Recommend September 2015 - (Page 10)

ì editor's notes That's me with my family in Austria. With school starting up again, the summer vacation rush has come and gone, but it's not too early for you to start gathering information for fun-filled family getaways for summer 2016. Tom Varghese, owner of Travel Tom, whom we interview on page 56, says he "encourages clients to book Asian and European vacations six to nine months in advance since that is typically when I see the best 'promos' listed and most wholesalers will have contracts for the various components (hotels, transfers, rail tickets and tours)." So, as Tom notes, it's not too soon to start filling your clients' inboxes with dreams of family vacations to come, because, as Kathleen Doheny, vice president of marketing for Kensington Tours, notes in the Africa piece, the "family business is a segment that continues to grow." Beyond summer vacations, there are Spring Break getaways, long weekend breaks and annual multi-generational family reunions for you to book. Dig through our annual Family Travel issue and you'll find plenty of booking options for family vacations. We've got everything covered-from family-friendly hotels in Mexico (page 20) and Hawaii (page 42), to kid-friendly tours in Japan (page 54) where drumming lessons for the little ones is on the itinerary, as well as an option in Morocco (page 57) that has families exploring dunes, forts and palaces. Family travel might also mean exploring one's family roots. As Harry Dalgaard, Avanti Destinations' president, notes on the Heritage Travel article on page 16, "When we find out where great-grandmother came from, many are interested in going to see that place. [Heritage travel] gives travelers yet one more reason to go off the beaten path, and explore areas which usually offer more authentic experiences, while fulfilling a lifelong desire to retrace the family roots." For 2016, Recommend will be publishing two family travel issues, with the first one to be published in March. It's an issue we love to put together, so we are excited about bringing you even more family vacation options in the coming year.-Paloma Villaverde de Rico E-mail me at paloma@recommend.com group publisher/editorial director associate publisher editor-in-chief associate editor art director latin america editor caribbean editor cruise editor web editor/copy editor contributing editor corporate director of marketing marketing associate production manager ad traffic coordinator laurel a. herman terence k. murphy paloma villaverde de rico michelle marie arean janet del mastro carla hunt ed wetschler vivian holley melissa bryant sergio ortiz sharon lewen amor pagan irizarry estrella bibas daimee feliz chairman/founding editor hal herman president/editorial director laurel a. herman executive vice president gary herman miami corporate headquarters: 5979 nw 151st. st., suite 120, miami lakes, florida 33014, tel: (305) 828-0123; fax: (305) 826-6950 corporate director of sales: garey bell, garey@worthit.com, tel: (305) 828-0123; ext. 181; cell: (770) 235-8225 caribbean, central & south america, south florida, georgia: terry murphy, terry@recommend.com tel: (305) 828-0123; ext. 120; fax: (305) 828-0799 northeast usa, eastern canada, europe, maryland, virginia, D.C.: monique agaliotis, monique@worthit.com, tel: (917) 244-7000 colorado, utah, idaho, montana, wyoming, texas: garey bell, garey@worthit.com, tel: (305) 828-0123; ext. 181; cell: (770) 235-8225 florida, southeast and midwest usa: brenda goodwin, brenda@worthit.com, tel: (305) 828-0123; ext.160; fax: (305) 826-6950 western usa, nevada, new mexico, alaska, arizona, western canada, asia: lisa marie costa, lisamarie@worthit.com, tel: 310-804-9465 hawaii: alan rock, alanrock1@gmail.com, tel: (310) 721-2825 mexico city: renata villa, renata@renatago.com, tel: 011 52 555-255-3212 guatemala travel planner The 16-page Guatemala Travel Planner (page 25) is chock-full of information that will help you sell this Central American country. As Latin America editor Carla Hunt notes in her introduction to the planner, Guatemala is "scenically stunning, culturally captivating, ecologically exciting." The planner covers everything from the country's colonial and Mayan heritage to its festivals, colorful markets, arts scene and shopping delights. You'll even get the 4-1-1 on its culinary goodies and active pursuits. correction: The August cover image description should've been more specific. That's Trinidad in the Sancti Spiritus province of Cuba. let's get social Hang out with us @Recommendmag and facebook.com/recommendmag. And if you want to see what our editors are up to away from the office, follow them @EdWetschler & @AreanWanderlust. 10 september 2015 cancun: margarita alvarez, margarissima@gmail.com tel: 011 52 998 287 1545; fax: 011 52-998 884-1716 RECOMMEND, Vol. 30, issue number 12, (ISSN 0034-1452) is published monthly by Worth International Media Group. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 5979 N.W. 151st St., Suite 120, Miami Lakes, FL 33014.Periodicals postage paid at Hialeah, FL and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to RECOMMEND Circulation Department, P.O. Box 171070 Hialeah, FL 33017-1070. RECOMMEND is distributed at no charge to qualified travel agents and tour operators. Paid annual subscriptions are available for $48 in the U.S., $96 in Canada, payable in U.S. dollars in advance. Published for North American distribution. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Pitney Bowes International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 Copyright© 2005 Worth International Media Group. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Recommend is not responsible for unsolicited photography, art or manuscripts. 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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend September 2015

Editor’s Notes
Hotel Desk: Destination Hotels
Tour Talk: New Offerings Abound
Heritage Travel: In the Footsteps of History
Family is the Focus in Mexico
Guatemala Travel Planner
Hawaii: Falling into Paradise
B Resort & Spa, Lake Buena Vista
The Buzz in Caribbean Family Travel
Escorted Tours That Pack a Punch
Family Adventures
Cruising, Family-Style

Recommend September 2015