Just a few of the awesome people I met with last week
What do you do all day?
We’ve had a lot of questions about what exactly we are doing with our days since there are not very many inquiries for travel right now. Friends are wondering why we say “no” to a mid-day socially distanced get together, and Deb’s husband even asked what she was up to all day.
Yes, it’s true that few people are planning their future travels yet. It’s still very important to us that we are ready when you are. We thought you might like to know what a day…or week…looks like in our lives so Deb will walk you through last week:
Barolo, Barbera and Truffles!
Virtual travel advisor conference
One of the areas that I have always specialized in is Europe, especially Italy. Last week, I participated in an online conference and had 20 Zoom meetings, 30 minutes each, with a wide variety of tour companies and hoteliers. One common message is that Italy is working hard to make travel safe again. All of the suppliers are creating new experiences that will include more off the beaten path destinations and sights. There will be more opportunities to connect with locals and truly fall in love with the real Italy.
My favorite meeting last week was with Sebastiano with Tour of Sicily. Sicily was one area of Italy that I was not very familiar with yet. Learning about all of the options there was such fun. Just like most other areas of Italy, there are so many different things to see and do, you really need 5-6 nights to fully appreciate it all.
I also got to learn how to make authentic Neapolitan pizza and Tiramisu I attended a talk about Barolo, Nebiolo & Barbaresco wines and how to properly use white truffles.
Of course I’m already planning my next trip to Italy…at least in my head.
Virtual Pizza Making Class
Ongoing trip management and more
When not in the conference meetings, there were hotel reservations to confirm for clients traveling next week, final details to put together for trips coming up, keeping up with exercise, fitness and healthy eating and working on the new website (announcement coming soon!)
In preparation for our new Southern and East Africa Specialist Certification, Debi & I have been busy with online courses and have over 60 meetings this week with suppliers and specialists in Africa. Watch for an update about that coming soon.
And Debi is keeping busy, too. Last week she enjoyed a virtual walking tour down streets and in hotels in Colombia; met online with sales managers in the Maldives, Bali, Antigua and California; received updates on travel conditions in Mexico, Costa Rica and Belize; attended a virtual conference on adventure travel in Mexico through South America; and finished her Eastern and South Africa Specialist training.
In the meantime, please remember that we are here for you. Whether you just have some questions, want to plan a last minute getaway or something for 2021 or even 2022, we are happy to assist, answer questions and help you make the best decisions based on the most current information available