It’s All About Connections

So why was I in Greece a few weeks ago? I was attending my host agency’s annual conference in beautiful Mykonos.

Thanks to our partners at Lush Experiences, we stayed at the Myconian Collection resorts at Elia Beach. Myconian has many properties around Mykonos and this set of resorts is perfectly situated in a quiet area of the island and near some popular beach areas. I was fortunate to stay at the Myconian Avalon which is situated at the highest point of all of the resorts. So while sometimes it may take longer to get back to your hotel, the views are pretty stunning from all over the resort. Our room was on the very top floor - some seriously impressive views! 

Each of the resorts has its own unique style and vibe, catering to different tastes and clientele. If you’re thinking about a trip to Mykonos, I would love to help you find the best resort option that suits your personality and travel needs.

Aside from getting to visit Mykonos for the first time, I chose to go to this conference because of the partner and advisor connections I could make there. One of the main benefits of working with a travel advisor is the relationships. Sure, you can book hotels and activities on your own and have a nice vacation. But the relationships your travel advisor has are what will elevate your trip from a vacation to an unforgettable experience. Rather than just booking hotels or tours, we are experts in our clients and craft customized itineraries based on their preferences. And we work closely with our partners to create those unique experiences you can’t get on your own.

Our relationships are also important when things don’t go well on a trip - rather than feeling lost trying to deal with travel headaches on your own, you’ll have a travel advisor and their partners to help you solve your issues with immediate attention. Creating these connections in person goes even further to help bring the most incredible experiences to my clients and ensure their needs are met while in destination.

All of the partners we met are preferred with my host agency which means I can get priority status for my client needs when working with them. And while there were a lot of great partners that I am excited to work with, a few stuck out to me.

Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection - Did you know that Ritz Carlton has their own Cruise line?

Launched in 2022, the RCYC offers a small ship, all-suite cruising experience. Currently the ships are sailing in the Mediterranean (summer) or Caribbean (winter). As you may expect, these ships are very luxurious, well-appointed, and offer incredible amenities and dining options. What I found most interesting is that travelers on these yachts tend to be younger than typical cruisers and are often first-time cruisers. As someone who has never cruised before, I am very interested in these ships! If you’re thinking about a luxe cruise experience without the crowds or the shows, this might be perfect for you.

Travel Insured - I’ve talked about purchasing travel insurance before and always recommend it to my clients.

Travel Insured is one of our preferred insurance partners and if your eyes are starting to glaze over at the mention of insurance, I urge you to keep reading. Travel Insured offers some unique benefits which might make you think twice about not purchasing insurance for your next trip.

Need to cancel for work reasons? It’s covered within their Worldwide Trip Protector. Also covered - if you are unable to be issued a passport on time for your trip, no problem. And if the travel advisory level increases after you book your trip, you can cancel. Insurance offers additional peace of mind while you are traveling, but also before you depart.

Hurtigruten - Cruising, but make it an adventure. Think small expedition ships (no more than 500 passengers) and sustainability focused.

Hurtigruten has banned single-use plastics on their ships and take great efforts to educate their passengers on science and ecology of their destination. There’s even a Science Center on board which is great for families. And if you’re interested in photography, you can rent equipment on the ship and learn about adventure photography. They offer expedition cruises in Antarctica, Scandinavia (Northern Lights viewing), and to the Galapagos on their 90-passenger ships.

And if you’re thinking about your own trip to Greece, I met with half a dozen partners that can help me pull together an amazing Greece experience for you in Paros, Mykonos, Crete, Santorini, Milos, Naxos, Athens....

FYI: Hotel-only Bookings

I plan a variety of trips for my clients. Many are big trips for honeymoons, anniversaries, or milestone birthdays - but you don’t have to wait until a big trip to work with me. I love helping my clients with their travel requests, even something as simple as booking a hotel for them. Through my host agency, I have connections to many hotel elite programs such as Marriott Stars and Luminous, Hyatt Prive, Belmond Bellini Club, Hilton Impresario, and more. Additionally, we are a member of Virtuoso and I can secure additional benefits with Virtuoso-partner hotels.

By booking with me, my clients can access additional amenities that they can’t get by booking on their own such as complimentary breakfast, resort credit, upgrades, VIP status, double hotel rewards points, and more. And because of my connections to sales directors at various hotels, I can ensure my clients have an excellent experience, even if it’s just a few nights in a hotel. 

It doesn’t matter the size of the trip, I want all of my clients to have incredible travel experiences that are seamlessly planned! So if you are looking for support with a hotel booking, let’s connect! I don’t charge planning fees for hotel-only bookings and am happy to help my clients get the VIP experience they deserve!