommodate
those visitors are new hotels such as the Wyndham Izmir Ozdilek
(wyndhamizmir.com) in Izmir and the Radisson Blu Hotel, Istanbul
Pera (radissonblu.com/hotel-istanbul-pera).
the experience
Visiting all of these destinations is all well and good, but it's how
your clients experience these destinations that really makes all the
difference. The buzz phrase all around is "experiential travel" and
enjoying a destination like a local. In 2013, it became even more
of a mainstay-gone are the days of zipping through a destination
just to say you've been there. So Butterfield & Robinson
(butterfield.com), as well as a host of other like-minded tour
operators, are telling travelers to get on two wheels to truly take in
European destinations. According to Kathy Stewart, director of PR
for Butterfield & Robinson, "Our biking numbers are definitely up.
We continue to see a diversity of client-young and old who want
an active and culturally engaging experience. Through our diversity
of trips, self-guided, guided, private and bespoke, we can accommodate
different types of travelers and their needs." She adds that,
"France and Italy continue to be our top sellers, with France outselling
Italy last year for the first time in many years. Spain has also
seen an increase in recent years with the addition of two new trips,
Rioja and Andalucia. We will be adding to our portfolio in Spain as
a result." In the July 2013 issue, in the Tour Talk column, we quoted
Andy Levine, DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co.'s president
and founder as saying, "Access to many small galleries, exclusive
74 december 2013
wineries, and a local family's dining table are often only possible
with a smaller number of guests. This is why a DuVine group never
exceeds 14 guests."
Although of course there's no denying that in 2013 (and beyond),
one of the most popular and most experiential ways to visit Europe
is by staying in a villa, as Barbara Le Pome of European Escapes
Villa Rentals noted in the October 2013 feature, It Takes a Villa.
"Travelers today have a strong desire to fully discover their destinations;
to truly experience the destination. The beauty of villa vacations
is that travelers enjoy all the comforts of home abroad, while
soaking up the rhythm of living like a local, or at least being part of
local life."
And it is here where Italy truly is unmatched. According to that
same article, the most sought-after regions for Villas of Distinction
are Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast and the Lake Como district.
"One of our expanding niches in Italy is hosting villa weddings,"
noted Maya Amderelli, product manager for the villa company-
take note, destination wedding-savvy travel agents.
Spain, too, has its authentic accommodations, paradores, which
are ideal for clients making their way along the country's many
routes. This was a type of tourism that Tourist Office of Spain
(spain.info) promoted heavily this year as these routes explore the
country's myriad historical, cultural, natural and gastronomical
roots, as well its myriad religious heritage.
As we leave 2013 and head into 2014, new and exciting product
is already emerging such as TourCrafters' (tourcrafters.com)
7-night self-drive tour of Northern Spain that includes accommodations
in seven of Spain's paradores, including a 16th century
monastery-hospital, a Gothic-style former convent and a renaissance
palace.
"We've seen a lot of demand for folks going to Europe," says
Tauck's (tauck.com) Jeremy Palmer, v.p., general manager, land
division & new ventures. "Europe has been very strong over the
last 12 to 18 months, both with land and with river boating." And if
Viking Cruises' Torstein Hagen's promise of having 100 ships on
the water by 2020 and VisitBritain's goal of having 40 million visitors
by the year 2020 do become reality, then 2013 is just the tip of
the iceberg in terms of bookings. ●
recommend.com
PALOMA VILLAVERDE DE RICO
http://www.goturkey.com
http://www.wyndhamizmir.com
http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-istanbul-pera
http://www.spain.info
http://www.butterfield.com
http://www.tourcrafters.com
http://www.tauck.com
http://www.recommend.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend December 2013
Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Canyon Ranch
Tour Talk: Insight Vacations
17th Annual Recommend Readers' Choice Awards Winners
Cruising 2013
Discovering North America
Caribbean Trends
Anguilla Travel Agent Specialist Program
Asia & The South Pacific in the Rearview Mirror
Mexico 2013
Latin America in 2013 and Beyond
Africa + The Middle East Continue to Make Stides
Nostalgic for Europe
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